Lead Lighting Technical Director

Job ID 10099702 Location Sydney, Australia Business Industrial Light & Magic Date posted Sep. 19, 2024

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Job Summary:

Lead Lighting Technical Directors are responsible for producing high-quality lighting and rendering for complex shots for high-end photo-realistic visual effects films, needing only initial direction and guidance from their Supervisors. Their primary task is to support the team and the show production to achieve the highest quality work.

We are looking for a creative who reflects the innovative spirit, creative talent, production excellence, team-oriented mindset and passion for great filmmaking that define ILM.

On any given day you may partner with the Lighting Team, Lighting Supervisor, CG Supervisor, Key Creatives, Production to:

Scrutinise the colours and directions of all light sources in the real-world scene and replicate them in CG
Design and create the lighting and the look of computer generated objects and scenes
Responsible for the final CG scene assembly, lighting and rendering of very complex shots
Works closely with Lighting Supervisors and CG Supervisors to determine the best approach to solving CG challenges and developing the final look
Creates lighting set ups and/or works within current set ups
Creates efficient rendering set-ups in order to optimise render farm usage
Stays on schedule and meets set deadlines while maintaining the highest level of work quality
Ensures there is ongoing communication with Production and Lighting team regarding schedules and deadlines
Helps mentor Artists within the Lighting/Look Development team

Here are the skills and experience you need to be successful in this role:

Education / Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Graphics or equivalent or previous professional experience in a related field
Experience of real-world lighting and photography
Demonstrable advanced Lighting and Rendering experience within a VFX environment
Previous experience performing Look Development tasks

Required Skills / Competencies:

Must have prior leadership experience
Exhibits excellent listening and communication skills, able to receive direction and criticism
Demonstrates an excellent aesthetic eye, anticipates potential problems and uses knowledge of how to use the tools to achieve the desired look
Demonstrates the ability to help and teach more junior-level artists
Demonstrates the ability to prioritise tasks, manages time very well, provides everyone with accurate time estimates on shot task completion
Demonstrates excellent presentation/communication skills in dailies/shot review by clearly and briefly outlining what has been accomplished and what should be addressed next in a shot
Demonstrates the ability to work within a team environment with minimal supervision to complete a shot
Can write plug-ins, set-up sequences, debug simulations and write set up and Renderman surface shaders with proficiency
Solid compositing ability, can wrangle blue-screen extractions, working knowledge of Nuke
Demonstrates the ability to work with minimal supervision to complete a shot
A thorough understanding of the VFX pipeline from modelling through animation, texturing, rendering and compositing
Ability to pick-up new techniques and the ability to learn new software quickly and easily

Technical Skills:

Excellent knowledge of Renderman and/or other unbiased rendering systems is essential
Knowledge of Katana is an advantage, Maya and/or Zeno beneficial.
A strong knowledge of lighting techniques and a good understanding of colour-space
Basic knowledge of physically plausible shading techniques, experience building shading network is an advantage
Good knowledge of other disciplines within VFX including simulation, modelling and UV mapping, texturing and camera tracking
Understanding of python and/or MEL scripting is important, knowledge of LUA is an advantage.
A good understanding of nuke or similar compositing package, including how to use layers and passes to tweak a shot after it has been rendered
A strong understanding of Linux based operating systems

JoinILM

This position is with Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC, which is part of a business segment we call Industrial Light & Magic. Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion or belief, sex, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, disability or pregnancy or maternity. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.

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About Industrial Light & Magic:

Founded in 1975 by George Lucas, ILM is the leading effects facility in the world, serving the motion picture, commercial production, and attraction industries. ILM has created visual effects for over 325 feature films and has played a key role in seven of the top 10 worldwide box-office hits of all time and has contributed to 25 of the top 50. ILM has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most stunning images in the history of film. At the forefront of the digital revolution, the company continues to break new ground in visual effects, VR, AR, and Immersive Cinema.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with ILM (Australia) Pty. Ltd., which is part of a business we call Industrial Light & Magic.

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