Look Development Technical Director - Expression of Interest at The Walt Disney Company

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Not SpecifiedCompensation

Senior (5 to 8 years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Animation, Visual Effects, EntertainmentIndustries

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Graphics or equivalent or previous professional experience in a related field
Experience with real-world lighting and photography
Demonstrable advanced Lighting and Rendering experience within a VFX environment
Previous experience performing shot Look Dev tasks
Exhibits excellent listening and communication skills, able to receive direction and criticism
Has a broad understanding of modern shading models
Has an in-depth understanding of PBR (physically based rendering)
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 collaboratively within a team environment
Can write plug-ins, set-up sequences, debug simulations and write set up and Renderman surface shaders with proficiency
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
Knowledge of Katana is essential, Maya and Zeno beneficial
A good understanding of texturing and lighting
Knowledge of python and/or MEL scripting
Deep understanding of real world materials
Understanding of energy conservation principles
Deep understanding of Physically based rendering and shader models
Ability to work and communicate with texture and groom artists to get the best possible results
Ability to build and maintain complex shading networks with artist usability and user-interface support in mind

Responsibilities

Scrutinize the colours and directions of all light sources in the real-world scene and replicates 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 setups 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 Leads regarding schedules and deadlines
Helps mentor Junior Artists within the Lighting/Look Dev team
Create & maintain simple materials using the provided shading templates
Create & maintain custom hero materials and shading networks when necessary
Producing high-quality look dev and shading for CG Assets, needing only initial direction and guidance from Supervisors
Have the flexibility of moving into lighting shot production, producing high end lighting during show production

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Look DevelopmentShadingCG LightingRenderingCG AssetsMaterialsRender OptimizationScene Assembly

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

Is this a remote or hybrid role?

This role is hybrid, requiring the employee to work 2-3 days onsite at a company designated location and occasionally from home.

What is the salary or compensation for this position?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What key skills are required for the Look Development Technical Director role?

Key skills include advanced lighting and rendering experience in VFX, deep understanding of physically based rendering (PBR) and modern shading models, experience with real-world lighting and photography, and the ability to build complex shading networks.

Is this position currently open for hiring?

This is an expression of interest posting; the role is not open at this time, but resumes are collected for future consideration if it becomes available.

What education or experience is needed for this role?

A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Graphics or equivalent, or previous professional experience in a related field is required, along with demonstrable advanced lighting and rendering experience in VFX and previous shot Look Dev tasks.