Lead Crowd Technical Director

The Walt Disney Company (France); Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 142,000 - 182,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading entertainment company is seeking a Lead Crowd TD in Vancouver. This hybrid role involves leading a team to ensure the creative vision of VFX is met. The candidate should have over 6 years of experience in VFX or animated films, with strong skills in Houdini and crowd behavior. Responsibilities include managing setups, mentoring artists, and collaborating on efficient workflows. A college degree in a relevant field is required. Competitive salary range is C$142,200 to C$181,900 per year.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in high-end VFX or animation film productions.
• Experience in a leadership or mentoring role.
• Proficiency in VEX and Python scripting.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of crowd artists ensuring the show vision is met.
• Develop shot templates and tools collaborating with other crowd artists.
• Manage crowd agent setups and troubleshooting issues.

Skills

Houdini for Crowds

Crowd behaviour knowledge

Cinematography and composition

VEX

Python

Linux

Problem-solving skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Education

College degree in Computer Science, Art, Animation or Engineering

Job description

This role is considered Hybrid, which means the employee will work 2-3 days onsite at a Company designated location and occasionally from home.

Position Summary

The Lead Crowd TD is responsible for executing the creative and technical direction of a show, ensuring the vision of the VFX Supervisor is met with high-quality, efficient solutions. You will support, mentor and guide artists and solve production roadblocks. In conjunction with the Crowd Supervisor you will contribute to the evolution of crowd tools and workflows, while leading a sequence or a show.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead and manage a team of crowd artists both technically and artistically ensuring the vision of the show supervisor is met, providing creative feedback at a shot and sequence level
• Lead the direction and development of shot templates and tools. Collaborating with other crowd artists to implement efficient solutions that enable the smooth running of the show
• Gather, edit and maintain the show motion library to meet artistic and technical show requirements, while assisting with the planning and direction of motion capture shoots
• Manage crowd agent setups for the show, collaborating with upstream departments to troubleshoot issues. Set up and maintain agent variation logic to effectively balance diversity and performance
• Manage show setup for small to medium shows
• Mentor crowd artists on Houdini workflows and proprietary pipeline tools, while maintaining comprehensive technical documentation
• Work with Production and Artists to understand and assign tasks, meet the show deadlines and provide shot/sequence feedback
• Identify, troubleshoot and problem solve complex issues throughout the crowd pipeline
• Collaborate and communicate with R&D and Pipeline Engineers in order to implement efficient and effective ways to problem solve issues around the crowd pipeline
• Attend relevant meetings on shots, sequences, and production
• Support with recruitment and staffing of the crowd team

What We’re Looking For:

• At least 6+ years of experience working on high end VFX or animated feature film productions
• Previous experience in a leadership or mentoring role
• College degree in Computer Science, Art, Animation or Engineering, or equivalent professional experience
• Expert knowledge of Houdini for Crowds
• Expert knowledge of crowd behaviour, including human crowds, swarming insects, combat choreography and animal behaviours
• Strong knowledge of cinematography and composition with a passion for storytelling
• Strong knowledge of VEX and Python
• Proficiency with Linux including shell scripting
• Exceptional problem-solving skills with the ability to address technical and artistic obstacles
• Excellent leadership, communication and organizational skills

Nice To Have:

• Experience with motion capture retargeting and motion editing
• Experience with creature simulation including cloth and groom
• Working familiarity with C/C++

As part of your application please submit a demo reel, shot breakdown, or equivalent showcasing your work. A current resume is required.

JoinILM

The hiring range for this position in Vancouver is C$142,200 to C$181,900 per year based on a 40-hour work week. The amount of hours scheduled per week may vary based on business needs. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other variable pay or benefits, may be offered dependent on the level and position offered.