What does it take to get a job with Rhythm & Hues Studios? What is it like working at Rhythm & Hues Studios? ACR takes a look:
About Rhythm & Hues Studios
Rhythm & Hues Studios has been in the computer-animation and visual effects industry for more than 20 years. President and Founder John Hughes helped design and develop motion control camera systems for the motion graphics firm Robert Abel and Associates before joining forces with a small group of former Abel employees to form Rhythm & Hues in 1987. According to the Rhythm & Hues website, during his time at Abel, Hughes’s contributions helped “pave the way for some of the first use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in feature films and commercials.”
After 24 years in business, Rhythm & Hues is considered one of the world’s top studios for computer generated 3D character animation. The company has two Academy Awards to its credit for Achievement in Visual Effects for Babe and The Golden Compass. Rhythm & Hughes also has four Scientific and Technical Academy Awards. The company has well over 100 film credits under its belt including Hop, Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties, Garfield: The Movie, Men in Black II, Yogi bear, Mr. Poppers Penguins, X-Men First Class, and Red Riding Hood to name a few.
Rhythm & Hues has thousands of artists and engineers working in studios around the world. The company’s main studio is in Los Angeles, with other studios in Mumbai, India; Hyderabad, India; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Vancouver Canada.
Rhythm & Hues Studios Jobs
According to the Rhythm & Hughes website, under Hughes’s guidance, the company “encourages future generations of artists, through apprenticeships to promising students and tours of the studio’s facilities, open to visitors from around the world.” As of August 2011, the company listed dozens of open positions from matte painter to technical animator to visual effects coordinators. The company mentions that it’s always looking for digital artists/technical directors including:
- Character Animation
- Technical Animation
- Animation Support
- Motion Capture
- Camera Layout
- Rigging
- Tracking/Match Move
- Compositing
- Pipeline
- Effects
- Lighting
Rhythm & Hues hires talented artists, programmers, and engineers of all kinds, from students straight out of school (for entry-level positions) to seasoned professionals.
For artists and technical positions, the submission guidelines are as follows:
Digital Artists/Technical Directors:
Digital Artists/Technical Directors (Example: Animator, Lighter, Modeler, etc.), should submit a cover letter, resume and website to [email protected]. Please ensure that your website uploads easily and views properly or it will inhibit your work from being reviewed. If you do not have a website, please submit your resume, cover letter and DVD (please note that your DVD can not be returned) to
Rhythm & Hues Studios
2100 E. Grand Ave.
El Segundo, CA 9024,
Attention: Recruiting Department
Art Department:
Artists (Matte Paint, Conceptual Design, etc.) should submit their cover letter, resume and website to [email protected]. If you do not have a website, please submit your cover letter, resume and artwork (please send copies as your work can not be returned) to:
Rhythm & Hues Studios
2100 E. Grand Ave.
El Segundo, CA 90245
Attention: Recruiting Department
Please visit the company website (www.rhythm.com) to search for open positions, review FAQs, and to make sure the submission guidelines have not changed. For any additional job-related questions, you may also email Rhythm & Hughes [email protected].
Rhythm & Hues Studios Salaries
Salaries for Rhythm & Hues Studios employees vary depending on specialization and position, but they are competitive within the industry. Here are some examples of salaries for various positions within the company. Please note that following salaries were provided by Glassdoor.com:
- Technical Animator: $65,679
- Animation Technical Director: $77,198
- FX Technical Director: $106,773
- Character Technical Director: $81,647
- Lighting Technical Director: $82,616
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, animators and multi-media artists living in the Los Angeles metropolitan and surrounding area (this includes El Segundo) earn an average annual salary of $76,920. Across the nation, animators earn a mean annual salary of $63,440.