BG Prep Artist - Lead

Position: BG Prep Artist - Lead

Hiring Range: $98,800 to $106,600/year for a 40 hour work week

Project Contract: Start January 2026

Company Benefits: Extended healthcare from day 1, premiums 100% covered by Image Engine, up to 8 paid Health and Wellness days per year.

*Candidates are required to be based in British Columbia and eligible to work in Canada*

ABOUT IMAGE ENGINE

Image Engine is a world-class VFX studio based in Vancouver, BC, that has built a reputation for excellence in the visual effects industry since 1995. We specialize in crafting stunning visual effects for feature films and television with an award-winning portfolio that includes The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, Game Of Thrones, Lost in Space, Jurassic World, and District 9.

We offer a full range of visual effects services, from concept designs and pre-visualization to CG animation, compositing, and explosive volumetric digital effects. Our crew is passionate about storytelling and pushing the artistic and technical boundaries to deliver the highest quality work on every project. R&D is central to our philosophy of driving creativity through innovation and we're committed to continually evolving our robust production pipelines.

At Image Engine, we value diversity and teamwork, and we're proud to foster a workplace culture that is supportive, respectful, and empowering. We believe that our success is a reflection of our exceptionally talented team, and we're always looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join us on our mission to create unforgettable visual experiences. Join our team and be part of something extraordinary.

DEPARTMENT PURPOSE

The primary focus of any BG Prep Lead at IE can be divided into several areas:

• To attend show kickoffs and establish with the Compositing Supervisor the best strategy to tackle the shots.
• To brief and draw clear annotations as a guideline for the artists.
• To QC any submissions and advise the artists on the best technical solutions.
• To engage in a collaboration with the BG Prep Coordinator and Production Manager to effectively address all scheduling priorities.
• To work closely with the BG Prep Supervisor on the standardization and good practices.
• To work closely with the HOD on the overall strategy of the Department.
• To provide feedback regarding the artists working on their shows.
• To occasionally work on Roto or Paint shots or any quick fixes that are required.

POSITION EXPECTATIONS

For the BG Prep Lead role there’s the following expectations:

• To represent the Department in a calm and professional way.
• To collaborate with the other Departments for the effective resolution of any problems.
• To manage the internal crew’s capacity in regards to the complexity of the work.
• To manage the packaging and QC of outsource requests.
• To help with the training of any Artists or Coordinators within the Department.
• To develop their own effective communication skills to simplify the processes and relationships.
• To actively provide suggestions on how to improve the quality or speed of the production workflow.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• 6 years of feature film/TV production experience
• Expertise in Silhouette
• Expertise in Nuke
• Proficiency in Mocha Pro
• Proficiency in Shotgrid
• Basic Linux knowledge
• Degree/Diploma in Digital/Traditional Arts is appreciated
• Specialization in VFX Compositing is appreciated
• Experience in Photoshop/Lightroom/After Effects is appreciated
• Experience in photography is appreciated

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Technical Skills

• Rotoscoping in Silhouette
• Efficient Spline Breakdown and Keyframing
• Matching Plate Motion Blur
• 2D Point & Mocha Planar Tracking
• Extracting Tracking information from Matchmove Camera
• Painting Frame by Frame in Silhouette
• Dust bust and cosmetic touches
• Retime Artifacts Painting
• Procedural plate cleanup in Nuke
• Marker removals
• Simple Camera, Crew, Rigs, Wire removals
• Understanding of Nuke’s 3D environment

Soft Skills

• Good Communication skills
• Excellent time management
• Eye for detail and precision
• Curiosity in Photography & Film
• Understanding Color Theory
• Responsibility & Dedication