This article details the character rigging process for the animated short film "Picchu," created using Blender and Amazon Nimble Studio.

• AWS joined Blender Development Fund as Corporate Patron to support open-source software development
• Transitioned from 20 years of Maya experience to Blender, requiring workflow adjustments and hotkey remapping
• Used Rigify and CloudRig add-ons to automate body rigging, saving time on three characters
• Developed custom face rigging approach using low-resolution driver geometry with surface deform modifier
• Strategic vertex placement enabled simple weight painting without complex bone balancing
• Subdivision and surface deform modifiers preserved volume and achieved naturalistic skin deformation
• Same technique successfully applied to hair, clothing, and other character elements
• Rig available open-source on GitHub for community use

The project demonstrates effective cloud-based animation production and provides valuable feedback to Blender Foundation for future improvements.