Work Experience
Senior Rigger, Hero Forge
Remote, CA — November 2023 - Present
Responsible for designing and implementing rigs that control characters' movements and deformations, adapting rigs to accommodate a vast range of character customizations. This role involves skinning, weighting, developing tools to automate the rigging process, and ensuring that rigs are optimized for web applications and 3D printing.
Character Rigger, Dreamworks Feature
Burbank, CA — July 2022 - September 2023
Responsible for constructing 3D character rigs and animation interfaces and establishing muscle, skin, hair, fur, and/or clothing behaviors ranging from broad squash and stretch to realistic physical movements
Rigging Instructor, Gnomon
Los Angeles, CA — July 2022 - Present
Teach fundamentals of rigging, where I discuss the role of a rigger in production, as well as set up critiques and industry tips. Students explore various rigging styles through weekly assignments and work towards creating a biped rig.
Rigging Instructor, CGMA
Los Angeles, CA — May 2023 - Present
Delve into various concepts and techniques, ranging from the basics of rigging to advanced rigging strategies. Teach foundational skills to create compelling characters and assets for various projects.
Lead Character TD, Nickelodeon
Burbank, CA — April 2022 - July 2022
Collaborate with leads, CG supervisor, asset supervisor, animation lead, and overseas partners to build rigs for characters and props. Ensure that all deliverables are completed on time and according to production standards. Review and note assets created by partner studios.
Character TD, Dreamworks TV
Glendale, CA — March 2018 - March 2022
Served as a rigging point person in show-specific meetings and reviews. Rigged assets for prebuild to serve as examples for the overseas studios. Helped establish processes and pipeline integration during RnD. Utilized Python scripting to implement new tools and techniques. Created cloth simulations and set up characters for crowd simulations.
Lead Character Rigger, Sprite Animation
Los Angeles, CA — May 2012 - March 2018
Implemented the use of MEL scripting. Trained in-house and outsourced riggers. Developed rigs for bipeds, vehicles, creatures, and props and maintained existing rigs. Worked closely with other team members to ensure all deliverables aligned with the production’s schedule and technical specifications.
Skills
Rigging, Python, MEL, Cloth Simulation, Animation, Modeling, Photogrammetry
Nice to meet you
Hi, my name is Diego. I was born in Zamora Michoacán, Mexico. I spent my early childhood in a town near Zamora. My family and I moved to California when I was about four years old.
I’m unsure when I decided to become an artist, but I know I was very early on. When I came to the US, I didn’t know how to speak English, so images became an important learning tool. I was especially attracted to animated films and comic books. I may not have been able to understand the dialogue, but I could still follow the stories. I was even able to learn some English just by watching cartoons!
I currently live in Southern California. I work in the animation industry as a character rigger and instructor.
My favorite hobbies include drawing, animating, and concert photography.
