Lead Creature Technical Director - Expression of Interest (Feature Animation & VFX)

Job ID 10092240 Location Vancouver, Canada Business Industrial Light & Magic Date posted Nov. 07, 2024

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Job Summary:

This role is considered Hybrid, which means the employee will work 2-3 days onsite at a Company designated location and occasionally from home.

This posting is an opportunity to submit your resume for future consideration; this is not a role that is open at this time. We anticipate this role may be open in the future, but we are not actively hiring for the position. If you would like to be considered for this potential role, please submit your resume. If the role becomes available, you may receive an email or call from a recruiter.

Position Summary

We are looking for an extraordinary teammate to join our Creature team. As a Creature TD Lead, you will be responsible for the creation of outstanding character and creature rigs and simulations, using various software technologies. Our Leads are experienced in leading/mentoring teams, and they understand all aspects of Creature TD work in a production pipeline. They are able to wrangle rigging and creature pipeline issues proficiently under the direction and support of their supervisors.

At ILM, a good idea is a good idea, regardless of where it comes from! Do you thrive in a creative environment? Do you enjoy sharing knowledge and learning from others? If you love art, technology, and movies, then this might be the role you’re looking for!

ILM strives to be an inclusive environment, and the Creature team embraces promising individuals with a variety backgrounds and experiences.

What You’ll Do

Advanced hero-creature rigging and enveloping in Maya
Set up and run cloth, hair, rigid body, crowd, muscle simulations
Comprehend and implement direction from Creature Supervisor
Oversee the work of entry, mid and senior level Creature TDs and provide day-to-day assistance and guidance at the discretion of the Creature Supervisor
Participate as a team member in achieving various aesthetic solutions; provide feedback to other members of the production team by attending dailies on a regular basis
Train and mentor new artists as well as provide technical assistance to the show supervisors before and during the production
Maintain or exceed a consistent level of productivity while meeting deadlines and producing high quality work

What We’re Looking For

5+ years relevant professional experience and a BA in computer graphics, fine arts, design, or photography, or related field; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience
High proficiency in body/facial rigging. Working experience with proprietary modular rigging systems as well as off the shelf Maya rigging tools
Deep understanding in anatomy and muscle dynamics. Good eye for aesthetics of body/face deformations
High proficiency in cloth/hair/flesh/rigid body simulations, Setting up, running, and troubleshooting cloth, hair, flesh surfaces, and fur/feather simulations
Troubleshoot creature rigging and pipeline issues for artists in other disciplines
Experience with look of simulated motions
Experience in both proprietary simulation engines as well as off the shelf software packages (Maya/Houdini) a bonus
Proficiency with Linux, Python, Maya
Positive demeanour and a phenomenal teammate, with good interpersonal and communication skills
Ability to learn quickly and assimilate new information

JoinILM

The hiring range for this position in Vancouver is C$124,900.00 to C$159,900.00 per year based on a 40-hour work week. The amount of hours scheduled per week may vary based on business needs. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other variable pay or benefits, may be offered dependent on the level and position offered.

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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 (Vancouver) Inc., which is part of a business we call Industrial Light & Magic.

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