TAYLOR JAMES

Careers - Senior Automotive CGI Real-Time Artist

 
 

Senior Automotive
CGI Real-Time Artist

Fulltime and/or Freelance
Remote or Office Based (All Locations)

 

JOB ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to: CG Automotive Supervisor

We have a fantastic opportunity to become part of our world-renowned, extremely talented, and rapidly growing Automotive CGI Team. As a Senior Automotive CGI Real-Time Artist, you will be responsible for leading and facilitating the successful and efficient delivery of multiple automotive real-time experiences. You’ll be joining at a very exciting time, exploring new VR and real-time technologies, and innovating new ways to engage consumers through industry-leading immersive experiences. This is an ideal role for an experienced Artist looking for new opportunities to develop their career and play a lead role in the development of our processes and pipeline to drive forward continual improvements and efficiency.

 

As a senior core team member, you will be required to oversee and support all the artists on your team, monitoring their output throughout the process to ensure that quality standards are met. You will lead and help support the Real-Time Team to develop team members to better improve the overall team capacity and skill level. You will develop and produce Real-Time Car Configurators in multiple environments to a photorealistic standard and produce high-quality 3D Real-Time assets using Unreal Engine 4. You will take a hands-on approach to creative and technical aspects of a project. You will be responsible for developing and defining agreed workflows within the team, liaising with other departments where necessary. Your role will require strong communication skills between Senior Staff, Creative Directors and the project Producers, to ensure the smooth running and delivery of projects. 

 

The main aspects of the role include: 

• Planning and delivery of a Real-Time Experience, working to the agreed upon brief and the client’s requirements producing real-time online configurators using Unreal Engine 4, ensuring that the final project is delivered on-time, on-budget and on-brand.

• Develop project workflow plan in-line with experience requirements. The role requires the ability to foresee potential problems within multi-disciplined workflows and the ability to solve visual and analytical problems. 

• Producing CGI for Automotive Real-Time Experiences, Stills and Animations, including modelling, texturing, shading and lighting, and rendering to a high photorealistic level.

• Setting up efficient workflows and process across the project, mostly around the stages of data preparation, shader construction, and quality control.

• Working with of the 3D automotive team and overseeing artists’ output throughout the process to ensure that quality standards are met. Creative direction of the work requires closely collaborating with the Creative Directors and production department during the production.

• Identify new software and hardware that could be of use to the company in delivering compelling real-time content 

• Be able to lead other artists on collaborative projects 

• Create photo-realistic environments for the automotive industry using real-time engines 

• Texture and shade automotive vehicles to a high level in Unreal Engine 4 

•  Liaise with Epic (the creators of Unreal Engine 4) on a regular basis to aid in the development of the high visual quality we want to achieve 

•  Photograph and collect textures/references for specific tasks, for example: CGI set builds 

• Consistently share knowledge at team meetings and share work you have created to participate in the continual development of the CGI Studio and gain valuable feedback 

• Proactively develop your own technical skills and understanding, to contribute towards the overall efficiency and innovation of the CGI Studio, and develop our offering to clients 

• The role may include the opportunity to work at one of Taylor James’s other studios to promote and further the expansion of the Automotive process and portfolio across the group.

• You may be asked to work on other types of projects beside Automotive from time to time, in accordance with your skillset. 

 

You will work with the Head of 3D, Senior Technical Director, and IT to review systems and procedures, and help to hone and develop processes and structures to ensure that projects are delivered efficiently and effectively; that they are of the right quality and are produced on time.

Good communication and team relationships are important skills, maintaining good morale within the team and throughout each project. The ability to make considered judgments when working under pressure and to absorb the anxiety of others is necessary. 

 

DUTIES

Creative

• Working with Automotive CGI team to foresee issues and drive production to best creative results while keeping the project delivery on-schedule. 

• Modelling of hard surfaces, hi-res and lo-res, Sub-D modelling and CAD data prep.

•  Shader creation, lighting and texturing, UV generations on hard surfaces and organic assets. 

• Production rendering.

• Using our in-house hydraGEN system on suitable projects and championing it to other artists in the team as a core workflow tool.

• Checking Real-Time CGI team’s work and maintaining quality, and always be willing to offer advice and support. 

• Follow production methodologies, seeking out potential issues and develop creative approaches and problem-solving.

• Maintain awareness of technical developments in industry and seek to continually improve personal skills and techniques

• Ensure creative visualization and development of the base technical experience to the Real-Time Technical Development Team

• Work with the Senior Technical Director to ensure effective running of the department, along with forging meaningful working relationships with the Real-Time Technical Development Team, as well as the Compositing and Retouch departments

•  Positively represent Taylor James to our customers and suppliers

•  Fully participate in the company's performance management and development programs 

• Maximize own ability to produce quality work, on time, and to brief, utilizing best skills and available technology 

•  Work in accordance with the company's Human Resources policies and procedures

•  Ensure compliance with health and safety requirements 

 

Project Leadership 

  • Assist with estimates on task-based timings at initial quotation stage, based on experience level.

  • Ensure clear and concise briefs are given and understood by all involved in the project.

  • Assisting with and communicating day-to-day work of team and ensuring they are on track.

  • Maintain continuity and to critique scene assembly artists’ work.

  • Advanced problem solving, including suggesting and explaining solutions to team.

  • Keep lines of communication open and keep staff and production updated on work status on a regular basis.

  • Improving processes and structures to aid Real-Time, Production and CGI departments. Working with team to ensure effective running of the department.

  • Present new ideas to creative team and be active member in developing creative direction of company. 

 

Technical Support

  • To support the live-action crew by providing camera details and setup diagrams, and to assist with HDRI capture and collection of reference material. 

  • Attend productions, consulting with production crew to ensure capturing of correct elements for the pre-agreed brief. Offering ideas, guidance and support to various crew members.

  • Follow production methodologies and develop technical approaches and problem-solving.

  • Research and consistently review and improve knowledge of lighting and rendering techniques, bringing latest ideas to productions.