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Rigger

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April 11, 2024 Updated May 23, 2025 18 minute read

Exploring a Career as a Rigger

The term "rigger" encompasses a broad range of skilled professionals who are essential in various industries. At a high level, riggers are responsible for the safe and efficient movement and positioning of heavy or complex equipment and materials. This can range from assembling the skeletal structures of digital characters in animation to maneuvering massive components in construction or setting up elaborate systems in the entertainment industry. Understanding the distinctions within this field is key to exploring it as a career path.

Working as a rigger can be highly engaging, offering a unique blend of problem-solving, technical skill, and often, physical work. For those in industrial or entertainment rigging, the tangible result of safely moving and securing large-scale objects or setting up complex staging can be incredibly satisfying. In the animation and visual effects realm, riggers bring characters and objects to life by building the underlying frameworks that allow for realistic and expressive movement, a crucial and creative role in storytelling. The common thread across all specializations is the critical importance of precision, safety, and a deep understanding of the mechanics involved, whether physical or digital.

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Salaries for Rigger

City
Median
New York
$68,000
San Francisco
$77,000
Seattle
$78,000
See all salaries
City
Median
New York
$68,000
San Francisco
$77,000
Seattle
$78,000
Austin
$50,700
Toronto
$69,000
London
£48,000
Paris
€28,000
Berlin
€55,000
Tel Aviv
₪160,000
Singapore
S$12,000
Beijing
¥100,000
Shanghai
¥102,000
Shenzhen
¥505,000
Bengalaru
₹323,200
Delhi
₹499,000
Bars indicate relevance. All salaries presented are estimates. Completion of this course does not guarantee or imply job placement or career outcomes.

Path to Rigger

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We've curated 24 courses to help you on your path to Rigger. Use these to develop your skills, build background knowledge, and put what you learn to practice.
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Reading list

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Classic work on the art of character animation. It is written by Preston Blair, an animator who worked on films such as "Dumbo" and "Bambi".
Provides a comprehensive guide to rigging in Blender, covering everything from basic concepts to advanced techniques. It valuable resource for both beginners and experienced animators.
Provides a comprehensive guide to rigging for motion capture, covering everything from basic concepts to advanced techniques. It valuable resource for animators who want to learn how to create rigs that are compatible with motion capture data.
Provides a comprehensive guide to rigging for animation, covering everything from basic concepts to advanced techniques. It valuable resource for both beginners and experienced animators.
Provides a practical guide to rigging for production, covering everything from planning and design to final implementation. It valuable resource for animators who want to learn how to create efficient and reliable rigs.
Collection of essays on the art of character animation. It is written by Eric Goldberg, an animator who has worked on films such as "Aladdin" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". While this book does not specifically focus on character movement, it does provide a good overview of the principles of animation that are relevant to character movement.
Is an in-depth look at the physics of movement. It is written by Ian Coflick, a physicist who has worked on films such as "The Matrix" and "Spider-Man".
Practical guide to animating emotions. It is written by Steve Kaplan, an animator who has worked on films such as "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo".
Comprehensive guide to 3D computer animation and effects. It covers everything from modeling and rigging to lighting and rendering. While this book does not specifically focus on character movement, it does provide a good overview of the technical aspects of animation that are relevant to character movement.
Practical guide to animating with Blender. It covers everything from basic principles to advanced techniques. While this book does not specifically focus on character movement, it does provide a good overview of the technical aspects of animation that are relevant to character movement.
Practical guide to character animation. It is written by Alexander Williams, an animator who has worked on films such as "Shrek" and "Madagascar".
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