The Surfacing Supervisor at Reel FX Animation in Montreal oversees the creation and application of painted maps and shaders for animated features. This role involves collaborating with Lighting, Cloth & Fur Effects, and Look Development Artists to achieve diverse textural styles. Key responsibilities include establishing bids, meeting deadlines, designing and implementing textures, and maintaining surface aesthetics for characters, props, and environments. The position requires strong project management, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills, along with a minimum of 5 years of experience in animated feature films.

Must Have

• Supervise creation and application of painted maps and shaders
• Collaborate with Lighting, Cloth & Fur Effects, and Look Development Artists
• Establish accurate bids and meet schedules and show deadlines
• Design, create, and implement textures
• Paint textures from scratch and by utilizing photography and pre-existing textures
• Create and maintain desired surface look and feel for characters, props and environments
• Proven ability in managing projects from concept to completion
• Ability to assemble and motivate teams and work effectively with others
• Good at following directions; Ability to interact with and integrate requests of directors, broadcasters, executives and clients
• Demonstrated organizational skills including attention to detail
• Strong Problem Solving Skills
• Excellent conflict resolution and negotiation skills
• 5+ years minimum experience in Animated Feature Films
• Good artistic eye for detail with ability to create a fleshed-out look to match various references
• Familiarity with Polygonal and NURBS texturing and UV Layout
• Extensive experience with 3D paint software MARI
• Detail oriented with ability to handle the complexity of our pipeline
• Familiarity with construction of complex shader networks
• Ability to debug complex shader networks
• Openness to existing workflows
• Ability to solve problems independently and take initiative
• Ability to work well in a team setting
• Experience with 3D paint packages

Good to Have

• Background in visual arts

Job Summary

We’re excited to be back in our Montreal studio Tuesday thru Thursday… come join us! Supervises the creation and application of painted maps and shaders for use in the production of animated features, also responsible for collaborating with the Lighting, Cloth & Fur Effects, and Look Development Artists to create a variety of textural looks and styles.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the establishment of accurate bids as well as meeting schedules and show deadlines, participates in dailies, rounds and team reviews of work in progress
• Interacts with production, supervisors and team/ peers in order to problem solve and share information related to show/ assigned tasks
• Must be able to decipher, as well as follow through on, work in progress, dailies, briefings/ notes and feedback.
• Supervise, as well as contribute to, the design, creation, and implementation of textures
• Paint textures both from scratch and by utilizing photography and pre-existing textures.
• Creates and maintains desired surface look and feel for characters, props and environments with direction from the Production Designer and/or Art Director.
• Work with production management to prioritize tasks.
• Keep supervisors informed of progress, changes, roadblocks and other critical issues
• Participate in training, recruiting and other global department tasks as requested
• Handles the more complex and technically demanding Surfacing setups.
• Works with other departments to communicate Surfacing needs (primarily Modeling) and provide for other departments’ needs (primarily Lighting)
• Project Management – proven ability in managing projects from concept to completion. Able to prioritize appropriately and always meet deadlines
• Excellent Teamwork – ability to assemble and motivate teams and work effectively with others.
• Superb Written & Verbal Communication – good at following directions; Ability to interact with and integrate requests of directors, broadcasters, executives and clients.
• Organization – demonstrated organizational skills including attention to detail.
• Strong Problem Solving Skills.
• Excellent conflict resolution and negotiation skills.

Qualifications

• 5+ years minimum experience in Animated Feature Films
• Good artistic eye for detail with ability to create a fleshed-out look to match various references
• Familiarity with Polygonal and NURBS texturing and UV Layout
• Extensive experience with 3D paint software MARI
• Detail oriented with ability to handle the complexity of our pipeline
• Familiarity with construction of complex shader networks.
• Ability to debug complex shader networks.
• Openness to existing workflows
• Ability to solve problems independently and take initiative
• Ability to work well in a team setting
• Experience with 3D paint packages
• Background in visual arts desires

This job description is not meant to be all inclusive. Employee may be required to perform other duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. Please note that Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Candidate will be treated in priority. Only the selected candidates will be contacted. Please note that you may be asked to provide references.