ILM Immersive, Interactive Animation Intern, Summer 2026
About The Position
About the Role & Program: We’re dedicated to building the future of storytelling by merging high-end visual effects with interactive, immersive experiences. Our collaborative and creative team is setting new standards for real-time worlds where movies and games converge. If you’re excited about innovation at the crossroads of film and interactive technology, we invite you to join us. What You Will Do: The Interactive team at ILM delivers premium, story-driven immersive entertainment across real-time rendered platforms including immersive cinema, virtual reality, mixed reality, theme parks, and new media. As an Animation Intern, you'll help bring characters, vehicles, and environments to life through high-quality 3D animation for both gameplay and cinematic sequences.
Requirements
- Strong acting and storytelling abilities; solid grasp of animation principles, anatomy, and motion.
- Ability to animate convincing physical movement and performances for 3D characters.
- Experience working with Maya and Unreal Engine; familiarity with implementing animation in game engines.
- Ability to self-manage, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
- Effective collaboration and communication skills.
- Adaptable and receptive to direction and feedback in a fast-paced environment.
- Junior or Senior year preferred
- Major or previous coursework in Digital Art, Game Design & Development, Animation, or a related field.
- Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree taking at least one class in the semester/quarter (spring/fall) prior to participation in the internship program AND returning to school the semester/quarter following the internship OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship
- Current Disney Interns, College, International, or Culinary Program Participants: You may only work for ONE consecutive year (12 months) in any combination of an internship and/or program.
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Possess unrestricted work authorization
Nice To Haves
- Broad understanding of various game development disciplines.
- Proficiency with Linux.
- Experience working with motion capture data.
- Knowledge of rigging, and scripting (Python, MEL), and video editing.
- Understanding of SCRUM/Agile processes.
- Passion for games and immersive media; interest or experience in VR, AR, or VFX production pipelines.
Responsibilities
- Create polished gameplay and cinematic animation for 3D characters, vehicles, cameras, and props using hand-key techniques and motion capture data, following guidance from supervisors and leads.
- Develop technical skills to ensure animations integrate and read clearly in-game.
- Gain familiarity with tools and pipelines, troubleshooting shot files as needed.
- Playtest and identify animation-related issues, reporting findings to supervisors and leads.
- Stay current with animation techniques to help improve tools and workflow efficiency.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
5,001-10,000 employees
