Crowd TD

Performance (Animation, Creature, and FX) Sydney, Australia


Description

Position at DNEG

The Crowd Technical Director is responsible for producing complex crowd shots using a variety of sprite, vignette and simulation techniques, for use in DNEG’s films. The Crowd TD works under the direction and supervision of the CG Crowd Supervisor and DFX Supervisors to develop a specific look, movement and style that achieves the Creative Goals and vision of the VFX Supervisor and Director.

A Crowd TD will successfully deliver simulations by gathering a variety of 3D Assets produced by our Build, Layout and Animation departments, using off-the-shelf software – primarily Houdini and Maya – and custom pipeline tools to create photorealistic crowd simulations.

Must-Have 
  • Good understanding of Houdini crowd simulation or related software programs.
  • Proven experience in producing crowd simulations with an eye for details, good sense of timing, and thorough understanding of techniques and technologies relating to physical simulation in computer graphics.
  • Familiarity with pipeline issues and problem-solving.
  • Experienced in balancing quality with time constraints.
  • Experience in live-action VFX Films.
  • Excellent artistic and technical skills.

Nice to Have 
  • Programming or scripting skills (e.g. mel, python)
  • Experience in live-action FX or Crowd work preferred
  • Houdini, Massive and Maya and/or equivalent 3D software knowledge
  • Experience in other areas of visual effects (TV, Games) will also be taken into account
  • A general TD background
  • Strong understanding of Linux/Unix based operating systems
 
About You 
  • Organised, pro-active team player and a self-starter
  • A team player and clear communicator
  • Good attitude towards the work by being approachable and personable
  • Adaptable and with a willingness to learn new skills and techniques – including proprietary software
  • Calm under pressure and committed to meeting production deadlines
  • A positive, can-do attitude