Lighting Artist (Lead Level)

Luma Pictures Melbourne is looking for a Lead Lighting Artist.

The Lead Lighting Artist will be responsible for overseeing the lighting process to ensure that all visual elements are illuminated in a realistic or stylized way, depending on the project. Their role includes setting up and adjusting lighting within 3D environments to match the look and feel of the live-action footage or the creative direction of the project. They will be required to work closely with the Compositing, Asset and FX departments.

Additionally, the Lead Lighting Artist will manage and guide a team of lighting artists, review their work prior to it going to the CG & VFX Supervisors and helps resolve technical issues. They are expected to have strong knowledge of lighting techniques, color theory, rendering software (especially Maya & Katana), and a good understanding of how light interacts with different materials and textures. They will also ensure that the lighting aligns with the creative vision while also meeting technical requirements and production deadlines.

• Create CG Lighting for the integration of CG elements into live action
• Create CG Lighting for full CG shots
• Study real world color and light direction and replicate that look in CG
• Optimize your render set-ups for efficient render farm usage and to improve the quality of results
• Create lighting rigs to be used by other artists
• Demonstrate technical prowess in creating scripts and tools to facilitate an efficient workflow (preferred but not required)
• Review artist work and provide both technical and aesthetic feedback in a constructive manner
• Coach other Lighting artists in the latest techniques to continually improve team efficiency and quality of work
• Collaborate with fellow Supervisors from other disciplines to meet challenging production deadlines 
• Lead the Lighting department based on project requirements
• Mentor junior & mid level artists

• At least 5 years of experience as a Lighter in a VFX Production environment
• At least one year of experience in a Lead ​or ​Supervisor role
• An extensive knowledge of Maya and Katana
• An in depth knowledge of and experience with Arnold for Maya
• An understanding of compositing techniques in Nuke
• A Bachelor’s degree in computer science or engineering or the equivalent combination of education and experience
• An understanding of and experience with Houdini / Mantra is a plus but not required
• An understanding of multi pass 3D compositing
• Strong time management skills and the ability to balance priorities under the pressure of a deadline-driven production
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills with a keen eye for detail
• Strong leadership skills and ability to work well as part of a larger team of Leads and Supervisors 
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• Come as you are. Luma is an equal opportunity employer.