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3D Animator

Resume Example

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Emily Chen

Lead 3D Animator

[email protected] | +1 (555) 987-6543 | linkedin.com/in/emilychen | N/A | vimeo.com/3danimartist/demoreel | San Francisco, CA

Professional Summary

Lead 3D Animator with 8 years of experience creating character performance, gameplay animation, and cinematic shots for games and short-form productions. Works across Maya, Blender, MotionBuilder, and Unreal Engine to deliver polished scenes, readable motion, and production-ready handoffs. Trusted to guide reviews, mentor teammates, and keep animation quality consistent across fast-moving pipelines.

Skills

Maya, Blender, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Character Animation, Rigging, Motion Capture, Lip Sync

Work Experience

Lead Character Animator

02/2025

XYZ Animation Studio

San Francisco, CA

Directed shot planning and animation reviews for a five-artist team on a stylized adventure series, keeping weekly milestones on track.

Built character performances and cinematic shots in Maya and MotionBuilder, handing off cleaner scene files to reduce late-stage revisions.

Partnered with rigging, lighting, and tech art to resolve deformation and camera-read issues before final render.

Mentored mid-level animators through feedback sessions and shot polish reviews, raising consistency across hero scenes.

Character Animator

03/2021 - 01/2024

ABC Game Development

San Francisco, CA

Animated traversal, combat, and in-engine cinematic sequences for a third-person action title, balancing timing, weight, and gameplay clarity.

Collaborated with designers and technical animators to integrate state-machine-ready assets in Unreal Engine with fewer implementation issues.

3D Modeler

04/2018 - 01/2020

DEF Architecture Visualization

San Francisco, CA

Produced lighting-ready environment models and walkthrough assets from CAD references for client presentations with tight turnaround times.

Built Blender and SketchUp scenes that helped the visualization team deliver polished commercial and residential pitches on schedule.

Projects

Epic Adventure Short Film

vimeo.com/3danimartist/epicadventure

Produced a short fantasy cinematic in Maya, Blender, and Substance Painter, focusing on creature blocking, facial performance, and polished camera work for a portfolio-ready reel piece.

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation

09/2013 - 05/2017

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA

Relevant coursework: Character Animation, Rigging for Production, Lighting & Compositing. GPA: 3.8

Certifications

Advanced Character Animation Workshop

05/2024

Animation Mentor

Completed advanced training focused on shot planning, weight, locomotion, and production-style polish for character animation.

Why This Template Works

This resume example is designed to optimize for ATS systems by including specific technical skills and achievements, making it easier for hiring managers to find the best candidates. The clear section headings and relevant experience details ensure that the automation tools can easily parse and understand the candidate's capabilities.

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How to Write This Resume

How to Write This Resume

Expert guidelines and best practices for each section of your resume.

01

Contact

Contact

First Name Last Name City, State, Zip Code Phone Number | Email Address LinkedIn Profile URL | Portfolio URL (Optional)

General Guidelines

Your contact information is the first section recruiters see. Keep it concise and professional. Ensure your email address is appropriate (e.g., [email protected]). Include your LinkedIn profile for a comprehensive view of your professional journey. A portfolio or personal website is recommended for creative, technical, or design roles.

Avoid This

Do not include your full physical address (street number/name) for privacy reasons. Avoid including personal details like marital status, age, photo, or social security number unless specifically required in your country. Do NOT use unprofessional email addresses. Do NOT include GitHub links for animators - use Vimeo or YouTube for Demo Reels instead.

Real Examples

See clear examples of how to format contact details effectively.

Don't

Emily Chen 1234 Random St, Apt 56 San Francisco, CA 94107 [email protected] github.com/echen Single, 33 years old

Do

Emily Chen San Francisco, CA (555) 987-6543 | [email protected] linkedin.com/in/emilychen | vimeo.com/3danimartist/demoreel

Quick Tips

  • Use a professional email address (firstname.lastname format)
  • Ensure your voicemail is set up and professional
  • Double-check your phone number and email for typos
  • Make your LinkedIn URL custom (linkedin.com/in/yourname)
  • Include Demo Reel link (Vimeo/YouTube) prominently for animators

02

Summary

Summary

Professional Title

Result-oriented 3D Animator with 6 years of experience in character animation, rigging, and concept modeling. Proven track record of delivering high-quality assets that meet client expectations. Skilled in utilizing advanced software like Maya and Blender to create lifelike characters and environments. Committed to delivering creative solutions for the animation industry.

General Guidelines

A professional summary is your elevator pitch. It should be 3-5 sentences long, summarizing your experience, key skills, and major achievements. Tailor it to the job description by using relevant keywords. Focus on what makes you unique and the value you bring to potential employers.

Avoid This

Avoid generic objectives like 'Looking for a challenging role to grow my skills.' Recruiters want to know what value you bring to them, not what you want from them. Don't use first-person pronouns (I, me, my). Keep it concise and impactful.

Real Examples

Compare a weak objective with a strong professional summary.

Don't

Objective: I am looking for an opportunity to grow in the animation industry where I can use my skills and experience.

Do

Experienced 3D Animator with over 6 years of expertise in character animation, rigging, and concept modeling. Reduced project turnaround time by 25% through efficient workflows. Skilled in Maya and Blender, delivering high-quality assets that meet client expectations.

Quick Tips

  • Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., 'Increased revenue by 20%')
  • Keep it under 5 lines for readability
  • Use strong action verbs to start sentences
  • Tailor the summary to match the job description

03

Skills

Skills

Animation Tools

  • Core: Maya, Blender, MotionBuilder
  • Realtime: Unreal Engine, Unity
  • Look Dev: Substance Painter, ZBrush

Production Strengths

  • Character acting, body mechanics, shot polish, team feedback

General Guidelines

Group your skills logically (e.g., Languages, Frameworks, Tools). Focus on hard skills relevant to the job. List skills in order of proficiency or relevance. Soft skills are better demonstrated through bullet points in your experience section rather than a bare list.

Avoid This

Do not list skills you are not comfortable using in an interview. Avoid using progress bars or percentages to rate your skills (e.g., 'Java: 80%') as they are subjective and often misinterpreted. Don't include outdated technologies unless specifically required.

Real Examples

Practical example showing do's and don'ts for skills

Don't
  • Maya (Basic)
  • Blender (Some experience)
  • Unreal Engine (Learning)
Do
  • Maya: Character animation, blocking, spline polish, and shot cleanup
  • Blender: Layout, previs, and environment support for cinematic scenes
  • Unreal Engine: Animation integration, sequencing, and gameplay review support

Quick Tips

  • List the animation tools you can use in production without supervision.
  • Group software by workflow so recruiters can scan your strengths quickly.
  • Show depth with context like gameplay animation, cinematic work, or previs.
  • Keep the section aligned with the studio pipeline in the job description.

04

Experience

Experience

Job Title | Company Name | Location Month Year – Month Year

  • Action Verb + Context + Result (Quantified)
  • Led [Project] resulting in [Outcome]...
  • Collaborated with [Team] to implement [Feature]...

General Guidelines

This is the core of your resume. Use reverse-chronological order (most recent first). Start each bullet with a strong action verb. Focus on achievements and impact, not just duties. Use numbers to quantify your impact (dollars, percentages, time saved, users affected). Show progression and increasing responsibility.

Avoid This

Avoid passive language like 'Responsible for...' or 'Tasked with...'. Don't list every single daily task; focus on significant contributions and measurable outcomes. Avoid jargon that recruiters outside your field won't understand.

Real Examples

Practical example showing do's and don'ts for experiences

Don't
  • Contributed to project timelines by managing tasks.
  • Developed characters with rigging skills in Maya.
  • Assisted the team in producing animations for various games.
Do
  • Led a team of 5 animators to deliver 6 complex scenes for 'Epic Adventure' series, achieving high client approval rates.
  • Created 50+ assets for 'Fantasy World' project, enhancing visual cohesiveness and player immersion.

Quick Tips

  • Highlight specific projects and their outcomes using quantifiable results.
  • Focus on leadership roles to demonstrate your ability to manage teams and deliver projects.
  • Use action verbs such as led, created, implemented, etc., to start each bullet point.
  • Include metrics where possible to illustrate the impact of your work.

05

Education

Education

Degree Name | University Name | Location Month Year – Month Year

  • Relevant Coursework: [Course 1], [Course 2]
  • Honors/Awards: [Award Name]
  • GPA: X.X (if above 3.5)

General Guidelines

List your highest degree first. If you have significant work experience, keep the education section brief. Include your GPA only if it is above 3.5 or if you are a recent graduate. Highlight relevant coursework, academic projects, honors, or leadership roles.

Avoid This

Do not include high school details if you have a college degree. Avoid listing every single course you took; select only the most relevant ones. Don't include graduation dates from decades ago if age discrimination is a concern in your field.

Real Examples

Practical example showing do's and don'ts for educations

Don't

Relevant Coursework: 3D Modeling, Digital Art Foundations Honors/Awards: Graduated with Honors in Fine Arts GPA: 2.8 (not relevant)

Do

Relevant Coursework: Character Rigging & Animation, Advanced Maya Techniques Honors/Awards: Dean’s List, Winner of Student Animation Competition GPA: 3.7

Quick Tips

  • Only list your highest degree to keep the section concise.
  • Focus on courses that are directly related to your role as a 3D Animator, such as Character Rigging & Animation and Advanced Maya Techniques.
  • Highlight any relevant honors or awards that showcase your creativity and skills in animation.
  • Include your GPA if it is above 3.5 or if you are a recent graduate.

06

Projects

Projects

Project Name | Tools/Software Used

  • Briefly describe what you created and its purpose
  • Highlight creative challenges you solved
  • Link to portfolio (ArtStation, Behance, Vimeo, YouTube) if available

General Guidelines

Projects are excellent for demonstrating practical skills, especially if you lack work experience or are changing careers. Include a link to your portfolio (ArtStation, Behance, Vimeo, or YouTube) if possible. Focus on projects that show your creative abilities and relevant tools for the target role.

Avoid This

Don't include trivial tutorials unless you significantly expanded on them. Avoid projects that are outdated, incomplete, or irrelevant to the role you're applying for. Don't just list tools—explain what you created and why it matters. Do NOT mention GitHub links for creative roles - use portfolio platforms instead.

Real Examples

Practical example showing do's and don'ts for projects

Don't

Created a short tutorial on importing models in Maya without detailing the process or outcome. No link to a demo or project page.

Do

Developed a character rigging project using Maya, showcasing how you solved complex bone structures and created smooth animations. Linked to an ArtStation portfolio page where the model and rig are showcased.

Quick Tips

  • Always provide specific details about what you created and its impact.
  • Include links to relevant projects on your portfolio platform for visibility.
  • Highlight the creative challenges you overcame in each project.
  • Describe how your technical skills were applied in practical scenarios.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this role and how to best present it on your resume.

Focus on work that proves timing, visual storytelling, collaboration, or software fluency. Reframe transferable projects in animation language and connect them to the type of production you want next.

Lead with your strongest recent shots, show range without adding filler, and make sure each clip demonstrates clear acting, motion, or technical problem-solving.

Update both whenever your best work changes, your target role shifts, or you finish a project that shows stronger animation quality than your current samples.

List the software you use confidently in production and pair it with context, such as Maya for character animation, Blender for previs, or Unreal Engine for in-engine implementation.

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