Storyboard Artist (Development Phase)
About Us
Tonko House is an independent animation studio founded by Pixar-alums Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi following the Academy Award nomination of their short film “The Dam Keeper.” As a critically acclaimed studio dedicated to constant exploration and creative excellence within a variety of mediums, Tonko House was nominated for an Eisner Award for The Dam Keeper Graphic Novel and received the grand prize at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in 2018 for the episodic series, “PIG: The Dam Keeper Poems.” Most recently Tonko House received both Annie and Emmy Awards for its Netflix Limited Series, “ONI: Thunder God’s Tale.”
Position Overview
Operating a fully remote model, we connect and collaborate with top talent globally. We are currently in an exciting development phase for a brand-new, animated comedy series. The show is a classic "fish-out-of -water" tale, and we are seeking a talented Storyboard Artist who can bring sharp comedic timing, expressive character acting, and visual humor to our project's foundational story reels.
As a Storyboard Artist for our development phase, your primary mission in boarding the reels is to bring to life the funny character dynamics of our world while working closely with our Writer, Editor, and Showrunner.
Key Responsibilities
- Storyboarding: Translate scripts and showrunner direction into expressive storyboard panels that emphasize physical comedy, situational humor, and comedic timing.
- Character-Driven Acting: Craft distinct visual personalities, clear posing, and micro-expressions that amplify the comedy of a character navigating our distinctive world environment.
- 3D Set Integration: Utilize pre-built 3D environmental sets to frame dynamic camera angles, exaggerate scale differences, and create spatial gags that heighten the comedic tension.
- Structural Pacing & Continuity: Maintain tight screen direction and quick-witted continuity across sequences, ensuring a seamless handoff to the editing team for animatic building.
- Collaborative Iteration: Pitch storyboard sequences to the creative team over remote video reviews; executing revisions based on feedback.
- Remote Teamwork: Actively communicate progress and organize your panels within our remote studio workflow, meeting milestones across global time zones.
Qualifications & Skills Required
- Comedy Portfolio: A sequential portfolio that strongly showcases a mastery of comedy, acting, physical humor, clear posing, and strong character expressions.
- Cinematic Language & Timing: Deep understanding of staging principles, pacing, camera choices
- 3D Layout Comfort: Comfortable working alongside 3D environment assets, using 3D greyboxes as background references or perspective staging guides.
- Industry Software Mastery: High proficiency in industry-standard storyboarding tools (e.g. Toon Boom Storyboard Pro or Adobe Photoshop).
- Remote Efficiency: Highly organized with managing files and meeting deadlines independently.
- Adaptable & Collaborative Mindset: Receptive to creative collaboration and feedback from director / showrunners.