STRAT Program at Polygon Pictures, Inc.

Note: The STRAT program is sponsored by the Economic Development Board, a branch of the Government of Singapore, and as such is open to Singaporean citizens or permanent residents only. We regret that others are not eligible to apply for positions in the STRAT program.

Goal of Program
Trainee Background
Application Procedure

Goal of Program

The goal of the STRAT Program at Polygon Pictures, Inc. is to train a group of Singaporean residents in the various specialties that make up computer animation production. We hope to place one or more trainees in each of the following departments. All duties will be performed under the supervision of senior employees.

Department	Brief Description of Duties
Storyboard/Animatic	Create hand-drawn 2-D storyboards and edit animatics expressing the emotions and story ideas of a potential animation.
Modeling/Texturing/Surfacing	Create computer graphics shapes and textures to represent real or fantastic objects and characters.
Setup	Insert and refine animation controls enabling animators that bring characters or objects to life.
Layout	Define the basic composition and storytelling for a sequence of an animation.
Animation	Bring the animated characters a previously laid-out scene to life,
Shot	Place the computer-simulated lights in a scene, render that scene out, and composite together the various elements making up the scene.
Workflow Programmers	Workflow programmers create the automated workflows essential for any large-scale computer graphics production. They are an essential part of the team.
Editorial	Edit together the shots created by layout, animation, and shot to get the most effective storytelling when finally assembled. Place temporary sound effects and music to evaluate scenes.
Effects	Create procedural animations and simulations to enhance scenes, including but not limited to particle effects, cloth simulations, dynamics simulations, or fluid simulations.
Production Management	Track and monitor the progress of creators in all the above areas. Work with the individuals to make sure work gets done on time. Brainstorm and problem-solve to keep work on schedule.

Applicants are encouraged to read the background/experience notes below and apply for particular departments. Polygon and the EDB will ultimately evaluate the candidates' submitted materials and/or interests, and determine the appropriate assignment for each individual.

The Strategic Attachment and Training (STRAT) Programme is an initiative by the Economic Development Board (EDB) to build up key manpower capabilities in Singapore’s workforce for emerging sectors and activities, through overseas attachment and training with leading companies. STRAT is one of the schemes under Preparing for the Upturn (PREP-UP), a programme introduced by the EDB to create and preserve capabilities during the downturn.

Trainee Background/Experience

Generic requirements

As listed above, all trainees must be Sinaporean citizens or permanent residents to be eligible for participation in the program.
In order to fulfill the requirements for a Japanese visa, all applicants should have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
All trainee applicants except Workflow Programming and Production Management are expected to submit a demo reel showing their accomplishments to date. For those positions, applicants without a demo reel cannot be considered.
All trainee applicants should be confident speakers of English. With the exception of the Production Management department, Japanese is not required.

Position-specific Required and Preferred Background

Department	Minimum Required Background	Ideal Background
Storyboard	Certificate or diploma program in computer graphics, or art.	Certificate or diploma program in computer graphics, or art. 1+ yrs. professional experience creating storyboards.
Modeling	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation or visual effects.	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation or visual effects. 1+ yr. experience working professionally as a modeler/texture artist. Knowledge of Maya.
Setup	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation or visual effects. Demonstrated ability to script in a modern scripting language. 1+ yr. professional experience in CG production (including setup).	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation or visual effects. Demonstrated ability to script in a modern scripting language. 2+ yr. professional experience in CG production, including some setup. Some Japanese language ability preferred.
Layout	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation or visual effects. Demonstrable ability to handle camera positioning and framing, whether in live action or animation.	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation or visual effects. 1+ yr. experience working professionally as a digital layout artist.
Animation	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation.	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation. 1+ yr. experience working professionally as a character animator. Maya experience.
Shot	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation or visual effects.	Certificate or diploma program in computer animation or visual effects. 1+ yr. experience working professionally in visual effects or computer animation.
Workflow Programmer	Diploma in engineering, computer science, or related field.	Diploma in engineering, computer science, or related field. Professional experience with web-based, database, or workflow programming. Exposure to or experience with CG production.
Editorial	Certificate or diploma program in computerized video/film editing.	Certificate or diploma program in computerized video/film editing. 1+ yr. experience working professionally as an editor.
Effects	1 yr. Professional Experience creating 3D Computer Graphics effects in a production environment	3 yrs. Professional Experience creating 3D Computer Graphics effects in a production environment
Production Management	Intermediate-level spoken Japanese. Business-related diploma course.	Intermediate-level spoken Japanese. Business-related diploma course. 1+ yr. experience with project management or production management.

Application Procedure

Interested applicants may apply at www.sedb.com/edb/strat by 29May2009. Only applications made via the online STRAT application form can be considered.