BG Prep Artist - Lead (Expression of Interest)

About the role

Image Engine, a VFX studio in Vancouver founded in 1995, is seeking a BG Prep Lead for its Background Preparation department. The role works with the Compositing Supervisor, the BG Prep Coordinator and the Production Manager, and occasionally handles Roto or Paint shots. Candidates must be based in British Columbia and eligible to work in Canada.

Key responsibilities

• Attend show kickoffs and set the strategy with the Compositing Supervisor
• Brief artists with clear annotations and QC submissions, advising on technical solutions
• Collaborate with the BG Prep Coordinator and Production Manager on scheduling priorities
• Work with the BG Prep Supervisor on standards and good practice, and with the HOD on department strategy
• Manage the internal crew's capacity, package and QC outsource requests, and train artists and coordinators
• Give feedback on artists' work and suggest improvements to workflow quality and speed
• Represent the department professionally and resolve issues with other departments

Required profile

• 6 years of feature film/TV production experience
• Expertise in Silhouette and Nuke; proficiency in Mocha Pro and Shotgrid
• Basic Linux knowledge
• Degree or diploma in Digital/Traditional Arts appreciated; specialization in VFX Compositing, Photoshop/Lightroom/After Effects and photography experience appreciated
• Good communication, time management, attention to detail and curiosity about photography and film

Required skills

• Rotoscoping in Silhouette, spline breakdown and keyframing, frame-by-frame painting
• Matching plate motion blur, planar tracking and extracting tracking data from matchmove cameras
• Procedural plate cleanup, marker removals and simple camera, crew, rig and wire removals in Nuke
• Understanding of Nuke's 3D environment

What we offer

• Salary of $98,800 to $106,600 per year for a 40-hour week, on a project contract
• Extended healthcare from day 1, premiums 100% covered by Image Engine
• Up to 8 paid Health and Wellness days per year