Senior CG Generalist

Why join Swaybox Studios?

Swaybox Studios is rewriting the rulebook of visual storytelling. As we collaborate with DC Studios/Warner Bros Pictures Animation and Matt Reeves' 6th and Idaho on a revolutionary new project, you'll help bring bold creative visions to life through hands-on artistry and performance. This is your chance to be a part of a production that's equal parts innovative and unforgettable.

Job Summary

Swaybox Studios is seeking a technically adept and creatively driven Senior CG Generalist to create the texture, shading, and lighting of CG set extensions, environments, and props to seamlessly integrate into live action plates. This role is central to maintaining the stylistic aesthetic of the film, ensuring the final output meets the high artistic standards of the studio.

The Senior CG Generalist will focus on CG replacements and/or extensions with a handoff to the compositing team. This person will play a hands-on role in breathing life into our environments and props, improving workflows, resolving creative challenges, and collaborating with Supervisors and Technical Directors to evolve tools that enhance production efficiency. This is a perfect position for a VFX artist who is passionate about the cinematic quality that can be achieved with CG and hybrid visual storytelling.

Work Location: Onsite in New Orleans, LA

Key Responsibilities

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of surface characteristics to create, adjust, and match textures and shading materials to our fabricated sets and props.
• Preserve a cohesive environment and prop consistency across CG replacements/extensions, ensuring a smooth integration of our internal fabricated sets and live action plates.
• Create custom textures and materials utilizing various techniques including: hand painting, photo-sourcing, projection mapping, scans, and photogrammetry.
• Research and collect visual reference materials to inform surface detail and realism.
• Manage and optimize UV mapping for clean and efficient texture workflows.
• Maintain organized texture libraries and adhere to studio naming conventions and pipeline standards.
• Replicate texture and lighting from live action plates onto our environments and props with an emphasis on fine details, texture nuances, and the overall aesthetic of our film.
• Implement both static (baked) and dynamic lighting solutions using Unreal Engine.
• Collaborate with VFX Supervisor, CG Supervisor, MoMo Supervisor, and TDs to identify areas of improvement in the pipeline, including tool and workflow development.
• Participate in establishing where and when DMP projections vs. CG will be used and how those are implemented.
• Maintain output quality and momentum in a fast-paced environment.
• Communicate effectively with production and creative leads to align visual performance with narrative goals.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in high-end live action VFX films or television.
• Proficient in UV, texture, and shading/lookdev within the following programs: Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Mari, Photoshop, and Maya.
• Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine and Houdini layout, shading/lookdev, lighting, and rendering tools.
• Proven experience working with physically based rendering (PBR) and stylized art pipelines.
• Basic knowledge of compositing in Nuke to create and refine slap comps for presentation.
• In-depth knowledge of texture mapping techniques.
• Deep understanding of visual language- texture, color, dimension, scale, perspective, shade, motion blur, depth of field, proportion, spatial awareness, etc.
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to adapt quickly to unique or proprietary workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in both stylized and realistic texture and shading creation of digital assets is great to have.
• Background in traditional art.
• Working knowledge of on-set camera work, including understanding of lenses, lighting setups, and tracking.
• Experience with photogrammetry and scanning is a huge plus.
• Familiarity with hybrid workflows that span traditional VFX and digital puppetry.
• Experience with ZBrush and other 3D software is advantageous.
• Familiarity with scripting and blueprinting to aid in pipeline improvements.
• An artistic mindset and willingness

At Swaybox Studios, we believe that great storytelling comes from diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, talents, and identities.

We do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Swaybox Studios also complies with applicable Louisiana laws governing non-discrimination in employment. We are dedicated to fostering a creative, inclusive, and respectful environment for all.