Overview

ABOUT IMAGE ENGINE
Well known for our work on Neill Blomkamp’s District 9, Image Engine has gone on to create numerous incredible creatures, epic environments and extraordinary digital effects for a broad range of feature films! We are led by a team of creative and passionate individuals who are committed to furthering the art of visual storytelling, and helping our exceptionally talented crew to push the boundaries of artistic and technical achievement at our studio.

POSITION PURPOSE
The FX Supervisor will take ownership of the FX department as well as FX completed for all IE shows. They will be responsible for the smooth operation of the department in order to support various shows. Supervisors will facilitate communication amongst FX Leads to develop consistent solutions across shows. They will advise on FX best practices and will provide guidance to Junior artists to find creative and technical solutions based on show needs.

The FX  Supervisor acts as the go to person for production regarding any questions related to FX work; both ongoing and upcoming. They will advise production regarding issues concerning bids, current status, and complexity. In addition they will provide production with anticipated completion times for tasks to assist with scheduling.

The FX Supervisor will guide the overall operation and improvement of the FX TD team by defining the overall vision for current and future technical abilities and setting/maintaining department standards. This will include, actively driving the in various conversations with department heads, R&D and CG sups, to integrate solutions and FX for the whole pipeline. In addition, the Supervisor will develop new processes and stay up to date on innovative technologies to keep the FX TD team on the cutting edge.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
·         Interview, select and train artists

·         Engage in the performance management process such as performance reviews, daily feedback, and mentoring

·         Review scope of work and assign tasks based on artist skills/abilities

·         Manage workflow to balance production schedule and employee resources

·         Communicate artist surplus or deficits to ensure profit and loss margins are maximized

·         Communicate successes and challenges faced by the team to Production Managers/Coordinators

·         Play a key role in improving the FX pipeline, providing clear leadership and vision

·         Responsible for the integration of FX into the show pipeline

·         Oversee the creation of, building and maintaining of photo-real FX rigs of varying complexity, pushing the capabilities of FX at Image Engine

·         Work closely with R&D to spec new tools, facilitate testing, integration and provide timely input for ongoing development projects

·         Create technical prototypes for proposed FX tools in order to demonstrate desired workflows to R&D prior to full C++ implementation

·         Define and enforce standards and working practices within the FX team across all projects

·         Responsible for achieving high quality work within the time constraints given

·         Responsible for the clear communication of FX goals and working processes between all departments

·         Provide guidance on how to best achieve a certain effect within the available show pipeline

·         Estimate the time required for tasks and provide accurate progress reports

·         Mentor junior artists

 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
·         5 years+ of feature film/TV production experience

·         2 years of experience as a lead

·         Proficient in Houdini

·         Strong understanding of natural phenomenon and how to replicate them using FX techniques, good knowledge of the underlying mathematical principles and a desire to learn more depending on the requirements of each project

SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Technical skills
·         Ability to train and coach artists in Houdini

·         Experience with other FX packages and solvers (Naiad, Realflow, Thinking Particles, Fume, Nucleus etc.) a plus

·         Experience with Linux based OS

·         Deep understanding of the Houdini FX tool sets and comfortable learning and contributing to the development of proprietary tools and pipelines

·         Ability to prototype FX elements fast in order to be able to visually communicate the vision

·         Able to prioritize development that will have the biggest impact on the final outcome

·         Working knowledge of at least one scripting language (python preferred)

·         Excellent eye for detail for quality control

Core skills
·         Ability to complete bids; determine the timeframe and scope required for each project

·         Ability to troubleshoot and deal with competing priorities

·         Capable of managing a team of artists; setting expectations, and managing their time

·         Ability to assess artist’s strengths and weaknesses to assign tasks and manage workflow

·         The ability to work alongside, communicate with, and understand the requirements of Animators, CG and VFX Supervisors, Assets Department, Creature FX, Lighting, Comp, R&D and Pipeline developers

·         Strong leadership skills

·         Excellent time management and communication skills