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Baymax! | Character Technical Direction & Technical Animation
baymax.jpg
As a full-time Character Technical Director at Walt Disney Animation Studios, I contributed to Baymax! primarily as a Technical Animator, refining character simulations, deformations, collisions, and final shot quality throughout production. My work involved extensive shot-level troubleshooting to ensure that cloth, hair, props, and layered character elements interacted cleanly while preserving the intent of the animated performance. I also worked on simulation-heavy shots involving Baymax, refining his distinctive soft, inflated form and physical interactions through final technical animation polish.
Role
Character Technical Director
Technical Animator
Character Finaling
Studio
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Burbank, CA
 
Project
Animated Episodic Shorts
Released 2022
Tools
Autodesk Maya
Proprietary Character Simulation Tools
Proprietary Tech Anim & Collision Tools
Featured Work Reel
Technical animation and character finaling, collision and contact refinement, layered-clothing troubleshooting, simulation parameter tuning, and simulation-heavy Baymax character polish. Specific responsibilities are identified within the reel.
My Contributions

  1. Performed shot-level technical animation and character finaling, resolving intersections and complex collisions between characters, props, clothing, hair, and other animated elements.

  2. Tuned simulation and rig parameters—including collision behavior and rest-length controls—to improve the fit, motion, and interaction of layered garments across character performances.

  3. Worked on simulation-heavy Baymax shots, refining character behavior, contacts, deformation, and secondary motion while maintaining his recognizable soft, inflated volume and the intent of the original animation.

  4. Provided extensive shot-level polish when cloth and hair setups required additional refinement, using technical animation and simulation adjustments to improve fidelity, silhouettes, and final character presentation.

  5. Collaborated with animation, rigging, character, and technical partners to diagnose and resolve simulation, deformation, contact, and shot-specific production challenges through final delivery.

Shot breakdown of my technical animation work, including Baymax simulation, collision/contact refinement, and final character polish through integration into the finished sequence.
Process & Collaboration

My work on Baymax! centered primarily on shot production and final technical animation. After reviewing animated shots, I identified areas where character simulations, layered garments, hair, props, or rig deformation required additional refinement. Many shots involved complex contact relationships, so I adjusted collision behavior, rest-length parameters, simulation settings, and character geometry to maintain clean layering and believable secondary motion.

Because cloth and hair setups sometimes moved through production on a quick turnaround, a significant part of my role was ensuring those elements achieved the necessary fidelity at the shot level. This included resolving intersections, refining silhouettes and deformations, correcting problematic contacts, and adding technical-animation polish where the underlying rig or simulation alone could not produce the desired result.

For simulation-heavy Baymax shots, I also worked directly with his character behavior and physical interactions, balancing simulation with the animated performance to preserve his soft, inflated form and characteristic movement. I iterated closely with animation, rigging, character, and technical partners before validating and polishing the final work for integration into the production pipeline.

Project Context
Official trailer courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios

Copyright © 2026 Sahar Kausar. All Rights Reserved.

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