Jr Digimatte Artist

Job Description

Jr Digimatte Artist (Project Hire)

The primary role of a Junior Digimatte Artist is to support the CG Supervisor & Lighting/FX Lead for the design, execution, and delivery of digital mattes and environments for both internal shot production and overseas teams.

Driven, exacting, resourceful, and energetic are key words for the Jr. Digimatte Artist.
On any given day, you will draw upon all available tools and skills to model, texture, and light set extensions for our many Star Wars worlds and cities. You will balance your technical and creative sides along with all of your problem-solving skills to create worlds in the Star Wars universe that can only be achieved through ingenuity, teamwork, and exacting focus. Every day you will attend Lighting Dailies with the Director of Cinematography, CG Supervisor, Art Director, and Sr. Lighting Concept Artist to observe and be a part of the creative collaboration that makes an animated Star Wars production.
Being a part of the Lucasfilm Animation team that creates animated Star Wars content, means that we work together as a team to make every single episode better than the last. You will be tasked with challenges, some more difficult than others, and sometimes bordering impossible; however, as a team we can make the impossible happen, and learn together.

Responsibilities:

Internal Shot Production
• Create original 2D and 3D content that may comprise part of or all of an environment under direction from the CG Supervisor
• Use both traditional and emergent approaches for creating digital environments to either supplement or complement traditional 3D.
• Maintain a stylized, yet photographic sense of lighting, perspective, and color.
• Utilize painting skills and animation software, create 2D and 3D paintings for digital environments.
• Combine painting skills in animation software, with a knowledge of photography, practical and digital modeling, and design, to create 2D and 3D paintings for pre-rendered and/or real-time digital environments.
• Present completed shots to CG Supervisor for notes and address any notes given to achieve final approval.
• Communicate daily with the department Production Coordinator for progress updates on development and internal shot production deadlines.
• Document methods used for future use and external education.
• Under direction of the CG Supervisor, collect footage of past show episodes to aid in current episode/show look development and reference.
• Will support and collaborate with the Sr. Lighting Concept Artist to assist in producing lighting concepts as they pertain to environments and/or mattes.
• Research, collect, and catalog reference imagery as requested by CG Supervisor that pertains to upcoming Lighting/Matte Kick-off meetings.

Development
• Aid in communication with internal teams, and as requested, with the overseas teams to assist in development and delivery of visual targets, and increased efficiency with Digimattes and/or Matte Projection setups.
• Work with CG Supervisor and/or Digital Asset Supervisor to further develop inefficiencies of internal/external pipeline and work flow demands.
• Partner with storyboard, design, and asset departments with creation of proxy geometry and matte/projection representations as requested.
• Document processes and development methods directly related to internal/external shot production (of Assets & Mattes).
• When requested, attend meetings with internal teams and external studio development teams.

Lighting/Matte Dailies and Reference Research
• Under direction of the CG Supervisor, collect footage of past show episodes to aid in current episode/show look development and reference.
• Will support and collaborate with the Sr. Lighting Concept Artist to assist in producing lighting concepts as they pertain to environments and/or mattes.
• Research, collect, and catalog reference imagery as requested by CG Supervisor that pertains to upcoming Lighting/Matte Kick-off meetings.
• Attend after-hours Lighting/Matte kick-off meetings with overseas vendors as requested.
• Assist CG Supervisor & Lighting Lead with Matte Breakdowns and strategy sessions.

Basic Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Art/Science or Computer Graphics or equivalent work experience.
• 1+ year experience in animation, feature, or video game computer graphics production.
• Lighting, photography, and/or painting experience.
• Experience with creating original concept designs or environments.
• Knowledge of both offline and real-time 3D modeling and rendering programs such as Unreal/Unity/etc.
• Solid understanding of 3d Geometry asset build, UV, and texture material creation in Maya or an equivalent software package.
• A proficiency in Adobe Photoshop.
• A love for painting skies, landscapes, or both.
• An admiration for great filmmaking.
• A basic knowledge of Art History.
• Excellent communication, time-management, and organizational skills.
• Highly proficient skills in technical problem solving.
• Must be able to communicate with the crew and production team accurately and effectively.
• Demo reel and/or portfolio.
• Working knowledge of Maya//Nuke/Photoshop/SubstancePainter/Arnold and/or Vray.
• Basic knowledge of UNREAL or similar real-time or VR workflows.

About Lucasfilm:

Lucasfilm is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects, audio post-production and cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with the following business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney's stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gk2998-3-144-17-45-42 in your application.