Animtion - Matte Painter

Job Description

Responsibilities
The Matte Painting department is an integral part of the DreamWorks pipeline, working closely with the Production Designer, VFX Supervisor and the Lighting Department to create a convincing backdrop for the characters to integrate with. Matte artists use their keen eye to subtly shift a painting into the correct mood and tone for a sequence. Our ideal candidate tends to be a generalist -- they tend to take the environments that are too big to handle in the regular pipeline. They have the artistic and technical know-how to make every shot really shine!

Job Duties:
• Follow Production Designer's direction to produce complex matte painted elements at a high standard, with a thorough understanding of perspective, lighting, and color.
• Work with rendered cg elements, still photography and digital paint to create believable environments that are to be seamlessly integrated into the film.
• As necessary, create 3D assets from scratch and seamlessly meld them with photography and painting into a cohesive whole.
• Work hand in hand with Lighting, Modeling, FX and Surfacing to find the most efficient techniques to finalize shots.
• Take Art direction well. Work collaboratively as part of a team taking direction from the Matte Painting Supervisor, CG Supervisor, and feedback from the Director as necessary.

Qualifications/Requirements
• Proficient and a strong understanding on the latest versions of software such as Nuke and Photoshop
• Strong conceptual understanding of compositing, and general knowledge of compositing software (such as Nuke's) 3D environment and tools
• Familiarity with working with AOVs and different passes within an EXR file.
• Adheres to deadlines. Previous experience prioritizing and managing time efficiently for quick turnarounds.
• Must be willing to work in Glendale, CA
• Must be able to provide a reel/portfolio of work examples -- if available, include a web address when you submit your resume

Desired Characteristics
• 5+ years of experience in VFX/Animation industry.
• Experience in a Linux-based operating system is highly desirable
• Knowledge of a 3D Animation Pipeline.
• Traditional art skills which demonstrate an eye for light, shadow, composition, and color.
• Work comfortably in a variety of implementations; be it 2D backdrops, textured elements/fixes and complex 2.5D/3D projections.
• Bachelor's degree in Art, Film, Visual Effects, Animation, Computer Graphics or other related field and/or equivalent experience desired

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-g36xmx-13-58-112-1-42 in your application.