Vfx Compositing Technical Director

Summary

Join Zoic Studios, an artist-owned VFX company, as their VFX Compositing Technical Director (TD)! This role, offering the option of working remotely from British Columbia or in our Vancouver studio, focuses on designing and implementing compositing tools and workflows. You will collaborate with the Digital Pipeline team, support the Compositing department, and contribute to the creative and technical success of our stop-motion animated feature project. The position requires extensive experience in compositing, Nuke, Python, and VFX pipelines. We offer a work/life balance and a collaborative environment.

Requirements

• 5+ years’ experience of compositing tools, digital pipelines and workflows, preferably on feature films
• Experience in Nuke, Nuke Studio/Hiero, and Photoshop (familiarity with Silhouette, a plus)
• Experience developing custom Nuke toolsets, including Python3 or Nuke NDK
• Experience with Linux (or other Unix) operating system
• Understanding of applicable software and platforms including Nuke, Photoshop and Renderman
• Understand VFX pipeline fundamentals, including shooting, editorial turnovers, modeling, texturing, animation, lighting, rendering, compositing, and DI (Virtual Production experience, a plus)
• Experience with one or more production grade renderers, such as Renderman
• Expertise with coding and best practices in Python, the Python standard library, and the Nuke Python APIs

Responsibilities

• Work with fellow Pipeline TDs to design, develop, and maintain digital pipeline tools that pertain to compositing including shots, sequences, and procedural systems for convincing imagery combining stage and CG elements
• Extend Nuke capabilities through custom scripts and plugins to address Compositor and Roto/Paint Artist needs
• Collaborate with the Digital Pipeline team to develop and integrate tools and APIs, leveraging core domain expertise in one or more DCCs and VFX departments
• Establish and share workflows, tools, and best practices to support shot production, and participate in look development of shots and sequences by working with artists across disciplines
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with artists, production management, creative leads, and fellow Pipeline TDs to troubleshoot and achieve the creative and technical goals of a shot
• Identify areas of industry innovation and help develop and maintain custom tools, templates, scripts, workflows, and documentation for the Compositing team
• Provide technical guidance for quality control of other artists’ work, as needed
• Support the Lead Compositor to design, develop, and deliver visually creative and technically sound solutions that address the needs of shots and sequences
• Support existing tools via bug fixes and version updates

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of Blink Script
• Experience with Universal Scene Description (USD) APIs and usage

Benefits

• Work from home OR work from our Vancouver studio in the beautiful Gastown area, close to the Waterfront Station in Downtown. (Remote is not available outside of BC; there is no hybrid)
• We respect work/life balance in a hectic industry