Head of FX

Description

Currently Axis Animation are expanding their Senior team and are seeking an experienced HEAD OF FX to join them in a full time capacity onsite in Glasgow.

The role requires a skilled Head of Department with a broad background creating different kinds of FX and shots as well as proven examples of supervising and mentoring FX artists of various levels through the production.

You’ll be a personable, pro-active, self starter who can motivate and lead the team around you as well as provide creative and technical solutions which deliver to both client and internal quality expectations but also drives commercial results.

Prior Supervisory experience is a must, as is thorough knowledge of Houdini FX and the ability to troubleshoot technical problems. An excellent understanding of CG pipelines including pre-production, production and post-production is also necessary.

The HEAD OF FX will oversee the FX team at both a department and project level, providing technical and artistic leadership across multiple projects and managing the day to day production needs.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the ability to participate as a leader and hands-on contributor through all stages of FX production.

The role involves working closely with the project management team, including the Producer, CG Supervisor and Director as well as collaborating with the department heads to improve efficiencies to studio processes and workflow as a whole.

Candidates are required to work on-site in Glasgow and for exceptional candidates, visa sponsorship may be possible

RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Manage and supervise the FX team and pipeline to deliver photorealistic simulations of real-world phenomena FX on schedule and budget.
• Brief FX Artists and provide constructive feedback to ensure consistency
• Inform techniques used to design and create realistic setups for FX assets and implementing in shot
• Work with the team to create tools, utility scripts, expressions and other digital assets to streamline the set-up process and achieve the desired look per project
• Work with production management to provide task breakdown and estimates per project
• Work with production management to resource and prioritize tasks and help drive the team to meet schedule and budget objectives
• Quality controlling output by the team on assigned tasks
• Actively provide creative solutions to production/creative challenges
• Keep CG Supervisor informed of progress, changes and other critical issues
• Work closely with Head of 3D to guide artists overall professional development
• Attend all relevant meetings to promote effective communication to the team

• In depth knowledge of Houdini FX is essential
• 2 years proven experience in a Supervisory role and minimum of 5 years general production experience
• A strong, measurable track record in delivering against fx department goals and targets
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to confidently supervise a team
• A desire and ability to lead, motivate and develop team members
• Good communication skills and the ability to work interactively with others.
• Accomplished examples of producing effects such as smoke, fire, clouds, water, steam and explosions, plus experience with particle and voxel based rendering
• An eye for details, good sense of timing, and thorough understanding of techniques and • technologies relating to physical simulation in computer graphics
• A good knowledge of animation and lighting and compositing principles and the ability to feedback to the departments
• Ability to feedback to pipeline and direct any technical changes.
• Experience rendering with Houdini/MANTRA preferred
• Some experience with Houdini scripting
• Some compositing experience, preferably Fusion
• Ability to integrate into existing pipeline infrastructure
• The ability to support themselves and take initiative