Lighting Artist

Crafty Apes; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Crafty Apes is seeking talented Mid to Senior Lighters to join our growing team. You will create photoreal lighting for a range of VFX shots, collaborating with CG Supervisors and the Compositing team to achieve look development that supports storytelling.

Based in the UK with opportunities for remote collaboration, the role requires proficiency with Maya and Houdini (Karma and Solaris) and a strong grasp of lighting, color, and composition.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional experience as a Lighting Artist in the film or episodic industry.
• Exceptional proficiency with Maya and Houdini, including Karma and Solaris toolsets.
• Strong understanding of lighting principles, color theory, shadow, and composition.
• A proactive self‑starter with excellent problem-solving skills and a strong attention to detail.
• Familiarity with production tracking software like ShotGrid and the general VFX pipeline.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement realistic and visually stunning lighting setups for complex VFX shots.
• Work with the team to develop the look and mood of a sequence through look development.
• Collaborate with the compositing team to ensure final images meet artistic and technical standards.
• Troubleshoot and debug scene issues, ensuring efficient and clean renders.
• Optimise lighting and rendering for efficiency without compromising quality.
• Maintain clear and consistent communication with the production team, including coordinators and supervisors.
• Adhere to project schedules and meet all production milestones.

Skills

Lighting principles

Look development

Rendering optimization

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Tools

Maya

Houdini

Karma

Solaris

Job description

Lighter - Mid/Senior

Who we are

Crafty Apes is a high-end global visual effects company specialising in photo real VFX. Established in 2011, Crafty Apes operates offices in Canada, the UK, the US, and Australia with employees working remotely across the globe. Our mission is to bring our clients’ visions to life through exceptional visual effects for film, episodic content, and commercials. Let’s just say: we deliver great shots while having fun!

We are seeking talented Mid to Senior Lighters to join our growing team. As a Lighting Artist, you will be responsible for creating and implementing photorealistic lighting for a wide range of visual effects shots. You will work closely with CG Supervisors, Compositing Supervisors, and other artists to develop the look and mood of a sequence, ensuring seamless integration of CG elements with live-action plates.

What you will do

Create and implement realistic and visually stunning lighting setups for complex VFX shots.

Work with the team to develop the look and mood of a sequence through look development.

Collaborate with the compositing team to ensure final images meet artistic and technical standards.

Troubleshoot and debug scene issues, ensuring efficient and clean renders.

Optimise lighting and rendering for efficiency without compromising quality.

Maintain clear and consistent communication with the production team, including coordinators and supervisors.

Adhere to project schedules and meet all production milestones.

Mid-Level Requirements

3+ years of professional experience as a Lighting Artist in the film or episodic industry.

Exceptional proficiency with Maya and Houdini, including Karma and Solaris toolsets.

Strong understanding of lighting principles, color theory, shadow, and composition.

A proactive self‑starter with excellent problem-solving skills and a strong attention to detail.

Familiarity with production tracking software like ShotGrid and the general VFX pipeline.

Senior-Level Requirements

5+ years of professional experience, with demonstrated ownership over complex lighting sequences.

Advanced understanding of character lighting and look development within a photo real pipeline.

Proven ability to self‑manage tasks and lead technical look dev for major sequences.

Strong problem‑solving skills with a focus on scene optimisation and pipeline automation.

Demonstrated leadership or mentorship experience within a lighting or CG team.

Crafty Apes Australia is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status.