VFX Art Director

Company Description

Repeatedly voted one of Montreal’s Top Employers and Employer of the Year for the 2022 Mercuriades Awards, Rodeo FX is a high-end creative company offering services in visual effects, advertising, animation, and experiential.

Nominated for multiple Emmy Awards for its work on the series Stranger Things season 4, The Witcher season 2, and The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power season 1, the independent, Oscar-winning company boasts close to 900 artists crafting from studios in Montreal, Québec City, Toronto, Los Angeles and Paris.

Rodeo FX is a creative partner to the world’s best storytellers including Netflix, HBO, Disney, Marvel, Amazon Studios, Warner Bros., and Sony, and has collaborated on ads for YouTube, NBC, and Apple. Current projects include Blue Beetle, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon. Recently released projects include John Wick: Chapter 4, Black Adam, Disney's The Little Mermaid, and Love, Death and Robots Volume 3, for which the company won a 2023 VES award.

Work arrangements:

As a company founded and led by an artist, creativity above all guides us. Our mission is to provide our talents with the freedom and resources they need to deliver quality work and thrive in a stimulating, caring environment. While we require employees to be present in the studio at least two days a week, we maintain flexible work arrangements for the remaining days. This balance ensures that we foster collaboration, maintain our vibrant culture, and encourage in-person interaction and teamwork.

Job Description

Summary:

The Art Director is responsible for the visual and artistic quality of a production, ensuring its overall cohesion. They ensure that the norms and standards applicable to a project are respected and represent the point of view of the VFX Supervisor and the client. They also act as a concept artist for both pre and post production.

Main responsibilities:

1. In collaboration with the VFX Supervisor, Producers and Supervisors, supervise the artistic quality of the work done on VFX projects and by Concept Artists, ensuring it meets the high standards of Rodeo FX;
2. Develop and establish, in collaboration with the VFX Supervisor and/or the client, the visual signature of the project;
3. Establish, in collaboration with the VFX Supervisor and/or the client, the look development of a project and provide artistic support to the artists;
4. Ensure that all stages of production meet the artistic quality criteria requested by the VFX Supervisor and the client;
5. Take part in the creation and supervision of concepts and/or storyboarding, as needed;
6. Give artistic direction, approve and follow up on all material created by the VFX team, according to the approval process agreed upon with the client;
7. Research visual references (photos, films, etc.) to support the 3D department artists;
8. Takes part, as needed, in the staging or realization of certain shots or sequences;
9. Takes part, as needed, in the conceptualization or creation of CGI elements;
10. Participate in internal and client approval sessions;
11. Demonstrate a long-term vision to anticipate and deal with the different requirements of each project;
12. Find creative solutions to work methods and production problems, taking into consideration deadlines and budgets;
13. Keep Production and the project team informed of the status of work, issues to be resolved and ramifications of problems encountered.

Qualifications

Position requirements:

1. Minimum of 10 years experience as an Art Director or Concept Artist, within the VFX industry;
2. Excellent 2D drawing and painting skills, including traditional illustration skills;
3. Strong knowledge of a 3D package (Maya, Blender, c4d, Keyshot and/or zbrush);
4. Must have skills in modeling, lighting and texturing;
5. Advanced skills in design and photography;
6. Excellent knowledge of Photoshop;
7. Excellent sense of prioritization and respect of deadlines;
8. Ability to stay calm under pressure and act as a positive role model and mentor.

Additional Information:

1. Preference for on-site work when new hires start their journey to enhance team connectivity and collaboration;
2. Sick/personal days;
3. Group Insurance, access to Dialogue online support and to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP);
4. RRSP with employer contribution;
5. Discounts on public transport, several spas, sports classes, art center, cafes, furniture and several other local businesses.

#LI-Hybrid

Diversity is a core value at Rodeo FX. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable work environment where diversity is celebrated and valued. We believe every member on our team enriches our work by exposing us to a broad range of ways to perceive and interact with the world, identify challenges, and to design and deliver projects.