Crowd TD

At Stellar, we aim to build a studio where people actually want to work. We face productions inevitable ups and downs as a supportive, truly connected team, prioritizing open communication over anyone working in isolation. We value honesty, creativity, and looking out for one another.

The Opportunity: 

We are staffing up for a highly anticipated Marvel Studios streaming series. To pull off the epic scale required, we need a brilliant, systems minded Crowd Technical Director. This is a highly technical role. You are not here to animate the characters; you are here to build the tools, workflows, and pipeline that make the crowd artists look like rockstars.

If you love untangling complex technical problems, writing elegant Python scripts, and acting as the supportive bridge between the Asset, FX, and Animation departments, we want you on our team. We need a proactive problem solver who spots pipeline bottlenecks from a mile away and builds solutions so the artists never have to stress.

In this role, success looks like:

Pipeline and Tool Development

• Design, build, and maintain a highly efficient crowd pipeline utilizing Maya, Houdini, and Atoms.
• Proactively prototype and test shot pipelines, identifying technical gaps or critical issues before they ever reach the artists.
• Write clean, efficient code to develop tools and technical solutions that directly increase the creative capabilities of the crowd team.

Technical Support and Troubleshooting

• Act as the ultimate technical safety net for the artists. You troubleshoot and debug day to day production shot issues with patience, empathy, and a positive attitude.
• Take ownership of the complete crowd technical lifecycle, ensuring everything integrates smoothly into specific downstream workflows like FX and LRC.
• Maintain a calm, motivating presence during high stress delivery periods, focusing on solutions rather than placing blame.

Collaboration and Mentorship

• Serve as the friendly, knowledgeable liaison between the Asset and Shot departments, translating creative needs into technical realities.
• Coach and train Layout, Animation, and FX team members on existing and newly developed crowd setup tools so everyone feels confident and supported using the pipeline.
• Partner with Dev and Digital Workflow supervisors to ensure all crowd systems are seamlessly integrated into the broader studio pipeline.

The Requirements

Must Haves:

• Experience: 3 plus years of experience developing crowd setups and pipeline tools in VFX feature films, high end TV, or animation.
• Technical Expertise: Expert level scripting skills in Python, alongside a deep generalist knowledge of Maya.
• Crowd Systems: Hands on experience building digital assets with Atoms Crowd and a very strong understanding of global crowd workflows.
• Core Skills: You are an excellent problem solver who can focus on the tiny technical details while maintaining a view of the whole production picture.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal English communication skills. You can explain complex technical concepts to artists in a way that is clear, helpful, and never condescending.
• Eligibility: You must be legally eligible to work in British Columbia.

Nice to Haves:

• Working knowledge of Houdini.
• A strong understanding of Linux based operating systems.
• A degree in Computer Graphics, Computer Science, or a related technical field.

Why Join Stellar?

• Flexible Environment: We offer a flexible hybrid schedule that will vary with project and team requirements. 
• Comprehensive Benefits: Extended health benefits.
• Growth: Professional development support to help you stay ahead of tech and creative trends.
• Culture: A collaborative, ego-free environment where technical expertise fuels creative magic.
• Compensation: The salary range for this position is between $93,000 and $103,000 CAD, based on your level of experience.