DreamWorks Feature - Look Development Artist - job 1 of 2

DreamWorks Animation is looking for more adventurous dreamers who shoot for the moon. We tell stories about the journeys our unconventional heroes take to make dreams come true. As a growth-minded studio, we pride ourselves on being one of the world's leading producers of high-quality, award-winning, animated films and series, reaching consumers around the globe. We push to feel more, laugh more, and build immersive new worlds.

DreamWorks creates a diverse array of original content in a variety of formats, delivering compelling stories with unique characters. We place tremendous value on the experiences our talent brings to the table from their own non-traditional paths to success. We believe in frequent communication and that transparency and trust yield the best work. We are a community of artists, technologists, innovators, and creators, who are passionate about animation and also happen to love eating lunch together. 

Comcast NBCUniversal has announced its intent to create a new publicly traded company ('Versant') comprised of most of NBCUniversal's cable television networks, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel along with complementary digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine. The well-capitalized company will have significant scale as a pure-play set of assets anchored by leading news, sports and entertainment content. The spin-off is expected to be completed during 2025.

The Look Development Artist is responsible for defining the final 3D rendered look of characters, environments, and props established by the Look Development Supervisor and Production Designer. They develop the look of assets using a variety of techniques and tools, using a combination of artistic and technical skills.

If you are part of the fandom and believe teamwork makes the dream work, join us in #livingthedream and #doingyourdreamwork! 

Responsibilities: “What would you say you do here?”

• Establishes the look and qualities of characters, props and environments for an animated film with direction from the Production Designer, Art Director, and Look Development Supervisor

• Ability to handle complex and technically demanding Look Development setups

• Troubleshoots creative and technical issues as they arise

• Works with other departments to communicate Look Development needs (such as Modeling) and provide for other departments' needs (e.g. Lighting and Character FX)

• Ensures that Look Development files are complete and ready for lighting

• Stays aware of the broader show needs as they relate to the Look Development Department (schedule, complexity of setups, etc.)

Basic Qualifications: “What do I need to have in order to do this job?”

• Good artistic eye for detail with the ability to build a fleshed-out look to match various 2D Art Department references

• Experience with 3D paint packages (e.g. Mari, Substance, ZBrush)

• Diligent with ability to handle complexity of our pipeline

• Familiarity with Polygonal and UV Layout

• Familiarity with the construction of complex shader networks. 

• Ability to debug complex shader networks. 

Desired Qualifications: “What can I offer?”

• History of successful collaboration within a team.

• Proactive and creative problem solver.

• Experience within other related skills (i.e. modeling, compositing, animation, etc.)

• 3 years production experience on a feature film

• Background in visual arts

Hybrid: This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the office a minimum of three days per week.

Salary Range: $78,312 - $110,000

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

NBCUniversal will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories, or arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with relevant legal requirements, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative For Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, where applicable.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to [email protected].