What industry Wants

Below are a list of companies to compare what they expect to see from someone applying for the role of a modeler.

Framestore:

- Candidates should be creative, resourceful, and have a strong spatial awareness

- A good working knowledge of Maya

- Very strong polygonal subdivision modelling skills

- Efficiency with layout of UVs, and awareness of texture requirements

- Ability to interpret and follow reference material to create clean, highly detailed, and accurate models

- Strong interpersonal and communicative skills

- Ability to organise workflow in a meticulous manner

- Able to work very well within a team, and with other departments and supervisors

- Experience with Mudbox and zBrush an advantage

As a modeller you will be responsible for producing highly accurate, efficient models for high-end VFX feature films. References may include photographs, scan data, blueprints or concept designs. Modellers will work closely with texture artists, riggers and layout artists to produce models and UVs that meet the specific requirements of a VFX pipeline. 

Cinesite:

-Excellent Maya polygon and subdivision surface modelling skills and the ability to apply and manage UV’s is essential.

-Previous experience creating photorealistic organic and hard surface models is essential.

-Thorough understanding of the modelling process and the ability to both interpret designs and accurately match photographic reference material.

-You must be able to work well within a team environment and take direction from Supervisors as appropriate.

-Texturing skills are advantageous.

-A familiarity with Mudbox and CySlice are a plus.

-Previous film industry experience is preferred.

The main focus of the position will be creating photorealistic organic and hard surface models within Cinesite’s pipeline using commercial and proprietary software and tools.

Double Negative:

Key Purpose of the Job

To create highly detailed models suitable for use in visual effects work for film, that cover a wide range of organic and non-organic objects.

Needs To Do

• The modeller will need to work very closely with the texture painters, shader writers, look development artists and the riggers to generate models that are suitable for feature film work. The models may be organic in nature, such as various creatures or characters, or they may be models of rigid objects such as cars, buildings, props or sets. They will need to make use of a wide range of reference materials. Models may need to be created from scratch or from scans, reference photography, maquettes, miniatures or other set models. They will also have to work closely with their leads to determine an appropriate level of detail for any given model. It will also be important to work closely with the riggers to produce models that meet their work flow requirements, and with texture painters to determine the optimal UV layout for a model.

Needs To Know

• Strong spatial awareness and a good sense of form, scale and proportion
• A very keen eye for detail
• A full working knowledge of modelling in any one or more of these packages: Maya, XSI and Cyslice
• Ability to work with packages such as Mudbox or Z-brush are an advantage
• Polygon and sub-division surface modelling. Knowledge of NURBS modelling is not generally required, but a plus
• How to deliver a "clean" model with tidy polygon/sub-d placement and good basic UV layout for texturing
• A good knowledge of Linux would be an advantage. Familiarity with Windows useful but not essential
• When to model detail or have the the detail added through the shading, by liasing with the shader writers and look development artists
• At least 1 years experience in feature films would be beneficial. Experience in other areas of visual effects (TV, Games) will also be taken into account

Needs To Be

• Meticulous
• Team oriented
• Able to learn in house work flows and methodologies
• Able to adapt to changing requirements or briefs
• Resourceful

Measures of Performance

• On time delivery
• Show continuous improvement
• Ability to deliver any required model at an appropriate level of detail and realism, which fits smoothly into the pipeline of a show