My "Show Programming" self-study course: INTRODUCTION

What is a show programmer? Well, let's take a look at one of the job descriptions. These are a major pain to try and find, by the way. The moment Disney no longer needs the position filled, they remove all the job descriptions, making it very difficult for those of us who want to do it as a career. This one is technically focused on being a figure animator, so it's not quite what we want, but it's pretty dang close.

Also, it's all I could find, though I've seen much better descriptions in the past (which I neglected to save). The vanilla show programmers (which is what I'm aiming for) require a lot more in terms of coding skills. So that's why CS will be our baseline. 

Effectively tell the story in a meaningful way through acting, movement, staging, with simple or complex articulated rigs. Create quality animation using digital tools, which adheres to the engineering limitations and requirements of an Audio-Animatronics(r) figure. Collaborate with and take direction from Directors and Animation Supervisors. Implement changes and complete animation programming per the production schedule. Develop and maintain a professional knowledge of necessary production tools. Maintain an open and professional demeanor regarding direction, changes and shifting requirements. Assists in creating and organizing character sheets, animation data, rigs, and/or models. Ability to work well on a team, understanding and integrating Creative, Production, Engineering, Project and Park Maintenance requirements. Works closely with Show Programmers, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, and Animation Production to Develop and support successful integration of animation in theme park attractions. Familiarity with maintaining and creating rigs for CG character animation. Ability to function in a dynamic work environment, managing multiple project tasks. Basic Knowledge of Robotic Animation. Basic knowledge of control systems. Basic knowledge of mechanical systems. Ability to provide some technical support for computer graphic animation applications. Strong software knowledge/experience with any combination: Maya, Motion Builder, Z-Brush, Adobe, Final Cut Pro, After Effects. Must be able to work without supervision but able to integrate inputs from many individuals and work as a team member. Must have a high tolerance for change and changing requirements. Able to communicate (verbally and in writing) clearly and concisely keeping many individuals informed. Experience in CG production for animation, live-action film, television or video games. Strong understanding of animation fundamentals, including timing and appeal. Flexible problem-solving skills and attention to detail and quality. Strong communication skills including the ability to clearly convey both artistic and technical concepts and processes. Visual examples of images exemplifying work in this area are requested for review. Additionally, please include a resume and reel breakdown with your online profile.

Two or four year BA or BFA Degree in traditional Animation, Computer Animation, or game development. OR Demonstrate multiple years of on-the-job experience and training in real-world animation roles, as indicated above.

"We create happiness." That's our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. And it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you'll help inspire that magic by enabling our teams to push the limits of entertainment and create the never-before-seen! Walt Disney Imagineering is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company. Its talented corps of Imagineers is responsible for the creation - from concept initiation through installation - of all Disney Resorts, theme parks and attractions, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, and new media projects. Show Programmers facilitate development of animation for Audio-Animatronics(r) figures, animated props, or ride systems by programming intricately controlled themed attraction sequences, and/or integrating show control systems with rides, Audio-Animatronics(r) figures, and other show elements such as special effects, audio/video, show lighting, etc. These highly technical positions require strong creative intuition and the ability to collaborate closely with Creative, Engineering, Manufacturing, Media Production, and Theme Park Maintenance teams. As a Figure Animator you will be responsible for creating compelling storytelling with cutting-edge technology to bring Audio-Animatronics(r) characters to life in Disney Theme Park Attractions around the world. You will be constantly challenged to create innovative new ideas for animating, staging, and creating the illusion of life within a physical theme park attraction. We collaborate with Mechanical and Electrical Engineers and Creative Directors to deliver the creative intent of the directors within the limitations of the physical world. 572580

Here's another one, for a programmer at the Creative Technology Studio in Glendale: 

The Walt Disney Company is a world-class entertainment and technological leader. Walt’s passion was to continuously envision new ways to move audiences around the world—a passion that remains our touchstone in an enterprise that stretches from theme parks, resorts and a cruise line to sports, news, movies and a variety of other businesses. Uniting each endeavor is a commitment to creating and delivering unforgettable experiences — and we’re constantly looking for new ways to enhance these exciting experiences. Bring your individual talents here and discover for yourself why a career with Disney is the opportunity you’ve been looking for.

“It takes people to make the dream a reality.” Walt was on to something when he said that, and it continues to ring true today. No matter the stage in your career, being a part of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts means being a part of a team where you help bring innovation to life through unsurpassed products, services and most importantly remarkable experiences. As a Cast Member you are the steward and connection to our legacy and the backbone of our thriving innovations. Join our team and watch your dreams come true.

The Creative Technology team of Walt Disney Imagineering is looking for a programmer to help with day to day technical responsibilities of the team. The Creative Technology Studio is collection of technologists and artists working within Imagineering to create and deploy technology tools to help increase Imagineers capabilities and efficiencies.

Responsibilities:

  • Aiding in creation of technology heavy proof-of-concepts.

  • Digital pipeline tools development for 3d media generation for use in vfx, architecture, games, etc.

  • Aiding in troubleshooting previously built proof-of-concepts.

  • Communicating technical concepts to nontechnical teams.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Candidate should be a proficient programmer in both high level languages such as

  • Python and lower level languages such as C/C++

  • Computer graphics programming experience (OpenGL/DirectX)

  • Strong 3D math skills

  • Be a strong communicator (written and spoken)

  • Working knowledge of commercial software applications including:

    ◦ Game engines (Panda3D, Unreal, Unity, etc.)

    ◦ 3D content-creation software (Autodesk Maya, MotionBuilder, Sketchup, etc.)

    ◦ 2D content-creation software (Adobe Creative Suite, Nuke, etc.)

  • Ability to learn APIs and new SDKs quickly

  • Understanding of digital art pipeline for games and/or visual effects.

  • Basic working knowledge of computer hardware and networking.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Virtual Reality experience

  • Autodesk Maya scripting (MEL/Python) and API (C++/Python) development experience

  • Shader programming experience (GLSL/HLSL/Cg)

  • Web programming (HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, jQuery, Ruby on Rails, Django)

  • Game Engine other than Unity experience

  • Computer Vision experience

  • Robotics programming

This is actually closer to what we want. But you get the idea. Show programmers, and similar positions, do everything for the rides (and theme parks in general) that involves computer science and animation skills. 

This is the first post containing my psuedo-course for learning show programming. Who knows how long it'll take me to do this. It's basically the CS-Animation Emphasis degree at BYU, but with extra steps and a far less competent instructor (i.e. me and the Internet). And it's not just going to be preparation for show programming -- it should also work for stuff like Media Pipeline Developer and basically anything that requires the unique CS/Animation split. 

So, it seems like we need to build up the following: 

- A foundation in information technology. This is an unpopular opinion in the CS world, as programmers tend to look down on IT guys for some reason (this is very irritating, as you should really be both a programmer and an IT guy), but I strongly believe that you can't learn computer science very well if you're clueless about the technology you're trying to program. Sorry, but if you're a programmer you should be able to troubleshoot hardware and network issues, at least to some extent. 

- A foundation in computer science and engineering, especially programming, hardware, data structures, and algorithms. 

- An understanding of PLCs (programmable logic controllers), control systems, and animatronics. 

- A foundation in mathematics and physics. That's right, there's no getting around it: you must understand math. 

- A foundation in art: first with drawing, then digital and 3D. We need to build up a portfolio and a reel. I have been really, really sucking at this lately, but that is going to change immediately. 

- A powerful imagination. 

- An understanding of theme parks and theme park design in general. This includes visiting theme parks and water parks regularly! 

- Secondary skills: For me, this is creative writing and music. I do, after all, want to become a published author. And I love music. 

- And: Work-life balance. We need to not kill ourselves here. 

I know that some people come into show programming from a theater background, but I'll be honest: it's not really my cup of tea, though I did enjoy watching Les Mis on Broadway. I much prefer film and cartoons, so I'd rather approach this from the animation angle. 

Also: this is going to be brutal. Just a fair warning. I hate skipping steps, there will be a lot of intensive review from my BYU courses, and I want to learn more than just what is required here. The emphasis will be on a strong, intuitive foundation and lots of practical applications, but we won't be skimping on theory, either. Also, I'm learning this at the same time as you, and writing these articles will be a key component in my learning. 

You probably aren't going to want to review math concepts after riding roller coasters for 2 hours in 100-degree heat in the middle of July. But you are going to do exactly that, because realistically -- was anything other than perseverance until success even an option? Like most things in life, the key is to keep iterating, and never give up.