Lead Pre-Visualisation Artist - ILM London

The Walt Disney Company; City of London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An international entertainment company is seeking a Lead Previz Artist to oversee the artistic and technical standards for the Previz team. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in leading teams and a deep understanding of camera animation and cinematography. This hybrid role requires in-person collaboration at the designated location two days a week with a strong emphasis on creativity and problem-solving skills.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Previs, Post-vis, or Layout Artist with lead experience on 5 shows.
• Strong understanding of cinematography and film terminology.
• Experience with motion capture integration.
• Highly motivated and proactive with strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Set aesthetic standards for shots and sequences.
• Oversee modeling, texturing, and asset preparation.
• Produce Techvis for real-world shooting.
• Collaborate on tools and scripts for efficiency.
• Handle troubleshooting of shots and assets.

Skills

Camera animation

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Film grammar

Cinematic shot composition

Proficiency in Maya

3D modeling and texturing

Tools

Maya

Blender

Substance Painter

ZBrush

Nuke

DaVinci Resolve

Houdini

Linux

Google Suites

Job description

Job Summary

The Lead Previz Artist is a seasoned creative and technical leader who acts as the day‑to‑day artistic and technical anchor for the Previz team. Collaborating closely with the Previz Supervisor and VFX Supervisor, the Lead is responsible for setting the aesthetic and technical standard, and directly overseeing a team of artists. The role ensures complex shots and sequences align with the Director’s and Clients’ vision through dynamic camera movement, animation, composition, staging, lighting, and editing, while actively contributing to key creative development and pipeline efficiency.

What You’ll Do

• Set the aesthetic benchmark for shots and sequences, with a passion for and deep understanding of character/camera animation and real‑world shooting methodologies, translating storyboards, scripts, and creative concepts into dynamic, fully realised 3D sequences.
• Oversee and contribute to the modeling, texturing, shading of assets, preparation of environments, and development of in‑shot pipeline‑compatible rig solutions.
• Oversee and produce Techvis to support real‑world and on‑set shooting of the completed Previs incorporating practical set dimensions, camera lens data, and virtual production requirements.
• Oversee and apply advanced compositing techniques to facilitate a post‑process look development pass.
• Collaborate and contribute to the creation of tools and scripts to increase team efficiency and workflow.
• Maintain or exceed a consistent level of productivity while meeting deadlines and producing high quality work within Previs timelines.
• Troubleshoot assets and shots, continually looking for and suggesting improvements to increase overall efficiency and productivity.
• Comfortable overseeing a team of artists, some of whom may be working remotely from other ILM locations.
• Must have a passion for camera animation and understand how to design camera motions for real world shoots.
• Comfortable communicating and collaborating with other departments across ILM.
• Be the primary point of contact for junior and senior artists, escalating major issues to the Previs Supervisor, helping to elevate the overall quality and efficiency of the Previs team.
• Demonstrate flexibility with iterative process.
• Take initiative to acquire new skills and think outside of the box.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience working as a Previs, Post‑vis, or Layout Artist in feature film, high‑end television, or AAA game cinematics with lead experience on 5 shows or more.
• Experience working on set.
• Well versed in film grammar, composition and editorial decisions.
• Strong understanding of different styles of cinematography, knowledge of film terminology, lenses and a good eye for cinematic shot composition and lighting.
• Experience with motion capture integration and cleanup.
• Strong leadership, communication and problem‑solving skills with the ability to take complex feedback and rapidly iterate on shots or sequences.
• Highly motivated and proactive.
• Proficient in Maya for animation, camera, and scene assembly.
• Proficient with modeling and texturing tools within common 3d packages (e.g. Maya, Blender, Substance Painter, ZBrush, or similar).
• Familiarity with Nuke, DaVinci Resolve, Houdini.
• Working knowledge of Linux and Google Suites.

As part of your application please submit a demo reel, shot breakdown, or equivalent showcasing your work. A current resume is required.

This role is Hybrid, which means the employee will be required to work a minimum of two days on‑site per week at a company‑designated location, and occasionally from home.

Join ILM

About Industrial Light & Magic

Founded in 1975 by George Lucas, ILM is the leading effects facility in the world, serving the motion picture, commercial production, and attraction industries. ILM has created visual effects for over 325 feature films and has played a key role in seven of the top 10 worldwide box‑office hits of all time and has contributed to 25 of the top 50. ILM has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most stunning images in the history of film. At the forefront of the digital revolution, the company continues to break new ground in visual effects, VR, AR, and Immersive Cinema.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world‑class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

ILM (UK) Ltd. is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion or belief, sex, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, disability or pregnancy or maternity. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.