Meet Ernesto Sanz Martinez | Character technical artist / Character rigger

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ernesto Sanz Martinez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ernesto, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Several factors have helped advance my career as a technical artist in animation and games. The most significant factor has been the support of my family and friends, who have believed in me and participated in every decision along the way.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a technical artist, and what I enjoy most is character and prop rigging. My journey is somewhat different from many of my coworkers. I was a full-time student and college athlete throughout my undergraduate and master’s studies in animation, which was genuinely challenging. Don’t get me wrong; I’d do it all over again, but the tennis competitions were brutal, and I always aimed to excel in school. Consequently, I learned to manage my time effectively and work quite quickly. I also faced other challenges, such as overcoming a language barrier and starting from scratch in a foreign country.

After completing my undergraduate studies at SCAD, I had the privilege of being a Character Rigging Intern at Sony Pictures Imageworks in Vancouver, Canada, where I worked on the 2024 Christmas movie Red One. I was responsible for rigging the reindeer and the digital double of J.K. Simmons, who portrays Santa in the film. My experience there highlighted the importance of scripting in production, so I focused on that during my master’s program. After developing numerous tools using Python in Maya, I worked for a client who required game-ready assets, prompting me to learn Unreal Engine and the complete Maya to UE workflow. This preparation helped me secure my current role at Epic, where I am a Character Technical Animation Intern. Our work primarily revolves around the look and feel of character locomotion and tools, and we collaborate closely with the animation and modeling departments.

My biggest advice? Stay endlessly curious. Keep growing, and keep exploring, especially beyond the boundaries of your daily work. It’s those unique passions, those unexpected skills, that set you apart. In the end, it’s not just what you did at your job that people will remember, it’s the spark you carried, the things you brought to the table that no one else could.

So keep showing up, keep leveling up, and never stop learning. Stay focused on the things that take no talent!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When I was living in Atl my favorite spot was Piedmont Park! I would enjoy a nice iced coffee with the beautiful ducks by the pond, probably sketching some life-drawing caricatures. I also enjoyed the High Museum a lot, every second Sunday of each month was free and I visited it a lot! I really like Lara Kin Cafe and Mirko Pasta, and if you enjoy walking on the beltline, Ladybird is a must! If you’re a sports person, check out PATL for tennis, padel, and pickleball.

I currently live in Kansas City, so if my best friend were to visit, I’d take them for a walk at Country Club Plaza, enjoy the art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum, and bike around Loose Park. For outdoor fun, we’d check out the River Market Farmers Market and then play some padel at La Casa del Padel. We’d also explore West Plaza, popping into local shops and cafes, and enjoying classic BBQ spots like Jack Stack or Joe’s. We would end the night with some games and a drink at Percheron’s rooftop bar, overlooking the city!

I’d try to do as much as possible but there has to be some time to enjoy each other’s company, sit, relax, and appreciate our friendship!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
This is a very difficult question! I’ll do my best to be brief!

On the professional side, I’d like to thank my technical animation team at Epic Games: David Corral, Erik Malvarez, Henri Tan, Hyun Seung Kim, and Thai Luu, as well as Brian Cohen, Vittorio Cantatore, and Flavio Castello from Sony Pictures Imageworks back in 2023, for taking the time and effort to guide me in becoming a better artist.

On a more personal note, I’d like to thank my brother, Diego, for leading my life by being a phenomenal person and professional to look up to. My mom, Olga, has shown me unwavering trust and love, which have helped me push through thick and thin. Her determination and perseverance are a true inspiration to me. I’d also like to thank my uncle Alberto for teaching me how to play tennis and pursue my dreams. Thanks to him, I was able to land a scholarship to study at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and with the support of my tennis coach, the academic and international staff, and my friends, I see myself in this position.

Lastly, I’d like to thank my partner, Bego, for believing in us and for helping me see our lives through kind and positive eyes.

Website: https://ernestosanzmartinez.wixsite.com/portfolio

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ernestosanz.me/

Linkedin: htttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ernestosanzmartinez