Creature Supervisor

About ILM

Founded by George Lucas, ILM is the leading effects facility in the world, with studios located in San Francisco, Vancouver, London, Sydney and Mumbai. ILM has created visual effects for over 325 feature films and has played a key role in seven of the top 10 worldwide box-office hits of all time and has contributed to 25 of the top 50. ILM has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most stunning images in the history of film. At the forefront of the digital revolution, the company continues to break new ground in visual effects, VR, AR, and Immersive Cinema. You can see some of our current projects here.

Your role?

We are seeking an exceptional teammate to join our Creature team as a Creature Supervisor. In this role, you will be responsible for establishing the creature pipeline for each show, including tool development, rigging, and simulation setup when applicable. You will support your team in running simulation shots such as flesh, hair, muscle, cloth, and rigid body, while also handling rigging and scripting tasks. Additional responsibilities include troubleshooting and resolving issues across disciplines, delegating assignments, and serving as the creative, technical, and morale leader for the Creature team. You will provide constructive feedback, make recommendations, and contribute to the professional growth of your team members. If you thrive in a creative and collaborative environment, enjoy sharing knowledge, and are passionate about art, technology, and movies, this role could be the perfect fit for you. At ILM, we value diverse backgrounds and experiences, and our Creature team is committed to fostering an inclusive and innovative atmosphere.

What will you be doing?

• Develop the aesthetic look and ensure technical continuity across show(s).

• Review Creature TD shotwork and provide feedback.

• Perform advanced creature or hard surface rigging and enveloping; set up and run cloth, hair, muscle, and rigid body simulations.

• Collaborate with the Computer Graphics (CG) Supervisor and Production Manager to bid, schedule, and cast shotwork

• Work with global and local Heads of Departments (HODs) to establish workflows and standard methodologies for CFX and rigging work.

• Troubleshoot creature rigging issues for artists in other departments.

• Mentor junior artists, as well as newly hired Creature Technical Directors

• Script utilities, tools, and plug-ins in Maya and other DCCs.

• Make aesthetic decisions on shotwork.

• Prepare bid estimates, which help inform hiring decisions.

• Participate in the recruitment process for the Creature team.

• Take on special projects as needed

To be a contributing member of this team, you will have a mix of these skills:

• 10+ years of relevant professional experience, including proven leadership capabilities, and a BA in Computer Graphics, Fine Arts, Design, Photography, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• High proficiency in body and facial rigging, with working experience in proprietary modular rigging systems as well as off-the-shelf Maya rigging tools.

• Strong understanding of anatomy and muscle dynamics, with a good eye for the aesthetics of body and face deformations.

• Expertise in cloth, hair, flesh, and rigid body simulations, including setting up, running, and troubleshooting simulations for cloth, hair, flesh surfaces, and fur/feather systems.

• Ability to troubleshoot creature rigging and pipeline issues for artists across disciplines.

• Experience with the aesthetic look of simulated motion and its application in production.

• Familiarity with both proprietary simulation engines and off-the-shelf software packages (e.g., Maya, Houdini) 

• Proficiency with Linux, Python, and Maya.

• A positive attitude and exceptional team-player, with strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability to learn quickly and adapt to new information.

• Basic proficiency in other areas such as modeling, texturing, TD work, or animation is an added bonus.

JoinILM
 

This position is with Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC, which is part of a business segment we call Industrial Light & Magic.

Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion or belief, sex, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, disability or pregnancy or maternity. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.