Job Description
Hiring Range: $111,000 to $123,500/year for a 40 hour work week
Project Contract: As soon as possible - 6 week contract
Company Benefits: Extended healthcare from day 1, premiums 100% covered by Image Engine, up to 8 paid Health and Wellness days per year.
*Candidates are required to be based in British Columbia and eligible to work in Canada*
ABOUT IMAGE ENGINE
Image Engine is a world-class VFX studio based in Vancouver, BC, that has built a reputation for excellence in the visual effects industry since 1995. We specialize in crafting stunning visual effects for feature films and television with an award-winning portfolio that includes The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, Game Of Thrones, Lost in Space, Jurassic World, and District 9.
We offer a full range of visual effects services, from concept designs and pre-visualization to CG animation, compositing, and explosive volumetric digital effects. Our crew is passionate about storytelling and pushing the artistic and technical boundaries to deliver the highest quality work on every project. R&D is central to our philosophy of driving creativity through innovation and we're committed to continually evolving our robust production pipelines.
At Image Engine, we value diversity and teamwork, and we're proud to foster a workplace culture that is supportive, respectful, and empowering. We believe that our success is a reflection of our exceptionally talented team, and we're always looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join us on our mission to create unforgettable visual experiences. Join our team and be part of something extraordinary.
POSITION PURPOSE
The Senior Matte Painter is responsible for delivering high quality photo-real environments in a quick and efficient manner. They will be flexible in their approach and open to feedback from other departments when creating solutions. They will use their experience to interpret and apply briefing notes with minimal direction from team Leads or Supervisors. They will quality check all of their work and occasionally will assist the Leads to quality check the work of junior artists should the workload require it. They will participate in the buddy system for new employees to help them quickly understand our pipeline.
The Senior Matte Painter will take the initiative to resolve technical and creative issues while executing shots at a high level of difficulty. In addition, they will help the Leads and Supervisors to flag issues. They will potentially assist in the Lead role on a short term basis in the event of an absence or if production needs require it. They will participate in team meetings when necessary.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Create final photo-real environments with minimal supervision and within the studio pipeline
Integrate live footage, CG elements, images and photography into film
Communicate successes and challenges faced by the team to Supervisors
Manage time and resources to meet weekly targets
Overcome technical issues (day to day problem solving), in conjunction with R&D and the CG Supervisor
Attention to detail when finalizing, approving or QCing work
Accurately assesses and prioritizes their workload, communicates about deadlines and elements requirements to complete the work with DMP Coordinator, Lead & Supervisor
Communicate well with all members of the Matte Painting, Production and Supervision teams
Promote interdepartmental collaboration
Ensure all email correspondence and scheduling is up to date, responding to emails in a timely manner
Demonstrates resilience, and a desire to achieve high quality standards
Assist members of the Matte Painting team to learn and grow their skills
Attend dailies, reviews, and team meetings as required
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
5+ years’ of Digital Matte Painting experience on high end feature films
Demonstrated proficiency in defining and creating photo-real elements
Experience with rendering large datasets
Strong knowledge of 3D workflow, including Asset Modeling, Lookdev, Scene Assembly, Shading, Lighting, and Rendering.
Knowledge of traditional art skills and techniques: composition, color, lighting, depth, drawing, painting, and photography
Experience in concept art
Ability to balance quick turnaround while achieving a high degree of aesthetic quality
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Technical skills
Ability to train and coach artists in Matte Painting techniques and studio workflows
Experience with Matte Painting, 2D and 3D projection, and camera mapping set-ups for environments
Experience solving technical issues with complex 3D scene and Nuke scenes, including render optimization
Experience with deep comp
Strong knowledge in Photoshop, Nuke and Maya with all aspects of 2.5D and 3D projection work.
Knowledge in Arnold renderer
Knowledge on other 3D software (Blender, Zbrush, Unreal Engine, Houdini, Terrain generation softwares as Gaea, World creator, photogrammetry softwares…) a plus but not accentual
Ability to come up with creative and efficient rendering solutions
Excellent attention to detail when finalizing, approving or QCing work
Core skills
Ability to determine the timeframe and scope required for each task
Ability to troubleshoot and deal with competing priorities and projects
Ability to assess artist’s strengths and weaknesses to assign tasks and manage workflow
Ability to adapt quickly to new technologies and applications
Ability to teach new techniques and apply new approaches and solutions
Strong leadership skills
Excellent time management and communication skills
💡 Quick Summary
Seeking a career-building opportunity? The Digital Matte Painter - Senior (Short Contract) position is now open for candidates interested in the Web / Graphic Design Jobs sector. This role in Vancouver offers a professional environment and growth potential.
Requirement Snapshot: Candidates should possess basic communication skills, a proactive attitude, and the ability to work in a team. Experience in Web / Graphic Design Jobs is a plus.
