Contract - 100% Remote within the UK
Crafty Apes is a high-end global visual effects company specializing in photoreal VFX. Established in 2011, Crafty Apes operates offices in Canada, the UK, the US, and Australia with employees working remotely across the globe. Our mission is to bring our clients’ visions to life through exceptional visual effects for film, episodic content, and commercials. Let’s just say: we deliver great shots while having fun!
We are seeking a talented and detail-oriented Crowd Artist to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity for a Mid to Senior level artist to contribute to our visual effects pipeline, managing large-scale crowd simulations that meet the technical and aesthetic standards of our high-end projects.
The Crowd Artist will be responsible for creating, simulating, and managing complex crowd sequences, ensuring natural behavior and seamless integration with live-action plates and CG environments. You will work closely with Layout, Animation, and FX departments to deliver high-quality results on schedule.
What you would doSet up and simulate large-scale crowd sequences using industry-standard tools, managing agent behavior, logic, and variety.
Collaborate closely with the Layout, Animation, and FX departments to ensure crowd performance aligns with shot requirements and creative direction.
Optimize simulation setups for efficient rendering and pipeline performance.
Troubleshoot technical issues within crowd simulations, animation cycles, and asset integration.
Actively participate in the review process, taking feedback from Supervisors and Art Directors to iterate on simulation quality.
Maintain organized project files and naming conventions, adhering to the studio’s pipeline standards.
3+ years of professional experience as a Crowd Artist in a VFX, feature film, or high-end episodic production environment.
Expert proficiency in industry-standard crowd software (e.g., Golaem, Massive, Houdini/PDG).
Solid understanding of animation principles, behavioral logic, and particle systems.
Proficient in scripting for pipeline automation and tool development (Python is essential).
Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively within a collaborative, fast-paced team environment.
Bonus/Desired Skills: Experience with motion capture data processing, real-time crowd integration (Unreal Engine), and knowledge of rendering workflows for instanced geometry.
If you are a talented Crowd Artist looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity, we want to hear from you.
Please submit your CV/Reel, detailed filmography/project list, and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience and career aspirations.
Crafty Apes Australia is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status.
Skills Required
- 3+ years of professional experience as a Crowd Artist in VFX, feature film, or high-end episodic production
- Expert proficiency with crowd software such as Golaem, Massive, or Houdini/PDG
- Understanding of animation principles, behavioral logic, and particle systems
- Proficiency in Python scripting for pipeline automation and tool development
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills in a fast-paced team environment
- Experience processing motion-capture data
- Experience with real-time crowd integration using Unreal Engine
- Knowledge of rendering workflows for instanced geometry
What We Do
Crafty Apes is a full-service visual effects and post-production company founded in Los Angeles. Founded in 2011 by Chris LeDoux, Jason Sanford, and Tim LeDoux, it serves film and television productions through set supervision, VFX consultation, 2D and 3D compositing, digital cosmetics, machine-learning solutions, CG, and previsualization. Its global studio network supports major studio blockbusters, independent films, and prestige television with more than 550 artists and production staff.
