Studio: Cinesite
Job Opening: Environment Supervisor – VFX
Location: London, Greater London, UK
Type: Fixed Term
Responsibilities:
- Keep the Head of CG updated with developments, progress, and areas of concern
- Create photorealistic digital paintings and elements that match the concept using various 2D/3D tools and techniques, including camera setup, projection setup, modelling for projection, image re-projection, camera animation and creating atmospheric and light passes.
- Provide confident leadership to our DMP/Environments team
- Supervise, advise, and manage complex project requirements
- Supervise and manage a team through mentorship, work quality and providing opportunities for each environment artist to learn and grow.
- Coordinate and liaise with the VFX, CG and 2D Supervisors to ensure high-quality work is done smoothly and efficiently
- Working with really Head of Production Technology / CTO and Head of Pipeline to implement pipeline and procedures during post-production for the environment teams.
- Involved in the bidding stages of projects to advise on efficient and appropriate techniques, and play an active role in pitch, pre- and post-viz work where relevant to environments.
- Create and manage the most efficient methodology per environment brief from 2.5D Matte Painting projection setups to complete 3D asset builds.
- Solid understanding of both city and terrain development
- Solid knowledge, understanding and experience of natural processes relating to environment work (inc., geology, geography, and meteorology)
- Solid knowledge and understanding of architecture (design and engineering)
- Provide, Create and Develop photographic reference materials
- Supervise and guide Leads and Artists in tasks related to integrating imagery into shots and preserving a unified sense of lighting, perspective, and colour
- Lead, motivate and mentor our environment team to ensure all elements are complete and on time from the beginning to the end of each project
- Responsible for managing the environment team, the quality of the environment work and an overview and development of the environment pipeline across projects.
- Lead by example, maintain a hands-on environment role and take on project-specific duties, including monitoring shots and overall project progress.
- Provide artistic and technical direction to the artists
- Promoting the overall growth of the department and development of the environment team
Qualifications & Skills:
- 5+ years of previous experience as a Digital Matte Painting Lead/Environment Supervisor for a live-action feature and episodic VFX
- Excellent verbal & written communication skills.
- Proven team leadership and supervision skills with solid communication and organisational ability.
- Ability to work in a team as well as independently – proactively solving technical issues as needed
- Ability to take direction positively and work well under the pressure of tight deadlines
- Strong technical experience in photography or lighting with an emphasis on colour and composition
- Proven creative ability & artistic talent
- Experience in creating concept design is a plus
- Experience with advanced digital matte painting techniques, including appropriate layering/compositing, scene management and reference-gathering skills
- Solid CG skills across modelling, texturing, layout and lighting
- Extensive production experience with Nuke, Maya, Photoshop and other related DCC packages is essential.
- Experience with Arnold or a similar PBR renderer
- Working knowledge of Mari or Substance Painter would be desirable.
- Working knowledge and appreciation of procedural terrain generation software (e.g. Terragen, Gaia, World Machine or similar) is desirable
- Working Knowledge of Houdini is a plus.
- Experience of, or an interest in, contemporary environment production trends and workflows would be helpful to inc. Virtual Production, Unreal Engine, Real-time rendering, Procedural approaches, AI etc.
