About the role
Company Description
For over three decades, Rising Sun Pictures (RSP) has been delighting and inspiring audiences worldwide with award-winning visual effects and is responsible for creating some of Hollywood’s most memorable screen moments. RSP’s reputation and leadership makes it a trusted creative partner for major motion picture studios worldwide, with innovation a key component to RSP’s ongoing success.
RSP's recent work includes Sinners, Mickey 17, A Complete Unknown, Thunderbolts*, Sonic The Hedgehog 3, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Deadpool & Wolverine, The Fall Guy, Star Wars: The Acolyte, Knuckles, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Job Description
The company is seeking a technically strong Senior FX Artist to design and deliver complex, production-ready FX for feature film and episodic projects. This role requires deep procedural expertise, strong pipeline awareness, and the ability to build scalable, efficient solutions under production constraints.
This role is based in the Adelaide or Brisbane studios, with remote working arrangements considered within Australia.
Key Responsibilities
- Create high-end FX including rigid body dynamics, fluid and pyro simulations, cloth, and particle systems in Houdini.
- Develop efficient, optimised setups that integrate seamlessly into the studio pipeline.
- Troubleshoot and resolve issues in Houdini scenes, simulations, shaders and rendering.
- Write, debug and maintain tools using Python and HScript.
- Assemble and modify shaders; create consistent lighting and render passes for compositing.
- Produce basic FX composites to demonstrate integration with plates.
- Optimise simulations and renders to meet schedule and budget requirements.
- Collaborate with Supervisors, CG Leads and Production to align technical execution with creative briefs.
- Support workflow improvements and contribute to pipeline and tool development.
- Provide technical guidance to junior artists where required.
Qualifications
- Senior-level expertise in Houdini (procedural workflows, DOPs, VEX, simulation optimisation).
- Strong scripting ability in Python; working knowledge of HScript.
- Advanced understanding of dynamics, natural phenomena and physically plausible motion.
- Solid knowledge of shaders, CG lighting theory and rendering workflows.
- Experience troubleshooting rendering and simulation performance issues.
- Working knowledge of Maya, Nuke and industry-standard tracking software.
- Strong understanding of the VFX pipeline, including interdepartmental dependencies and handovers.
- Comfortable working in a Linux-based environment.
Additional Information
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Equal Opportunity Employment
Pitch Black celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, skills, experience, and business needs. The company provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, colour, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital or family status, pregnancy, veteran or military status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, provincial, or local law.