Production Services Technician

Sony Imageworks; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A major visual effects studio located in Vancouver is looking for a Production Services Technician to optimize workflows and manage production data. The ideal candidate must have strong Python scripting skills and the ability to enhance media processes through automation. Responsibilities include overseeing data integrity, monitoring rendering queues, and providing technical support across departments. This role offers significant opportunities for career advancement within the studio's diverse production environment.

Qualifications

• Expertise in managing production-related data ensuring integrity and compliance.
• Ability to optimize tools and workflows for efficiency.
• Experience in coding automation for media handling and deliveries.

Responsibilities

• Leverage software engineering to optimize tools and pipelines.
• Oversee production data integrity and accessibility.
• Monitor rendering queues and troubleshoot issues.
• Code automation to enhance media preparation efficiency.
• Ingest and deliver media while adhering to facility standards.
• Provide technical support and communication across teams.
• Submit issue reports and coordinate remediation efforts.

Skills

Python scripting

Data management

Technical communication

Problem-solving

Software engineering

Job description

DESCRIPTION: Production Services Technician (PST)

Language in work environment: English

The Production Services Technician (PST) role is a vital cornerstone of the facility, responsible for securing, manipulating, and managing production data throughout all stages of the production life cycle. PSTs collaborate with multiple departments to refine workflows, establish procedure guidelines, and ensure operational efficiency. Their work is critical to the success of every show, directly impacting all departments. PSTs are vital to the filmmaking process and essential to maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the pipeline.

PSTs are not just responsible for managing tasks like cue management, backups, and data transfer, but also building, maintaining, and optimizing the tools and pipelines that drive these processes. By developing and modifying python tools and scripts throughout the course of a show, PSTs ensure that these tasks become seamless and efficient, even during high-pressure crunch times. The true value of a PST lies in their ability to automate and streamline workflows, making complex tasks effortless, preventing bottlenecks, and ensuring that production remains uninterrupted and efficient, no matter the scale.

With deep expertise in the facility's departments, pipeline, and workflows, PSTs gain invaluable exposure across production, positioning them as strong candidates for career advancement and diverse opportunities within the company. Many former PSTs have advanced into prominent positions, including production management, technical direction, software development, systems engineering, and artist roles. This position provides a unique opportunity to build a broad skill set, paving the way for long-term career growth. For more information about the PST program, please watch our recruiting video.

Key Responsibilities

• Pipeline Optimization and Tool Development: Leverage software engineering to optimize critical tools and pipelines for tasks such as render farm management, media manipulation, reviews, client/vendor ingest, and deliveries, automating processes to ensure seamless workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and maintain production efficiency, even during high-pressure crunch times.
• Data Management: Oversee all production-related data, ensuring integrity, accessibility, and compliance with facility standards, including managing backups, retrievals, show media final archiving, and both online and offline storage.
• Render and Process Monitoring: Monitor and prioritize rendering queues, troubleshoot issues, optimize use of render farm resources, and escalate any concerns to artists, production, systems or software teams to maintain smooth operations.
• Media Handling: Coding automation that optimizes efficiency and reduces bottlenecks while preparing media for artist use, 3rd party vendor i/o, daily & critical production reviews, and client review & delivery. Following established guidelines based on both internal and show-specific standards to maintain accurate data locations, file types, naming standards, resolution/colorspace specifications, audio/video codecs, and security allowances.
• Ingest/Deliveries: Ingest and deliver high-priority media from vendors and clients, ensuring it conforms to facility standards, is transferred between locations following security & firewall policies all while automating processes to enhance efficiency and streamline workflows.
• Technical Support and Communication: Serve as a key liaison between production, digital artists, and support teams, providing technical expertise that ensures seamless integration and smooth workflows, while effectively communicating with both technical and non-technical team members.
• Issue Management: Submit prompt and clear issue reports and coordinate remediation with relevant teams to maintain production continuity.