Lead Crowd Technical Director (VFX)

TL;DR

Lead Crowd Technical Director (VFX): Executing the creative and technical direction of crowd sequences for high-end feature films with an accent on Houdini workflows, pipeline development, and team leadership. Focus on solving complex technical obstacles, managing motion libraries, and ensuring high-quality artistic output that meets the vision of the VFX Supervisor.

Location: Must be based in London, UK (Hybrid: 2 days on-site per week).

Company

hirify.global is a world-leading visual effects facility founded by George Lucas, renowned for creating groundbreaking effects for over 325 feature films.

What you will do

• Lead and manage a team of crowd artists, providing creative feedback at shot and sequence levels.
• Direct the development of shot templates, tools, and crowd agent setups.
• Maintain and edit show motion libraries and assist in planning motion capture shoots.
• Mentor artists on Houdini workflows and proprietary pipeline tools.
• Collaborate with R&D and Pipeline Engineers to troubleshoot and optimize the crowd pipeline.
• Support recruitment and staffing efforts for the crowd team.

Requirements

• Proven experience working on high-end VFX or animated feature film productions.
• Previous experience in a leadership or mentoring role.
• Expert knowledge of Houdini for Crowds.
• Highly proficient at VEX and Python.
• Proficiency with Linux including shell scripting.
• Strong understanding of crowd behavior, cinematography, and composition.

Nice to have

• Experience with motion capture retargeting and motion editing.
• Knowledge of creature simulation including cloth and groom.
• Working familiarity with C/C++.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to work at the forefront of the digital revolution in visual effects.
• Collaborative environment focused on storytelling and innovation.
• Hybrid work model balancing on-site collaboration with remote flexibility.
• Part of a global entertainment enterprise with a legacy of world-class storytelling.