Studio: Industrial Light & Magic
Job Opening: Creature Supervisor
Location: Sydney, Australia
Type: Full-Time
Responsibilities:
- Develop the aesthetic look and ensure technical continuity across show(s).
- Review Creature TD shotwork and provide feedback.
- Perform advanced creature or hard surface rigging and enveloping; set up and run cloth, hair, muscle, and rigid body simulations.
- Collaborate with the Computer Graphics (CG) Supervisor and Production Manager to bid, schedule, and cast shotwork
- Work with global and local Heads of Departments (HODs) to establish workflows and standard methodologies for CFX and rigging work.
- Troubleshoot creature rigging issues for artists in other departments.
- Mentor junior artists, as well as newly hired Creature Technical Directors
- Script utilities, tools, and plug-ins in Maya and other DCCs.
- Make aesthetic decisions on shotwork.
- Prepare bid estimates, which help inform hiring decisions.
- Participate in the recruitment process for the Creature team.
- Take on special projects as needed
Qualifications & Skills:
- 10+ years of relevant professional experience, including proven leadership capabilities, and a BA in Computer Graphics, Fine Arts, Design, Photography, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- High proficiency in body and facial rigging, with working experience in proprietary modular rigging systems as well as off-the-shelf Maya rigging tools.
- Strong understanding of anatomy and muscle dynamics, with a good eye for the aesthetics of body and face deformations.
- Expertise in cloth, hair, flesh, and rigid body simulations, including setting up, running, and troubleshooting simulations for cloth, hair, flesh surfaces, and fur/feather systems.
- Ability to troubleshoot creature rigging and pipeline issues for artists across disciplines.
- Experience with the aesthetic look of simulated motion and its application in production.
- Familiarity with both proprietary simulation engines and off-the-shelf software packages (e.g., Maya, Houdini)
- Proficiency with Linux, Python, and Maya.
- A positive attitude and exceptional team player, with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to learn quickly and adapt to new information.
- Basic proficiency in other areas such as modeling, texturing, TD work, or animation is an added bonus.
