Hasta La Motion!

MPC is one of the world’s leading post production facilities creating high-end digital visual effects for the television and feature film industries.

We are seeking the following:
Senior FX TD
Senior Digital Matte Painter
R&D Software Developer
Pipeline Software Engineer
Senior Rigging TD
Texture Artist
Senior Look Development TD
Senior Compositor
Production Manager
Producer

These are exciting opportunities to work in the dynamic world of visual effects. To apply and view all job descriptions please visit:
http://www.moving-picture.com/index….svancouverfilm

Senior FX TD
FX Technical Directors gather a variety of 3D assets produced by our Layout and Animation departments and use our cutting-edge proprietary toolset to create particle, rigid body, fluid, cloth, fur and hair simulations.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Uses an array of commercial and proprietary software tools to produce photorealistic simulations of real-world phenomena while developing innovative solutions to complex problems.
• Produces test and often final renders of FX elements for a shot.
• Creates working test composites for review by the supervision team.
• Works in partnership with lighters & compositors to ensure shots are delivered to the very highest standard.

Skills and Experience:

• Proven experience in feature, commercials or broadcast visual effects production (or plenty of raw talent if you’re a recent graduate), with a showreel to back this up.
• Experience in live action FX work preferred.
• Good understanding of the entire visual effects process.
• An eye for details, good sense of timing, and through understanding of techniques and technologies relating to physical simulation in computer graphics.
• The ability to think clearly and creatively under pressure.
• Good proficiency with Autodesk Maya, strong scripting skills in MEL, with Python, C/C++ programming and shell scripting a plus.
• Knowledge of Pixar’s PRMan renderer preferred.
• Familiarity with at least one node based compositing application (Shake and/or Nuke preferred), and a solid understanding of the compositing process.
• Good computer skills, particularly with the UNIX/Linux command line.

R&D Software Developer
MPC is one of the world’s leading post production facilities creating high-end digital visual effects for the television and feature film industries. Working at the cutting edge of visual effects requires the research and development of new techniques and this is the responsibility of our R&D team.

We now seek to appoint a Software Developer into this team in our Vancouver facility to develop new tools for some exciting upcoming feature film productions.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Working with artists to understand production needs
• Researching new techniques to meet those needs
• Developing new artist tools to fit into MPC’s VFX pipeline
• Maintaining and updating existing tools
• Technical and end user documentation
• Supporting artists during shot production.

Skills and Experience:

• Degree in Computer Science or equivalent
• Previous development experience in a production environment
• Good understanding of physics, 3D math, simulation technologies
• Excellent knowledge of C++
• Experience with Linux-based debuggers and profilers
• Development experience using Maya’s API
• A good knowledge of Python is an advantage as is knowledge of other 3D software packages
• Evidence of a good eye for aesthetics is desirable.

This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced VFX developer or someone looking to break into VFX from the games industry to work on some of the most exciting major feature films in production today.

Pipeline Software Engineer
Managing large numbers of digital assets and developing cutting edge productivity tools is vital to our continued success. This is the responsibility of our Pipeline Engineering team where our Vancouver studio now seeks to appoint a Pipeline Software Engineer develop our workflow and asset management tools to meet the needs of upcoming film productions. Primary responsibilities include:

• Design and develop software to address evolving production demands
• Help maintain existing workflow and asset management tools
• Provide support to artists needing assistance to solve challenging problems
• Develop in-house software as part of a team.
• Technical and user documentation.
• Build relationships with key artists and production staff.
• Ensure that developments are consistent with overall software strategy.

We are looking for the following experience and skills:

• Degree in Computer Science or equivalent.
• Proven experience developing in a Linux environment, ideally with C++.
• Knowledge of scripting language required, Python a strong advantage.
• Experience of technologies relating to GUI design and content or asset management an advantage, as is knowledge of RDBMS such as MySQL.
• Experience in the design of process management and collaborative workflow software across a distributed environment.
• Experience of working in a complex software environment.

• Knowledge of developing with 3D packages such as Autodesk Maya is an advantage.
• Previous experience of post-production, VFX and CG is highly desirable.

Senior Rigging TD
Primary Responsibilities:

• Uses an array of commercial and proprietary tools to create character rigs.
• Design control mechanism’s that are simple and intuitive.
• Work in conjunction with the modelling department and animation department to create photorealistic characters.
• Integration of characters and rigs into the production pipeline.
• Create User Interfaces and tools that assist animators.
• Works in partnership with R&D programmers, Animators, Lighting TD’s to ensure shots are delivered to the very highest standard.
• Provide support to character rigs throughout production.
• Write scripts that automate character production.

Skills and Experience:

• Thorough understanding of techniques and technologies relating to character rigging and animation
• Understanding of puppet and control philosophy.
• Excellent understanding of anatomy, volumes and masses, dynamics and character motion
• Experience building muscle systems
• 3+ years proven experience in feature film/broadcast visual effects production.
• Good understanding of the entire visual effects process, from shooting to modelling to texturing, animation and rendering.
• Good computer skills, particularly with UNIX/Linux command line interface.
• MEL programming essential.
• Maya API C++ programming also a plus.

Texture Artist
With an emphasis on the aesthetics and techniques of photo-realistic effects, the senior texture artist will be responsible for painting photo-real textures and relevant maps for other surface effects to be mapped to 3D objects. These will eventually be rendered through a variety of off the shelf and proprietary renderers.
Textures can be created from scratch or sampled from photos, scanned reference or any other artwork necessary to create new objects or to match the surfaces of existing live action. A strong understanding and sympathy for real world materials is essential and must be demonstrated in the work on your reel. Texture artists work closely with the modelling and shading artists and therefore must have a thorough knowledge of the practices of each discipline.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Ability to demonstrate proficiency in creating photo-realistic textures.
• Develop the look of the sequences with the supervision team.
• Work in partnership with lighters and compositors to ensure shots are delivered to the very highest standard

Experience and Skills:

• Strong artistic skills.
• Thorough working knowledge of Body Paint, Maya, Renderman, Zbrush or Mudbox and Photoshop.
• At least 3 years of proven experience in feature film/broadcast visual effects production.
• Good understanding of the entire visual effects process, from shooting to modelling to animation and rendering.
• A traditional arts background with emphasis on photo-realistic character work and environments would be an advantage.

Senior Look Development TD
Primary Responsibilities

• Developing the look of a shot or sequence with the supervision team
• Using an array of commercial and proprietary lighting tools to match CG lighting to on-set lighting
• Producing test and final renders of all CG elements
• Creating working comps for review by the supervision team
• Helping establish suitable work techniques for other team members
• Working in partnership with compositors to ensure shots are delivered to the very highest standard.

Experience and Skills:

• At least 3 years of proven production lighting experience
• Thorough understanding of techniques and technologies related to CG rendering and compositing
• Excellent communication skills
• Proven technical and creative ability in a large feature-film VFX production environment
• Working knowledge of Shake
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Very good understanding of shading, lighting and rendering terminology
• Very good understanding of production pipelines
• Very good knowledge of a production renderer
• Very good knowledge of node-based compositing software
• General understanding of linux/unix-based operating systems
• Python and MEL scripting experience an advantage

Senior Compositor
Primary Responsibilities:

• Tackling the compositing of shots effectively
• Briefing junior compositors when the dividing of shots into tasks (e.g. roto-scoping) is required
• Delivering final shots that are creatively and technically excellent

Experience and Skills:

• At least 4 years of experience with Shake
• Strong film showreel.
• Good understanding of photography and film, and how the interactions of light, lenses and film emulsions make up the image.
• Some understanding of the whole digital film pipeline, from scanner to film recorder.
• Ability to take direction and structure working practice so that design changes can be efficiently made.
• Desire to learn from others and to take on increasingly challenging shots.

Production Manager
The Moving Picture Company is looking to recruit an experienced VFX Production Manager to work on a number of exciting feature film projects currently in varying stages of Production.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Responsible for working with Producers, Supervisors and Heads of Department in creating delivery schedules for both small and large scale film projects. This includes creating status reports and reporting to Producers and Central Production team with project updates.
• Planning reviews and assessing the progression of established project plans.
• Maintaining production databases and mentoring other production staff in the shot planning processes.
• The line management of some visual effects sequences.
• Liaising with clients and vendors.

Experience and Skills:

• Proven experience coordinating on feature film projects in an established VFX facility.
• You must be diligent, resourceful, meticulous and able to thrive on pressure.
• Thorough understanding of CG production pipelines and post production in general is essential.
• Outstanding organisational skills and attention to detail coupled with exceptional people skills and the ability to work within a team environment.
• Strong project management skills and a sensitivity towards deadline related deliveries
• Must be able to handle a variety of multiple changing priorities in a dynamic environment. An enthusiasm for effective planning would be warmly welcomed.
• Able to communicate effectively across multiple teams with excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Good general computer skills are required with particular emphasis on Filemaker Pro and Microsoft Project.

Producer
The Moving Picture Company is looking to recruit experienced VFX Producers to work on a number of exciting feature film projects due to begin in the coming months.

Key Producer Responsibilities:

• The Producer role carries significant responsibilities both internal and external to the facility. From the bidding process through to driving a production schedule and managing a budget, being effective in this role is crucial to a well organised project.
• Forming a partnership with the VFX Supervisor to carefully manage both the client relationship and internal team priorities while always ensuring the best standard of work is being produced at all times.
• Representing MPC as the key client liaison on the project, handling this responsibility and relationship with diplomacy and professionalism.
• Working closely with the Production Manager to create and drive a schedule of deliverables and accurate resource requirements over the project duration.
• Managing show budget and finances.

Experience and Skills:

• The ideal candidate will have proven experience as a Producer on feature film projects in an established VFX facility.
• Proven ability to manage and cater for client expectations is essential.
• Business acumen and an ability to balance financial responsibilities and negotiations in what is at times a very demanding environment.
• Thorough understanding of CG production pipelines and post production in general is essential.
• Outstanding organisational skills and attention to detail coupled with exceptional people skills and the ability to work within a team environment.
• Strong skills in communication – both written and verbal.
• Good understanding of Filemaker Pro and Excel.