Senior Image, Color and R&D Engineer
Job Summary:The Walt Disney Studios has created one of the most powerful brands by bringing memorable, life-changing storytelling to the world. Our studio film franchises have redefined the genre in building a universe filled with creativity, innovation, and collaboration.
As part of the Mastering, Architecture, Strategy and Technology Labs at Walt Disney Studios; you’ll be joining a group of seasoned, dedicated technologists solving a range of interesting problems in innovative ways in an exciting and dynamic environment.
The MAST Group is looking for a Senior Image, Color and R&D Engineer to provide color science support for various projects within the broader Disney Studio Technology organization. You’ll provide support for Finishing processes for titles in production; investigate emerging image technologies; design and develop imaging pipeline solutions; and contribute to the development of standards for our Studio and the broader industry.
Responsibilities:
- Design and Develop for the Digital Intermediate and Finishing pipeline and systems.
- Working closely with Mastering, DMED, and Studio Operations, establish delivery specifications, image and color pipeline, and extraction encoding workflows
- Collaborate with Disney R/D to contribute image and color science expertise and guidance.
- Participate in the design of color workflows for studio review systems and remote collaboration.
- Work closely with the MAST Sr. Mastering Engineer in the development and support of color workflows and collaborate on related studio specifications
- Liaise with appropriate mastering and distribution teams to ensure Disney’s content is the best quality possible for distribution.
- Oversee assigned projects and be accountable for deliverables in partnership with The Walt Disney Studios studioLAB and Disney Research Studios
- Stay current on the latest display projection technology, color science techniques, and technologies, mastering and key emerging technologies. Provide regular training, updates, & presentations as required
- Represent Disney as appropriate in industry standardization efforts, tradeshows, and conferences
- Provide cross-department color workflow solutions.
- Create and maintain test environments relating to image science and future technologies.
- Ability to diagnose image quality issues and work with the appropriate teams to resolve them.
- Innovative mindset, Interested in emerging technology and new workflows.
- Knowledge of display hardware technologies as well as image delivery infrastructure design.
- Familiarity and aptitude designing end to end color workflows, build and translate LUTs, CDLs, and DCTLs
- Experience with the testing, troubleshooting, and calibration of displays
Basic Qualifications:
- Degree in Computer Science, Image Engineering, or related technical field or equivalent experience
- 10+ years experience developing within a film, commercial, or similar production environment
- Ability to operate, troubleshoot and support operators using production tools including Avid, Nuke, RV, Baselight, Lustre, Colorfront, and Resolve systems
- Extensive experience with production image and color technologies such as OIIO, OCIO, Camera Raw SDKs, and Color Transforms and transformations
- Expertise in the practical application of ACES and a comprehensive understanding of its limitations and specifications
- Experience working within standards organizations (SMPTE, ITU, etc) and proven experience contributing to the industry at large
- Experience with large format display and projection technologies
- Strong user-facing skills, with the ability to understand and react to changing user requirements. The ability to engage with production and distill their problem space into a solution is a must
Preferred Qualifications:
- Practical experience coding in CTL, DCTL, and Python
- Collaboration on open source projects (OIIO, OCIO, OTIO, OpenExr, etc.)
- Familiarity with Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and dynamic metadata systems
- Experience with, and knowledge of Test Patterns, Photospectrometers, Color Meters, and other Calibration tools