Job Description

ICON Creative Studio is Canada\xe2\x80\x99s largest independently owned animation entertainment company located in the historic Gastown district of Vancouver, BC Canada with design, storyboarding, modeling, rigging, animation, technical finaling, lighting, visual effects, and compositing artists alongside creative and management teams.
Known for our quality, efficiency, and timely deliveries, ICON has partnered alongside distributors, broadcasters, and streaming platforms around the world to help create, realize and produce noteworthy content.
ICON operates from a holistic philosophy that leverages individual skill sets to maximize production efficiency on the floor while maintaining an optimal balance of creativity and quality on-screen.
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Work remotely (anywhere in BC) or in studio
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Why work at ICON?
At ICON we constantly invest in raising the bar of our productions and fostering our people. If you are passionate about animation and enjoy sharing success with others, we\'d like to hear from you!

• Join the fastest growing CG Animation studio in Vancouver
  
• Work on top feature and episodic CG franchises for leading streaming platforms (Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon, Peacock, Paramount+ etc.)
• Work with a diverse group of artists from all over the world who have come to BC to join our expanding studio
• Use all of the latest tools and softwares
• We uphold a premium standard of quality across all of our productions by putting all of our resources up on screen
• We hire for the long term and give artists the opportunity to grow, get promoted and take on as much responsibility as they can manage
• We offer flexibility and autonomy
• We facilitate requests in a timely manner
• We support PR applications
• We offer direct deposit
• We offer a generous benefits package
• And more...

ICON Creative Studio \xe2\x80\x93 Lead Groom Artist
The details below provide a general outline of the skill requirements for all candidates applying for the position. Based on the quality of the Demo Reel and interview performance, job classification will be determined. Job Duties:

• Develop and maintain all department documentation of current pipeline and techniques
• Procedurally groom hair and fur using XGen, Ornatrix and Yeti.
• Prepares the approved groom for CFX and Rigging.
• Prepares the approved groom for simulation, including and not limited to creating the fur simulation rig for the asset.
• Rendering and QC of fur elements
• Must know how to take a model all the way to completion (Model, UV, Texture, Surface, Light, Render)
• Must possess an artistic eye for form and color
• May require some guidance in different workflows (topology, texturing, surfacing and UV\xe2\x80\x99s)
• May require guidance in understanding who and why pipeline works the way it does
• Able to handle a high-pressure environment with tight deadlines
• Take responsibility for their own work and can complete tasks within the time allotted
• Show passion for their craft and engage in similar activities in their spare time, including taking the time to further their knowledge through study
• Able to Identify issues and relay them to team members
• Instruct artists on how to troubleshoot Groom issues
• Be a leader with the Team, and teach them new ways to make the grooms more efficient and less time consuming
• Simplify grooms to make them manageable down the pipeline, and help artists publish efficiently for other departments
• Train new entree artists with current department documentation and pipeline workflow
• Delegate tasks according to priorities
• Keep a clear communication with the Production Team so the Grooms are always delivered on time
• Create a safe environment for the artists and integrate the Team members

Skills and Experience:

• Experience and training using Maya 2018 and newer.
• Experience with Xgen or, Yeti, or Ornatrix grooming software and tools
• Experienced grooming feathers in Yeti or Ornatrix
• Skilled in Photoshop and or 3D paint software
• Strong communication skills
• Self motivated and eager to learn
• Keen eye for detail, shape and form of hair and fur.
• Good problem solver
• Knowledge of python a plus
• Experience with nCloth a plus
• Experience with nHair a plus
• Able to spot issues and troubleshoot.
• Passion in their task and work on learning new applicable skills in their own time