Senior Look Development Technical Director - ILM London

Disney Cruise Line - The Walt Disney Company; Greater London; Hybrid; Confidential; Full time

Job summary

ILM is seeking a Senior Look Development Technical Director to produce high-quality lookdev and shading for CG assets, requiring only initial direction from a Lead or Supervisor. You will design, implement, and maintain complex shading networks and materials for hero assets, collaborating with Lighting and CG Supervisors to achieve the final look.

The role emphasizes efficient shader setups, asset optimisation, and maintaining standard material libraries, with a hybrid work model requiring 2

Qualifications

• Experience creating hero assets and props in Look Development.
• Experience with lighting and rendering within a VFX environment.
• Proven knowledge of real world materials.
• Proficiency with asset optimisation.
• Comprehensive knowledge of physically based rendering and shader models.
• Ability to work and communicate with texture and groom artists to get the best results.
• Strong grasp of geometry formatting, including Primvars.
• Ability to build and maintain complex shading networks with artist usability in mind.
• Triage technical issues effectively.
• Deliver high-quality assets within production deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Design and create the look of computer generated objects and scenes.
• Collaborate with Lighting and CG Supervisors to determine the best approach to the final look.
• Create efficient shader setups to optimise render farm usage.
• Manage and maintain standard material libraries for consistency and pipeline efficiency.
• Design and maintain complex shading networks and materials for hero assets.

Skills

Look Development

Hero assets

Lighting & Rendering

Shading networks

Katana

Houdini

Maya

Renderman

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Tools

Katana

Houdini

Maya

Job description

Position Summary

We are looking for Senior Look Development Technical Directors who reflect the creative talent, collaborative mindset and passion for great filmmaking that defines ILM.

The Senior Look Development Technical Director is responsible for producing high-quality lookdev and shading for our CG assets, needing only initial direction and guidance from their Lead or Supervisor.

What You’ll Do

• Design and create the look of computer generated objects and scenes
• Work closely with Lighting Supervisors and CG Supervisors to determine the best approach to solving CG challenges when developing the final look
• Create efficient shader setups in order to optimise render farm usage
• Manage and maintain standard material libraries using established shading templates for consistency and pipeline efficiency.
• Design, implement, and maintain complex, custom shading networks and materials for high-priority ("hero") assets when bespoke solutions are required.

What We’re Looking For

• Previous experience creating both hero assets & props in Look Development.
• Experience with lighting and rendering within a VFX environment
• Proven knowledge of real world materials
• Proficiency with asset optimisation
• Comprehensive knowledge of physically based rendering and shader models
• Ability to work and communicate with texture and groom artists to get the best possible results
• A strong grasp of geometry formatting, including but not limited to Primvars.
• Ability to build and maintain complex shading networks with artist usability and user-interface support in mind
• Strong ability to triage technical issues
• Ability to resolve complex lookdev challenges
• Deliver high-quality assets within production deadlines
• Proven ability to work on large-scale environments
• Knowledge of Katana is essential, Houdini and Maya beneficial
• A solid understanding of the fundamentals of neighbouring departments (FX, Texture, Groom, and Lighting)
• Excellent knowledge of Renderman or other unbiased rendering systems
• Aesthetic eye; anticipates potential problems and uses existing software knowledge to achieve the desired look
• Ability to manage multiple assets in a shot context
• Can work collaboratively within a team environment
• Ability to prioritise tasks, manage time well, provide everyone with accurate time estimates on shot task completion
• A thorough understanding of the VFX pipeline from modelling through animation, texturing, rendering and compositing
• Ability to pick up new techniques and the ability to learn new software quickly and easily

This role is Hybrid, which means the employee will be required to work a minimum of 2 days on-site per week at a Company designated location, and occasionally from home.

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