This position has been filled

Overview

Method Studios Vancouver is looking for a RIGGING LEAD to join our team for upcoming feature film projects.

The Rigging Lead is responsible for the smooth running of the rigging pipeline. This will require maintaining existing technology, integrating third-party technology, and designing and implementing all-new, proprietary technology. This is a broad role which encompasses many departments and disciplines, including but not limited to: modeling, texturing, rigging, creature FX, (including at least fur, cloth, soft-body deformations), and animation.

The Rigging Lead is expected to have a holistic view of the pipeline and be able to design or help design and maintain a smooth and efficient pipeline for rigging photorealistic CG assets. The Rigging Lead will work collaboratively with the leads of many other departments. He or she must have a strong understanding of CG pipelines and production methods and a strong management style with excellent organizational and artistic skills. He or she must also be able to work with the global teams of the other Method facilities and attend meetings regularly. Occasional travel to other Method locations might be required.

The Rigging Lead will work closely with the Creature and Animation Teams to ensure that the productions’ needs are understood and met, and that animators have fast, efficient, intuitive puppets.
The Rigging Lead should be comfortable managing teams, (including interviewing, scheduling, and mentoring artists). He or she is also required to develop a deep understanding of the studio pipeline, work within it, and ensure that his/her artists are doing the same.

Responsibilities and Duties

  • Creating and maintain a strong, reliable, efficient Rigging pipeline
  • Maintain a close working relationship with the Creature & Animation Teams
  • Act as a bridge between the Creature Team and the various productions
  • Work with other locations on global rigging projects
  • In conjunction with the studio’s scheduling team, manage rigging department and staff
  • Manage software and tools development
  • Critiquing artists’ work
  • Using tools and software developed in-house, proprietary tools, or off-the-shelf software, help create photo-realistic creatures
  • Must be adept at balancing the creation of final renders for shots with building/maintaining systems for creating shots
  • Must work within the studio pipeline and publish tools and scripts as prescribed
  • Must follow the creative direction of the production communicated by his/her supervisors
  • Will need to balance creative requests with the resources available
  • Ability to work in a team environment under tight deadlines

Qualifications

  • Minimum five years experience as a Rigging Lead
  • Expert knowledge of Maya
  • Tool building and scripting knowledge an asset
  • Knowledge of other packages an asset: Motion Builder and Houdini in particular
  • Experience with proprietary software
  • Knowledge motion capture techniques and software
  • Excellent artistic skills
  • Some scripting skills an asset
  • Demonstrable ability to communicate creative and technical thoughts and ideas
  • Able to take directions and adaptable to change
  • Good at improvising and problem-solving
  • Linux experience preferred

Please e-mail van-recruiting[at]methodstudios.com with your résumé, demo reel with breakdowns, and your upcoming availability with subject line “Rigging Lead” and your name, as in: “Rigging Lead – John Smith”. Canadian or Permanent Residents preferred. This is a full-time, contract position. Salary TBD based on experience.

We thank all candidates in advance for applying but only those selected will be contacted for an interview.

 

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Located in Vancouver at 50 W. 2nd Avenue, Method Studios is an award-winning, international visual effects group with facilities in Los Angeles, Vancouver, New York, London, Sydney, and Melbourne. As an artist-driven company known for its creativity, Method Studios services high-end feature film, commercial, television, games, and motion graphics clients in the global marketplace. Built around an exceptional team of VFX professionals, our international facilities provide a full range of services including conceptual design, look development, on-set supervision, 3D animation/CGI, matte painting, compositing, and finishing. With its global reach accented by its boutique accessibility, the company has the capacity to service its clientele wherever production is situated.

Recent feature credits for Method include: “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb”, “Jupiter Ascending”, “The Maze Runner”, “The Giver”, “The Judge”, “Into The Storm”, “Snowpiercer”, “X-Men: Days of Future Past”, “Transformers: Age of Extinction”, “Maleficent”, “Thor 2”, “Cloud Atlas”, “Argo”, “Dark Shadows”, “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2”, “Abraham Lincoln-Vampire Hunter”, “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island”, “Clash of the Titans 2”, “Contagion”, and “Elysium”.

Upcoming feature work includes: “San Andreas”, “Pelé”, and “Tarzan”.