What Is a Rigger? Discover the Professionals Behind SFX

Their role is essential when creating animated characters, but chances are you haven't heard of them

The future of entertainment will rely on digital: cinema and big TV shows are increasingly dependent on special effects; computer animation has practically replaced traditional animation techniques, and video games are already the most profitable cultural product.

In all these fields, there is an essential professional figure who ensures that all computer-generated characters have an organic, coherent, and fluid movement. They are the rigger.

But what does a rigger do?

Basically, a rigger is a skeleton creator for 3D animated characters. Each of these characters needs an internal structure of bones and joints in order to move correctly, and the rigger is the professional in charge of building it. If you thought these digital characters were empty on the inside, you are very wrong: like us, they require an invisible skeleton that gives structure to their bodies.

Who do the riggers work with?

Riggers work with modelers and animators, they are the intermediary between the two. The modeler "builds" the character with a 3D modeling software, and then the rigger is in charge of creating a skeleton that allows the animator to later place it in all the required poses.

Their work is essential in all kinds of media, from video games,to movies and animated series, to TV shows and ads.

What equipment does a rigger need?

Obviously, riggers need to have a computer to do their job. The more realism the character they are working with has, the more power they will need in these computers. If the rigger is working on TV shows or movies, the industry standard is a Linux PC; for video games, a Windows PC is the most common tool.

The most used software for riggers is Autodesk Maya, a modeling and animation software. It is a paid program, but if you want to get started in the world of rigging, do not despair: there is a free version for students that you can start practicing with.

Where can I study to be a rigger?

The most common route is to study animation first, to understand the entire creative and technical process behind the construction of a character, and then specialize in rigging.

Rigging is a profession that has evolved with the animation and special effects industries: the most relevant schools are in Canada (the Vancouver Film School), the USA (CalArts), France (Gobelins), and the United Kingdom (National Film and Television School).

In any case, in many of these schools, rigging is treated as another part of the animation process, and it may be up to the student to specialize in it.

Okay, all this interests me, but I don't know if it's my thing, what should I do to be a good rigger?

1. Knowledge of anatomy

Mastering how the human body moves and why it does so is essential for a rigger, especially when working with realistic characters.

2. Notions of mathematics and advanced programming

The skills of a rigger can be quite diverse. To have total mastery of the rigging technical process (and this is an essential step to obtain extraordinary results) knowledge of mathematics, programming, and advanced calculations are usually required.

3. A lot of patience

Creating a character's skeleton is a long and complicated process that is full of trial and error and is not easy to learn.

If you are interested in rigging:

- Introduction to Rigging for Animation, a course by Jose Antonio Martin Martin
- Build a Friend: From Pencil to Movement, a course by Carlos "Zenzuke" Albarrán
- Rigging and Deformation of a Character, a course by Jose Antonio Martin Martin

If you want to go deeper:

- Rigging: Facial Articulation of a 3D Character, a course by Iker J. de los Mozos
- Rigging: Body Articulation of a 3D Character, a course by Pablo Emmanuel De Leo
- Advanced Techniques for Rigging and Deformation, a course by Jose Antonio Martin Martin