Lead Creature Technical Director

The Walt Disney Company; Mumbai; On-site; INR 600,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading entertainment company is looking for a Creature Lead to manage simulations for CG creatures. Responsibilities include leading the Creature Team, ensuring the quality of creature builds, and collaborating closely with production for scheduling. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, experience in creature rigging and simulations, and a commitment to high technical standards. This role requires proactive communication and mentorship of team members across multiple locations.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a team of Creature Development Technical Directors (TDs).
• Strong understanding of creature builds including rig, cloth, hair, muscle, and skin.
• Ability to ensure communication and training among artists effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Creature Team on the assigned project.
• Ensure high-quality simulations for creature builds.
• Collaborate with production to schedule work effectively.
• Mentor and monitor progress of team members.
• Maintain communication with various ILM locations on pipeline matters.

Skills

Creatures rigging

Simulation expertise

Team leadership

Technical standards maintenance

Job description

About Us

Founded in 1975 by George Lucas, ILM is the leading effects facility in the world, serving the motion picture, commercial production, and attraction industries. ILM has created visual effects for over 315 feature films and has played a key role in seven of the top 10 worldwide box‑office hits of all time and has contributed to 25 of the top 50.

ILM has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most stunning images in the history of film. At the forefront of the digital revolution, the company continues to break new ground in visual effects, VR, AR, and Immersive Cinema.

The company has been awarded 15 Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and received 29 Academy Awards for Scientific and Technical Achievement.

Position Summary

The Creature Lead handles all simulations associated with CG Creatures, including the rig, cloth, hair, muscle and skin. The Creature Lead will also be responsible for all Rigid Body Dynamics and Rigid Body Simulations that are necessary for CG Character interactions. Ensuring all delivered work/shots maintain the group’s rigorous standards and assist with the creative vision of the Director on their given project.

The Creature Lead also shares responsibility for maintaining the Creature pipeline with other Leads, working closely with representatives across ILM’s global locations to ensure parity and compatibility where needed, whilst also advising locally on best practices and established standards of workflow that will benefit and create efficiency.

In collaboration with fellow Leads and senior artists the Creature Lead actively looks for opportunities for innovation and improvement of ILM’s creature pipeline, toolset and workflow whilst maintaining the ability to move shots and data efficiently through the pipeline and across locations.

Primary Responsibilities And Accountabilities

• Responsible for running the Creature Team on their given project.
• The Creature Lead is responsible for all simulations relating to Creature builds, including creature rig, cloth, hair, muscle and skin. Responsibility also extends to all Rigid Body Dynamics/Simulations necessary for creatures.
• Work closely with Production and Supervision to accurately bid and schedule work for the creature dev team.
• Clearly brief developers on R&D and pipeline requirements for the creature/dev team for their project / show.
• Responsible for leading and mentoring the team of Creature Dev TD’s, monitoring team progress and results.
• Maintain high technical standards and strive to maintain an up-to-date understanding of ILM’s workflow standards, advancements and best practices. Share responsibility for communication and training artists alongside other Creature Leads and ILM training department.
• Proactively reaching out to representatives across ILM’s locations on issues related to both shot production and pipeline development. Regularly update studio staff and leadership teams on progress.
• Assist with the recruitment/placement of Creature/dev artists to ensure the right fit, skills and experience required for the project and team.
• Play a key role in discussions and activities relating to the adaptation and evolution of the ILM pipeline in London studio and across the group.

Key Peers or Relationships

VFX Supes, CG Supes, Anim Supes, 2D Supes, Pipeline, R+D and Production, Creature Team

This position is with Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC, which is part of a business segment we call Industrial Light & Magic.