SAN FRANCISCO Senior FX Technical Director

Description

Senior FX Technical Directors are responsible for autonomously generating complex simulations, particle FX, lighting, rendering and moderate-level compositing of very complex shots, needing only initial direction and guidance from their supervisors.

• Can design and create complicated FX animation, procedural simulation, dynamic simulation, particle and fluid systems
  
• Light complex/multiple creatures (hairy or furry creatures) and elements
  
• Can set-up and wrangle heavy particle effects and enormous crowd shots
  
• Can develop small scale, show specific tools for non-FX TDs and other FX TDs
  
• Excellent pipeline scripting ability
  
• Solid compositing ability
  
• Can write plug-ins, set-up sequences and debug simulations
  
• Can write/hack procedural, volumetric shaders and surface shaders with proficiency
  
• Can animate moderate objects with proficiency
  
• Excellent knowledge of 3D Studio Max, Maya, Houdini, Renderman, Arnold and Mental Ray, and the ability to quickly learn proprietary tools (including Zeno)
  
• Can learn or develop new techniques quickly, and debug complicated problems
  
• Set a standard for all Technical Directors by continually improving the speed, quality of our work and adaptability

• 5+ years production experience or feature film experience with effects simulation work
  
• Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering or computer graphics
  
• Demo reel required
  

• Ability to work with competency, energy and enthusiasm within a team environment with minimal supervision to complete a shot
  
• Exhibits excellent listening and communication skills, able to receive direction and criticism 
  
• Excellent presentation/communication skills in dailies/shot review by clearly and briefly outlining what has been accomplished and what next should be addressed in the shot
  
• Engages in the creative process without ego, and accepts all final decisions with a positive and supportive attitude
  
• Demonstrates an excellent aesthetic eye, anticipating potential problems and using knowledge of how to use the tools to achieve the desired look
  
• Demonstrates superb problem-solving skills and takes the initiative to offer ideas and suggestions
  
• Prioritizes tasks and manages time very well
  

• Linux and scripting ability in Python 
  
• Experience in MEL
  

• Advanced simulation experience with either Houdini, Maya, XSI, 3DS Max or other software, and the ability to write expressions
  
• C++ skills