CG Department – Layout Artist
A layout artist can almost be thought of as the cameraman or director of photography of the 3D Space. Layout Artists will determine where the virtual camera is in a scene and where characters in a CG characters will be choreographed in the position of a shot and where they will move around. While a director would work with actors and where they would be on a production set, a layout artist determines where virtual cameras would be and where those 3D Elements would be in scene. Layout artists must keep a consistent scale throughout their scenes for use in VFX shots and the scale of CG Elements down the line, as well as things like the lighting and composition of a scene.
A Layout Artist must have a good reference of where characters will be in the scene, an understanding of cameras and their functionality, and a basic understanding of physics so that cameras will work in ways that do not deny physics (aside from some abstract reasonings) A Layout artist should be proficient in 3D Modelling, with most common 3D Software used like Maya. The average salary of a layout artist is around 33,442 pounds per year.
Sources: Role Info: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/visual-effects-vfx/computer-generated/layout-artist-visual-effects-vfx/ More Role Info: https://vfx-montreal.com/job/layout-artist-3/ Salary info: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/layout-artist-salary-SRCH_KO0,13.htm
CG Department – Matchmove Artist
When you have your 3D Models ready to go and rigged, a 3D environment is needed to place them in, if this is live action footage they need to be implemented into the scene properly, A matchmove artist’s job is to make that a reality by recreating the camera’s movements in a 3d Space by tracking points, and then using that camera data to build out a 3D Environment to match the shot for things in use of the scene like character’s shadows, destruction to surrounding enviornment or other things in a scene.
Matchmove artists use software like Maya, 3DEqualizer, After Effects, PFTrack and Vodoo. Matchmove artists must be very meticulous with their work to create realistic tracking so that the CG Objects implemented seem real and authentic and don’t look like two layers overlapping each other. A Matchmove artist’s average salary is around 33,442 pounds a year.
Sources: Role Info: https://mountcg.com/what-is-matchmoving-and-what-does-a-matchmove-artist-do/ More role info: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/visual-effects-vfx/computer-generated/matchmove-artist/ Salary Info: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/matchmove-artist-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm
CG Department – Lighting Artist
A lighting Artist’s job is meant to match the lighting of a scene in 3D Either on set or per a Layout Artist’s layouts in a 3D scene. A lighting artist uses tools in 3D To make a model look like it’s on set by matching the lighting used on set when in a film, such as light intensity, colour or even matching down to the light’s falloff.
A lighting artist must be proficient in both 3DM Modelling and knowledgeable about the layout of a scene, as well as have a strong basis on physics and how light works, such as it’s dispersion on objects and reflectivity. A lighting artist will usually be working with many other roles such as directors, CG asset leads, and production coordinators. Lighting artists will use programs such as Maya and Nuke, and the average salary of a lighting artist is around 31,099 Pounds per year.
Sources: Salary Info: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/lighting-artist-salary-SRCH_KO0,15.htm Role Info: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/visual-effects-vfx/computer-generated/lighting-artist-visual-effects-vfx/ More role info: https://www.careersinscreen.ie/role/lighting-artist-2/ Even more role Info: https://vfx-montreal.com/job/lighting-artist-2/
CG Department – CG Supervisor
A CG Supervisor is the head of the CG Department, and thus responsible for the delivery and quality of all CG elements of a VFX Project. CG Supervisor’s jobs decide just about everything, from the order of which work needs to be done, to what work may need to have RnD create ways to achieve a look in a shot, to finding out what tools and program would need to be used on a shot (An example being using the physics of a program like Houdini as opposed to Maya for a shot)
A CG Supervisor is someone who knows all facets of a CG Department and can help people in these various areas if they are to run into any problems, as well as plan out meticulously what is needed and how things will run. A Cg Supervisor should be an expert in 3D Software and other industry software and should also have excellent communication skills to communicate effectively with their team and producers / directors. The average salary of a CG Supervisor is around 72,598 pounds per year.
Sources: Role Info: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/visual-effects-vfx/computer-generated/computer-graphics-cg-supervisor/ More role Info: https://jobs.jobvite.com/double-negative-visual-effects/job/o1ntafwL Salary info: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/london-cg-supervisor-salary-SRCH_IL.0,6_IM1035_KO7,20.htm
CG Department – Look Development Artist
A look dev artist keeps everything consistent throughout a project. A lookdev artist works with the texturing artists, Lighting artists, character artists and concept artists to make sure that when for example a character is places in a rainy area and needs reflections that they can establish different looks for the character and make the character covered in rain and wet while still maintaining the overall look of the character.
A look development artist must be very keen to detail for maintaining the overall quality of a model and perform quality checks on anything that goes between the texture artists and modellers to the lighters to maintain the visual style of the project being worked on. A look dev artist should be proffecient in Maya, 3DS Max, Photoshop, Substance Painter, Arnold, VRay and Nuke. The average salary for a lookdev artist is around 33,442 pounds a year.
Sources: Role Info: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/visual-effects-vfx/computer-generated/look-development-artist/ More Role info: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/look-dev-artist Salary Info: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/look-development-artist-salary-SRCH_KO0,23.htm?countryRedirect=true#:~:text=The%20national%20average%20salary%20for,Artist%20salaries%20in%20your%20area.