3D Animator – Remote

Join a creative indie team developing an open source demo for a dynamic fighting game project. This contract role focuses on animating a provided humanoid character model in Blender, with the goal of producing expressive, readable 2D spritesheets for use in Godot 4. The animation style draws inspiration from platform fighters and traditional fighting games, emphasizing exaggerated, kinetic movements and clear silhouettes. You will be responsible for both side-view and isometric spritesheets, ensuring animations remain visually distinct at small pixel sizes. The initial contract is approximately six weeks, with the possibility of ongoing collaboration for future creature animation work.Deliverables Rig and animate a humanoid character model in Blender, implementing both IK and FK systems. Create a comprehensive set of animations, including idle, walk, sprint, collapse, victory, combat moves (various strikes, charge attacks, stun/knockback), jumps (low, medium, high), and object interactions (grab, carry, throw). Render animations into 2D spritesheets for both side-view (90x110px) and isometric (48px tall, 65° pitch) perspectives. Ensure all animations are optimized for 60fps playback, following provided frame and timing guidelines. Maintain clean topology and adhere to specified naming conventions for rigging. Collaborate on refining the Blender-to-Godot export pipeline, utilizing tools such as the Spritesheet Renderer Blender Addon and Godot's texture-packer plugin. Provide honest feedback on the provided model and suggest improvements if necessary.Requirements Advanced proficiency in Blender animation, with strong skills in weight painting, rigging (IK/FK), and topology cleanup. Demonstrated experience exporting assets from Blender to Godot, including spritesheet rendering. Familiarity with Blender rigging tools such as Autorig Pro, Accurig, or Rigify. Experience with Spritesheet Render Addon for Blender or similar tools. Ability to create readable, expressive animations at small pixel sizes. Portfolio or reel showcasing character animation work, preferably with fighting game or action-oriented examples. Clear communication skills and willingness to discuss workflow improvements. Availability for a six-week contract, with interest in potential future work on creature animation. Shader and visual effects experience in Blender is a plus. Must be comfortable working remotely and collaborating with a distributed team.About TwineTwine is a leading freelance marketplace connecting top freelancers, consultants, and contractors with companies needing creative and tech expertise. Trusted by Fortune 500 companies and innovative startups alike, Twine enables companies to scale their teams globally.Our MissionTwine's mission is to empower creators and businesses to thrive in an AI-driven, freelance-first world.