Crowd Supervisor - Expression of Interest

This role is considered Hybrid, which means the employee will work 2-3 days onsite at a Company designated location and occasionally from home.

This posting is an opportunity to submit your resume for future consideration; this is not a role that is open at this time. We anticipate this role may be open in the future, but we are not actively hiring for the position. If you would like to be considered for this potential role, please submit your resume. If the role becomes available, you may receive an email or call from a recruiter.

Position Summary

The Crowd Supervisor is responsible for creative and technical supervision of the Crowd team on a show. You will oversee the pipeline and shot production for Crowds and associated workflow (including simulated clothing and cycles), develop/oversee any new technology required to meet the specific creative and technical needs of a show.

What You’ll Do

• Supervise the Crowd team and oversee shot production and workflows, providing creative and technical feedback to the team

• Collaborate with show leadership to translate the Director’s vision into actionable crowd workflows and high-quality shot production

• Direct the continuing maintenance and optimization of the entire crowd production process

• Assist the Head of Department in the design, architecture, scheduling and supervision of the studio crowd team and the crowd pipeline development

• Gather, edit and maintain the show motion library to meet artistic and technical show requirements, while assisting with the planning and direction of motion capture shoots

• Manage crowd agent setups for the show, collaborating with upstream departments to troubleshoot issues. Set up and maintain agent variation logic to effectively balance diversity and performance

• Ensure on-time delivery of crowd elements within established production schedule

• Propose creative solutions and workflows and elevate concerns to the CG Supervisor

• Supervise, mentor, and schedule the Crowd team, ensuring professional growth document, assist and train other artists and departments on the use of Houdini and any other crowd pipeline tools as required

• Troubleshoot creative/technical issues as they arise, as well as contributing to hands-on shot production along with other Crowd TDs

• Facilitate seamless communication between the VFX Supervisor and artists, ensuring all creative feedback is conveyed

• Identify and utilize tools and techniques which improve productivity and the quality of the work organization. Consistently looking for a more efficient way of doing a character effect (i.e. reuse of animation cycles, efficient cloth set-ups for crowd assets, etc.).

• Participate in the bidding process, providing accurate workload estimates and resource strategies to Digital Producers

• Supervise motion capture sessions when necessary

• Partner with TDs, R&D and Production Engineering to design, optimize, and maintain the crowd pipeline and toolsets both for the show and the studio

What We’re Looking For:

• At least 6+ years of experience working on high end VFX or animated feature film productions 

• 2+ years of previous experience in a leadership or mentoring role

• College degree in Computer Science, Art, Animation or Engineering, or equivalent professional experience

• Expert knowledge of Houdini for Crowds

• Expert knowledge of crowd behaviour, including human crowds, swarming insects, combat choreography and animal behaviours

• Strong knowledge of cinematography and composition with a passion for storytelling

• Strong knowledge of VEX and Python

• Proficiency with Linux including shell scripting

• Exceptional problem-solving skills with the ability to address technical and artistic challenges

• Excellent leadership, communication and organizational skills

Nice To Have:

• Experience with motion capture retargeting and motion editing

• Experience with creature simulation including cloth and groom

• Working familiarity with C/C++

As part of your application please submit a demo reel, shot breakdown, or equivalent showcasing your work. A current resume is required.

JoinILM

The hiring range for this position in Vancouver is C$159,000 to C$193,900 per year based on a 40-hour work week. The amount of hours scheduled per week may vary based on business needs. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other variable pay or benefits, may be offered dependent on the level and position offered.