Matte Painter

Rodeo FX; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading creative company in visual effects is seeking a Matte-Painting Artist to create high-quality environments using advanced techniques. The ideal candidate will have at least 2 years of experience in a VFX environment, with proficiency in tools such as Photoshop and Nuke. Responsibilities include producing photorealistic or stylized matte paintings and collaborating with various departments to optimize visual quality. This role offers a flexible work arrangement while fostering a collaborative environment.

Benefits

Group Insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

RRSP with employer contribution

Discounts on local businesses

Qualifications

• Experience as a Matte Painting Artist in a VFX environment.
• Proficiency in tools like Photoshop and Nuke is essential.
• Strong understanding of projection techniques and digital painting.

Responsibilities

• Produce photorealistic or stylized matte paintings for projects.
• Ensure integration of assets into the VFX pipeline.
• Participate in dailies and communicate progress effectively.

Skills

Matte Painting in VFX

Proficiency with Photoshop

Proficiency with Nuke

Strong artistic skills

Understanding of projection techniques

Rigor and attention to detail

Education

Experience as a Matte Painting Artist (minimum 2 years)

Tools

Maya

Blender

3ds Max

Cinema 4D

Flow (ShotGrid)

Job description

Company Description

Repeatedly voted one of Montreal’s Top Employers and Employer of the Year for the 2022 Mercuriades Awards, Rodeo FX is a high-end creative company offering services in visual effects, advertising, animation, and experiential.

Nominated for multiple Emmy® Awards for its work on the series Stranger Things season 4, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power, the independent, Oscar®-winning company boasts close to 800 artists crafting from studios in Montreal, Québec City, Toronto, Los Angeles and Paris.

Rodeo FX is a creative partner to the world’s best storytellers including Netflix, HBO, Disney, Marvel, Amazon Studios, Warner Bros. and Sony, and has collaborated on ads for YouTube, NBC and Apple. Current projects include Dune: Prophecy, Silo Season 2 and Sonic 3. Recently released projects include The Rings of Power Season 2, Venom: The Last Dance, Taika Waitit's Time Bandits, and House of the Dragon Season 2.

Work arrangements

As a company founded and led by an artist, creativity above all guides us. Our mission is to provide our talents with the freedom and resources they need to deliver quality work and thrive in a stimulating, caring environment. While we require employees to be present in the studio at least three days a week, we maintain flexible work arrangements for the remaining days. This balance ensures that we foster collaboration, maintain our vibrant culture, and encourage in‑person interaction and teamwork.

Job Description

The Matte‑Painting Artist creates photorealistic or stylized environments and backgrounds in 2D and 2.5D using matte painting techniques. They contribute directly to the visual look of shots by developing integrated and believable imagery aligned with the project’s creative vision. Working closely with other departments, supervision, and production, they ensure the delivery of high‑quality environments that are pipeline‑optimized and delivered on schedule.

Key Responsibilities

Master your craft

• Produce 2D and 2.5D matte paintings, photorealistic or stylized, according to project needs.
• Create accurate and coherent projections tailored to staging and production constraints.
• Deliver robust assets ready for integration into the VFX pipeline.

Creative quality

• Develop believable environments by combining photography, digital painting, and 3D elements.
• Provide elegant visual solutions that support artistic intent.
• Maintain aesthetic consistency with other departments and the project’s visual universe.

Technical quality

• Optimize scenes and files to ensure performance and smooth pipeline integration.
• Perform rigorous quality control before submission to dailies.
• Quickly integrate adjustments requested by supervision and production.

Communication

• Actively participate in dailies and present work clearly and in a structured manner.
• Keep production informed of progress, challenges encountered, and proposed solutions.
• Collaborate closely with compositing, lighting, and layout teams to ensure seamless integration.

Learn, share, and evolve

• Share artistic and technical knowledge with colleagues.
• Contribute to the development or improvement of department tools and techniques.
• Stay current with new approaches in matte painting, photography, and digital creation tools.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Matte Painting Artist in a VFX environment (minimum 2 years recommended).
• Proficiency with Photoshop and Nuke.
• Good working knowledge of at least one 3D software package (Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, or Cinema 4D).
• Strong artistic skills in digital painting, composition, and photography.
• In‑depth understanding of projection techniques.
• Rigor, autonomy, attention to detail, and ability to meet deadlines.
• Asset: Knowledge of Flow (aka ShotGrid) or another production management tool.
• Asset: Experience in 3D modeling, texturing, surfacing, or lighting.
• Asset: Participation in the development of tools or scripts to improve workflows.

Additional Information

• Sick/personal days ;
• Group Insurance, access to Dialogue online support and to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) ;
• RRSP with employer contribution ;
• Discounts on public transports, several spas, sports classes, art center, cafes, furniture and several other local businesses.

Diversity : At Rodeo FX, diversity is a core value. We’re committed to creating an inclusive, equitable workplace where different perspectives are embraced. Every team member brings unique insight that strengthens our creativity, challenges our thinking, and helps us deliver better work.

Rodeo FX may use AI‑based tools to support certain steps of the recruitment process, such as interview transcription or preliminary application analysis. These tools may be operated by third‑party providers, and data may be processed outside Quebec. These tools never replace human decision‑making: all final hiring decisions are made by our recruitment team and hiring managers. To learn more about how we protect your personal information and your rights, please consult our Privacy Policy.