Technical Director, Groom

Job Description

RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Develop hair models for characters at both broad and fine levels based on art and reference
• Establish workflows that are sharable and reusable for new asset creation
• Understand the simulation implications of different type of grooms
• Establish a baseline for hair simulation
• Maintaining efficient grooms for both visual and render needs
• Develop and implement appearance of the texture, color, and illumination properties of hair
• Develop hair shaders using a variety of techniques and resources, including 2D / 3D texture painting, procedural signals, reuse and modification of existing shading functions
• Will be asked to paint textures in programs like Adobe Photoshop or The Foundry's Mari
• Work closely with production designers and directors to iterate on the desired look
• Work may be expressed as drawings, paintings, photographics and motion picture references and/or actual reference objects or location
• Maintain asset stability for downstream departments

QUALIFICATIONS:
• Experience using 3D animation software required. Graphics programming, including: Renderman, Maya, SideFX Houdini and The Foundry's Nuke, & Katana a plus
• Projects may also include technical development such as writing new code to make hair construction more efficient and optimizing existing pipelines and assets
• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Animation or Fine Arts recommended, though not required

REEL QUALIFICATIONS:
• Groom work should exhibit a strong emphasis on the quality of the hair and style of the film, demonstrating and understanding the physical properties of the hair and how its illumination fits into the film's look
• Color, composition, and render quality will be evaluated
• Work should demonstrate knowledge of how hair moves and interacts, and how its illumination complements that motion
• Reel should include both turntables and animated shots; material and hair layer breakdowns a plus. Hair variations that demonstrate the creative process is a big plus
• Experience with rigging hair or blending simulation with rigging a plus
• Personal artwork may be included, if relevant

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-d5xj0r-18-226-166-214-42 in your application.