Position Summary

We are looking for a Lead FX Technical Director who reflects the innovative spirit, creative talent, production excellence, collaborative mindset and passion for great filmmaking that define ILM

Works with a team of FX Artists to design and create liquid, gaseous and solid effects elements and environments through simulation and procedural workflows. Effects elements can include all kinds of natural phenomena (for example ocean waves and water, chemical reactions, explosions, fire, biological growth, destruction, volcanic eruptions, weather, rain, clouds, smoke, lightning, tornadoes, formation of galaxies and so forth) as well as unnatural phenomena and creative elements.  The FX Lead will also be responsible for working together with R&D and software engineers to design and implement new techniques, tools and workflows.

What You’ll Do

• Working under the guidance and direction of the FX Supervisor and CG Supervisors, the Lead FX artist is responsible for the creation of a wide variety of effects ensuring that they will satisfy the style and quality of the production.

• Responsible for reviewing the work of each FX Artist on a regular basis.  Responsible for mentoring other digital artists in all areas of FX simulation work.  Assist in troubleshooting shots and helping other artists to hit deadlines.

• Partners with FX Supervisor, CG Supervisors and talent management to guide artists’ overall professional development, providing performance feedback and maintaining positive morale within the crew.

• Develop a knowledge of the facility’s current tools and proprietary software.

• Consulting with CG Supervisor and FX Supervisor about the technical feasibility of effects and suggest production friendly solutions that will maintain the vision of the film.

• Creatively solve problems & work with other departments to achieve goals of art direction.

• Handle complex shots with multiple elements.  Work on shots independently & efficiently.  Create and maintain setups.

• Assist with the implementation and development of third party applications for the current pipeline.

• Responsible for leading the overall FX schedule, and balancing artistic and productivity requirements, in tandem with production management and FX Supervisor and CG Supervisors.

• Attend all relevant meetings to promote effective communication throughout the production team.

What We’re Looking For

• 8+ years of experience involving simulations of natural phenomena, particle systems, procedural modeling, procedural animation, hard and soft body dynamics and other similar effects.

• Prior experience in team building / leading an FX team.

• Experience with Houdini.

• Must have strong aesthetic and technical skills.

• Solid understanding of particle and volumetric systems, procedural workflows, expressions, rigid body simulations, cloth dynamics, particle instancing/flocking.

• Ability to solve major and minor problems independently.

• Strong artistic vision & ability to be creative, including design & composition.

• Experience in scripting and/or programming is beneficial.