Matchmove Artist - Senior

Position: Matchmove Artist - Senior

Hiring Range: $91,000 to $96,000/year for a 40 hour work week

Project Contract: Start December 2025 - 6-month contract 

Company Benefits: Extended healthcare from day 1, premiums 100% covered by Image Engine, up to 8 paid Health and Wellness days per year.

*Candidates are required to be based in British Columbia and eligible to work in Canada*

ABOUT IMAGE ENGINE

Image Engine is a world-class VFX studio based in Vancouver, BC, that has built a reputation for excellence in the visual effects industry since 1995. We specialize in crafting stunning visual effects for feature films and television with an award-winning portfolio that includes The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, Game Of Thrones, Lost in Space, Jurassic World, and District 9.

We offer a full range of visual effects services, from concept designs and pre-visualization to CG animation, compositing, and explosive volumetric digital effects. Our crew is passionate about storytelling and pushing the artistic and technical boundaries to deliver the highest quality work on every project. R&D is central to our philosophy of driving creativity through innovation and we're committed to continually evolving our robust production pipelines.

At Image Engine, we value diversity and teamwork, and we're proud to foster a workplace culture that is supportive, respectful, and empowering. We believe that our success is a reflection of our exceptionally talented team, and we're always looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join us on our mission to create unforgettable visual experiences. Join our team and be part of something extraordinary.

POSITION PURPOSE

The Senior Matchmove Artist is responsible for delivering high-quality shots in a quick and efficient manner within the required timeframe. Senior Matchmove artists will have a thorough knowledge base of the tools and software required to execute high-quality shots and deliver complex Camera MM, Roto-animation, object tracks, and shot sculpting in a timely manner. They will set up sequences, create witness camera lineups, create photo lineups, and model the set geometry as needed. They will act as an example to junior artists and provide guidance as needed. They will quality check all of their work and occasionally assist the Matchmove Leads in quality checking the work of junior artists. They will work closely with Leads to communicate issues and recommend solutions.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Advanced Matchmoving Expertise: Perform complex matchmove camera tracking, rotoanimation, lens distortion correction, animated distortion, shot sculpting, photogrammetry, and custom set building with precision.
• Problem-Solving: Identify solutions and approaches to solve challenging shots with minimal guidance, ensuring the project’s success. 
• Effective Communication: Communicate and collaborate effectively with team members and leads, facilitating smooth project workflow.
• Outsourcing Support: Assist with outsourcing tasks, including ingesting and packaging shots, ensuring seamless integration with external resources.
• Technical Leadership: Set up the technical approach for matchmove work, whether for a single shot, a sequence, or an entire aspect of a show, under the direction of the lead. 
• Mentorship and Quality Control: Provide support and mentorship to junior matchmovers, maintain documentation for processes and workflows, administer final quality control checks to uphold quality standards, and offer recommendations and technical solutions to facilitate task completion, even assisting junior artists when tasks become particularly challenging.
  

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• 5 years’ experience with a high-level film/TV VFX pipeline in MM.
• Must have expert experience with Linux, 3DEqualizer & Maya.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Technical skills

• Strong understanding of on-set photography and film and how various camera rigs create camera movement in live action plates.
• Expert understanding of Linux, 3DEqualizer & Maya.

• Ability to script in MEL and Python is an asset.
• Experience with Nuke, Photoscan & Houdini a plus.
• Experience with Photogrammetry, Photography, Lidar, Total station data and survey a plus.

Core skills

• Ability to troubleshoot and deal with competing priorities.
• Excellent time management and communication skills.
• Have a keen eye for detail and the ability to problem-solve and perform Quality Control checks of their own work.
• Confident grasp of overall visual effects workflow required.
• Ability to be adaptable and accepting of changes in a production schedule..
• Aware of project schedules and capable of delivering work to deadlines.
• An understanding of animation principles and work methods.
• Good communication skills both technically and creatively.