Lead CG Generalist

Swaybox Studios•New Orleans, LA

18d•Onsite

About The Position

Swaybox Studios is seeking a technically adept and creatively driven Lead CG Generalist to create and oversee the texture, shading, and lighting of CG set extensions, environments, props, and vehicles that will be seamlessly integrated into live action plates. This role is central to maintaining the stylistic aesthetic of the film, ensuring the final output meets the high artistic standards of the studio. As a CG Generalist Lead, you will be supporting the CG pre and post production needs of our VFX team. This role is hands-on, collaborative, and provides support in early R&D; guiding visual development setups, and assisting with troubleshooting artist files. You will be responsible for breathing life into our assets, improving workflows, resolving creative challenges, and working with Supervisors and Technical Directors to evolve tools that enhance production efficiency. Your expertise will help shape and refine the technical pipeline while fostering a collaborative and efficient team environment. Please note: This is an on-site position and relocation is a requirement

Requirements

5+ years of experience in high-end, live action film or episodic VFX production.
Previous training, leadership, or supervisor experience within a VFX or animation team or equivalent.
Experience bidding times on tasks, reviewing artist work, and giving constructive feedback in a timely manner.
Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
Quick adaptability and thrives in fast-paced, unique, evolving environments, consistently delivering results under tight deadlines.
Artistic eye and proficiency in UV, texture, and shading/lookdev within the following programs: Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Mari, Photoshop, and Maya.
Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine and Houdini shading/lookdev- material creation (and optimization), layout, lighting, and rendering tools.
Proven experience working with physically based rendering (PBR) and stylized art pipelines.
Basic knowledge of compositing in Nuke to create and refine slap comps for presentation.
In-depth knowledge of texture mapping techniques.
Deep understanding of visual language- texture, color, dimension, scale, perspective, shade, motion blur, depth of field, proportion, spatial awareness, etc.
A solid understanding of CG modelling and rigging workflows.
Proven ability to collaborate with supervisors, artists, and production teams.

Nice To Haves

Traditional art background or fine arts education.
Working knowledge of on-set camera work, including understanding of lenses, lighting setups, and tracking.
Experience with photogrammetry and scanning is a huge plus.
Familiarity with hybrid workflows that span traditional VFX and digital puppetry.
Experience with ZBrush and other 3D software is advantageous.
Familiarity with scripting, blueprinting, and other tool development to aid in pipeline improvements.
An artistic mindset and willingness to receive and implement constructive feedback.

Responsibilities

Lead and support all Unreal/CG set, prop, and vehicle-related work across VFX pre- and post-production.
Demonstrate a strong understanding of surface characteristics to create, adjust, and match textures and shading materials to our fabricated sets and props; doing research and collecting visual reference materials to inform surface detail and realism.
Replicate texture and lighting from live action plates onto our environments and props with an emphasis on fine details, texture nuances, and the overall aesthetic of our film. Preserving a cohesive consistency across CG replacements/extensions, ensuring a smooth, seamless integration of our internal fabricated sets and live action plates.
Create custom textures and materials for our CG assets utilizing various techniques including: hand painting, photo-sourcing, projection mapping, scans, and photogrammetry.
Manage and optimize UV mapping for clean and efficient texture workflows.
Maintain organized texture libraries and adhere to studio naming conventions and pipeline standards.
Implement both static (baked) and dynamic lighting solutions using Unreal Engine.
Collaborate with VFX Supervisor, CG Supervisor, MoMo Supervisor, and TDs to identify areas of improvement in the pipeline, including tool and workflow development.
Participate in establishing where and when DMP projections vs. CG will be used and how those are implemented.
Maintain output quality and momentum in a fast-paced environment.
Communicate effectively with production and creative leads to align visual performance with narrative goals.
Troubleshoot artist files and support the development and implementation of tools in collaboration with TDs.
Participate in progress reviews with the VFX Supervisor and Production.
Ensure an efficient, flexible, and artist-friendly pipeline, while maintaining organized files and documentation.