Lighting Technical Director

Placements24; Richards Bay; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary bonus

Health coverage

Pension & life insurance

Hybrid work

Learning & growth

Job summary

Placements24 in Richards Bay seeks an experienced Lighting Technical Director to shape cinematic lighting for feature films and animation. The role blends artistry with technical skill in a hybrid work setup.

You will develop complex lighting, optimize render pipelines, and collaborate with DP, art directors, and compositing teams to deliver stunning visuals while meeting deadlines.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years of experience in Lighting TD or similar in VFX/animation.
• Proficiency with Maya, Houdini, V-Ray, Arnold or RenderMan.
• Strong programming or scripting skills (Python, MEL).
• Solid understanding of cinematography, color theory and visual storytelling.
• Experience with render farm management and pipeline integration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement complex lighting setups for feature film and animation projects using industry-standard software.
• Optimize lighting scenes and render pipelines to meet visual quality within deadlines.
• Collaborate with DP, art directors and compositing teams to realize artistic vision.
• Create and maintain custom tools, shaders, and scripts to streamline lighting workflow.
• Troubleshoot lighting and rendering issues and provide technical support to the team.

Skills

Problem-solving

Collaboration

Cinematography knowledge

Visual storytelling

Tools

Maya

Houdini

V-Ray

Arnold

RenderMan

Python

MEL

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a renowned studio in the visual effects industry, is seeking a highly skilled Lighting Technical Director to join their team in Richards Bay . This hybrid role requires a blend of artistic sensibility and technical expertise to create breathtaking lighting for film and animation projects. You will be responsible for implementing and optimizing lighting solutions, ensuring the aesthetic quality and technical performance of rendered sequences. This position is ideal for a seasoned professional who excels in problem-solving and collaborating within a high-paced, creative environment to achieve stunning visual results.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement complex lighting setups for feature film and animation projects using industry-standard software.


• Optimize lighting scenes and render pipelines to achieve desired visual quality within project deadlines and technical constraints.


• Collaborate closely with the director of photography, art directors, and compositing teams to achieve the artistic vision.


• Create and maintain custom tools, shaders, and scripts to streamline the lighting workflow.


• Troubleshoot and resolve lighting and rendering issues, providing technical support to the lighting team.

Requirements

• Minimum 6 years of experience as a Lighting TD or in a similar role in VFX or animation.


• Expert proficiency with lighting and rendering software such as Maya, Houdini, V-Ray, Arnold, or RenderMan.


• Strong programming or scripting skills (e.g., Python, MEL).


• Deep understanding of cinematography, color theory, and visual storytelling principles.


• Experience with render farm management and pipeline integration is essential.

Benefits

• Excellent salary commensurate with experience, plus project completion bonuses.


• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.


• Generous pension fund and life insurance benefits.


• Hybrid work arrangement offering flexibility and balance.


• Opportunities for continuous learning and career advancement in a leading VFX studio.