Lead Pre-Visualisation Artist - ILM London

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

Job summary

A leading entertainment company in London seeks a Lead Pre-Visualisation Artist to lead the Previz team. The candidate will manage artists, ensure alignment with creative vision, and innovate in a hybrid work environment, requiring strong leadership and technical skills. Ideal for professionals with substantial industry experience in film or AAA game cinematics.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Previs, Post‑vis, or Layout Artist in feature film or high‑end TV.
• Lead experience on 5+ projects.
• Strong grasp of cinematic terminology and composition.

Responsibilities

• Set aesthetic benchmarks for dynamic 3D sequences.
• Oversee modeling, texturing, and environment prep.
• Collaborate and develop tools to increase workflow efficiency.

Skills

Film grammar

Cinematic shot composition

Leadership

Problem-solving

Tools

Maya

Blender

Substance Painter

Nuke

DaVinci Resolve

Houdini

Job description

Lead Pre-Visualisation Artist - ILM London

Join the team as a Lead Pre-Visualisation Artist at The Walt Disney Company, located in ILM London. This role involves leading the Previz team, collaborating with supervisors, and ensuring alignment with the creative vision.

Position Summary

The Lead Previz Artist is a seasoned creative and technical leader, acting as the day‑to‑day artistic and technical anchor for the Previz team. Working closely with the Previz Supervisor and VFX Supervisor, the Lead sets aesthetic and technical standards, overseeing a team of artists to ensure complex shots and sequences align with the Director's and Client's vision, through dynamic camera movement, animation, composition, staging, lighting, and editing. The Lead contributes to creative development and pipeline efficiency.

What You’ll Do

• Set the aesthetic benchmark for shots and sequences, translating storyboards, scripts, and concepts into dynamic 3D sequences.
• Oversee and contribute to modeling, texturing, shading of assets, environment prep, and development of in‑shot pipeline‑compatible rig solutions.
• Produce technical visualizations to support real‑world and on‑set shooting, incorporating practical set dimensions, camera lens data, and virtual production requirements.
• Apply advanced compositing techniques for post‑process look‑development passes.
• Collaborate and develop tools and scripts to increase team efficiency and workflow.
• Maintain consistent productivity, meeting deadlines and delivering high‑quality work within Previs timelines.
• Troubleshoot assets and shots, continuously suggesting improvements for efficiency.
• Manage a team of artists, including remote members from other ILM locations.
• Explain camera motion design for real‑world shoots.
• Communicate effectively across departments within ILM.
• Serve as primary point of contact for junior and senior artists, escalating major issues.
• Show flexibility in iterative processes.
• Take initiative to acquire new skills and think creatively.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience as a Previs, Post‑vis, or Layout Artist in feature film, high‑end TV, or AAA game cinematics, with lead experience on 5+ projects.
• Hands‑on experience working on set.
• Strong grasp of film grammar, composition, and editorial decisions.
• Proficient understanding of cinematography styles, film terminology, lenses, and cinematic shot composition and lighting.
• Experience with motion‑capture integration and cleanup.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem‑solving skills, able to iterate quickly on complex feedback.
• Highly motivated and proactive attitude.
• Proficiency in Maya for animation, camera, and scene assembly.
• Experience with modeling and texturing tools such as Maya, Blender, Substance Painter, ZBrush, or similar.
• Familiarity with Nuke, DaVinci Resolve, Houdini.
• Working knowledge of Linux and Google Suites.

Application Process

Please submit a demo reel, shot breakdown, or an equivalent portfolio showcasing your work. A current resume is required. This role is hybrid – employees must work a minimum of 2 days on‑site per week at a company‑designated location and can occasionally work from home.

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology

Industries

Entertainment Providers