Senior Layout TD; VFX - Expression of Interest

Description

Position at DNEG Senior Layout TD
The Layout team at DNEG is a valued mix of technical and creative artists that produce high level work, sometimes under tight deadlines for large-scale projects. The team is responsible for shot assembly and design, spatial layout of assets, character blocking, camera positioning and creation with a strong cinematographic backbone. Our setups will be the technical foundation for downstream departments on high profile features and projects.

As a Senior Artist you’ll be responsible for maintaining shot continuity, visual presentation and creative consistency across shots and sequences within your own body of work. A Senior Layout Artist is crucial for setting up the 3D foundation of VFX shots, blending high-level artistic composition with advanced technical execution. You should also be able to proactively drive your own work and targets, utilising department workflows and tooling to meet the standards required.

• Shot Orchestration & Execution:
  Directly work on complex / challenging shots, including those requiring advanced techniques such as projections, takeovers and stitches, re-racks and full CG shots.
• Creative Cinematic Blocking:
  Design and create full CG – setting up and blocking cameras, lenses and framing for complex shots and sequences, maintaining cinematic consistency on the show.
• Asset Integration:
  Integrate and position 3D assets (characters, props, and environments) accurately into established scenes, ensuring proper scale, perspective, and continuity.
• Scene Assembly & Optimization:
  Construct and optimise complex production scenes, ensuring efficient file structure and maintaining QC for established technical standards for downstream departments (Animation, Lighting, FX). Strong creative and technical problem solving skills – can anticipate and communicate complications or opportunities on shots.
• Technical Pipeline Support:
  Troubleshoot technical issues within your shots, QC assets and dependencies within your shot assembly, maintain efficient pipeline flow to downstream departments (Animation, FX, Lighting).
• Team Work:
  Guide Junior and Mid-level Artists on techniques, best practices as well as informal creative feedback or assistance when required.
• Supervisory Assistance:
  Support the Layout Supervisor and Leads by taking on more difficult tasks or bodies of work, give feedback on more junior team members as well as guiding them.
• Pre-visualisation (Pre-vis) & Post-visualisation (Post-vis):
  Often responsible for creating or integrating previs / postvis animatics to establish pacing, camera language, and scene blocking for editorial review.

• Experience:
  
  Minimum 6-7 years of Layout experience in feature film or television VFX, with a proven senior role.
• Technical Proficiency:
  Expertise in Maya (required); familiarity with software like Unreal, Nuke, Houdini, Photoshop, and production tracking tools (e.g., Shotgun / Shot Grid). A thorough understanding of 3D VFX processes and production pipelines. Follows and demonstrates best practice in pipeline, version resolution and QC.
• Artistic
  
  Skills:
  
  Strong artistic eye and understanding of cinematography, visual composition, framing, staging / set dressing, and camera language (e.g., lensing, depth of field, movement, finesse). A thorough understanding of storytelling and continuity.
• Communication:
  Excellent communication skills to interpret and clarify creative and technical direction from the Layout leadership team. Communicate promptly and effectively with dept leadership and production regarding your schedule and tasks.

• Realtime experience – ideally in Unreal.
• Broad 3D generalist experience, comfortable with departments including matchmove, asset build and lighting amongst others.
• A degree or background in traditional fine arts, animation, film or photography.
• Onset and / or techvis experience.

• Highly motivated, pro-active, adaptable, meticulous and organised.
• Team orientated – able to work with composure and maintain a positive outlook.
• Excellent communication skills with supervision, leads and team members both locally and globally.

We…