Crowd FX at Sony Pictures Imageworks

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Not SpecifiedCompensation

Mid-level (3 to 4 years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Visual Effects, Animation, FilmIndustries

Requirements

Excellent communication skills in French and English for handling global business aspects
Bachelor's degree in computer science, OR a diploma/certificate from a recognized school in animation or visual effects, OR 3-4 years of relevant experience in animation films or visual effects
Expertise in crowd simulation with Houdini, Massive, Golaem, or similar software
Ability to design interaction characteristics for different types of agents
Understanding of animation principles and ability to create realistic group behaviors by controlling individual movements within a crowd
Ability to customize procedural techniques to generate unique and varied performances for clip-animated characters and simulated autonomous agents
Skill in proposing solutions to creative and technical problems
Comfortable with Houdini and basic special effects: particle simulation, basic VEX/VOPS, understanding of attributes, FLIP, PYRO, basic RBD/destruction, basic OTL/HDA principles
Render optimizations
Proficiency with Nuke
Knowledge of Katana (asset)
Organized, proactive, and autonomous
Team spirit and clear communication, with a natural aptitude for collaboration
Adaptable, with a strong desire to learn new skills and techniques
Calm under pressure and determined to meet production deadlines
Positive and go-getter attitude

Responsibilities

Conceptualize and implement digital character elements and methodologies for computer-generated crowd animation
Create agents, pipelines, tools, and techniques to populate and manipulate large numbers of characters in scenes requiring crowd simulation to support and enrich the story
Be responsible for achieving productivity goals and quotas to meet production and client deadlines
Develop solutions and techniques meeting artistic and technical directives
Participate in daily "dailies" reviews, revisions, and team sessions on ongoing work
Interact with production, supervisors, and colleagues to resolve issues and share information on assigned tasks
Understand and follow instructions from turnovers, dailies, follow-up meetings, and feedback
Prepare plans and support junior artists

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Crowd SimulationCG Crowd AnimationAgent CreationPipeline DevelopmentVFX ToolsDigital Characters

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What benefits are offered for this Crowd FX position?

Benefits include health care, tuition reimbursement, RRSP, sick and vacation leave, and normal salary increases when applicable, according to company policy.

Is this Crowd FX role remote or onsite?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What skills are required for the Crowd FX artist role?

Required skills include expertise in crowd simulation with Houdini, Massive, Golaem or similar; understanding of animation principles for realistic crowd behaviors; proficiency in Houdini basics like particle simulation, VEX/VOPS, attributes, FLIP, and PYRO; plus ability to design agent interactions and procedural techniques.

What is the work environment like at Sony Pictures Imageworks for this role?

The role involves joining a creative and motivated team on exciting animation and VFX projects, participating in daily dailies, reviews, team sessions, and interacting with production, supervisors, and colleagues to meet deadlines and artistic goals.

What experience qualifies someone for the Crowd FX position?

Candidates need a Bachelor's in computer science, a diploma/certificate from a recognized animation/VFX school, or 3-4 years of relevant experience in animation films or VFX, along with strong French and English communication skills.

Sony Pictures Imageworks

Visual effects and animation studio

About Sony Pictures Imageworks

Sony Pictures Imageworks creates visual effects and animations for the film and entertainment industry. They produce photorealistic live-action effects, dynamic character animations, and full computer-generated features. Their work includes over 100 productions, contributing to major films like "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" and animated features such as "Across The Spider-Verse." The studio differentiates itself through proprietary software and tools that enhance their visual effects capabilities, giving them a competitive edge. Their goal is to deliver high-quality visual content while also licensing their technology to other studios.

Culver City, CaliforniaHeadquarters

1992Year Founded

VENTURE_UNKNOWNCompany Stage

Design, EntertainmentIndustries

1,001-5,000Employees

Benefits

Health Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Vacation

Risks

Competition from Montreal-based VFX companies may impact market share.

Relocation to The Post could lead to operational disruptions.

Departure of key personnel might affect ongoing projects and collaborations.

Differentiation

Sony Pictures Imageworks excels in photorealistic live-action visual effects and CG animation.

The company has developed proprietary software for cutting-edge visual effects production.

Their global presence includes facilities in Culver City, Vancouver, and Chennai.

Upsides

Expansion into Montreal enhances their North American market presence.

Increased demand for high-quality VFX boosts their project opportunities.

AI-driven animation tools improve workflow efficiency and creative possibilities.

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