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BIO
I am a VFX artist with 20+ years of production experience in film, television and AAA game development. Over the years, I have presented several VFX creation techniques and topics at Frostbite DevDays in Stockholm, Sweden.
I am extremely motivated with a keen eye for composition, color and lighting. Having strong generalist skills has helped me excel in many facets of CG production. 18 years of working on high profile projects has given me a strong understanding of schedules and constraints. Above all, I understand how to deliver results on time. I possess the production tested know-how of shader creation, pipeline development and Maya tool development in both MEL script and Python.
experience
Clicking project "titles" will link to content.
Riot Games
June 2019 - Present
Los Angeles, CA
Unreleased R&D Project, Legends of Runeterra and Central R&D
Principle VFX Artist
Responsible for writing standalone Python tools as well as Maya tools
Responsible for crafting VFX for Spells and Level Up Moments in Legends of Runeterra
Developed a full level up pipeline in Unity for Legends of Runeterra with one other Tech Artist
Built a full shader pipeline for Legends of Runeterra’s Level custom level up pipeline
N3twork, Inc.
June 2018 - March 2019
San Francisco, CA
Unannounced Mobile Project
VFX Generalist
Responsible for all node graph shader development within the Unity project.
Responsible for all visual effects.
Developed MEL and Python scripts to help save time when creating and manipulating game assets.
EA Mobile
December 2017 - May 2018
Redwood City, CA
“Command & Conquer: RIVALS”
VFX Director
Responsible for creating UI visual effects.
Responsible for creating Combat visual effects.
Responsible for creating unit destruction setup and asset authoring.
Wrote MEL and Python scripts to help generate destruction data within Maya.
Visceral Games
June 2008 - October 2017
Redwood City, CA
"Project Ragtag"
VFX Director
Responsible for helping develop a custom shader vfx pipeline for production.
Helped conceptualize and build a dynamic character interaction system with the gameplay world.
Developed MEL and Python scripts for improving mesh particle vertex animation workflows.
Developed a workflow to author perfect normal maps from volumetric simulations in Maya and Houdini.
Developed a channel packing method to quadruple the number of frames in a flipbook without sacrificing resolution.
Heavily involved with memory and runtime performance optimizations throughout the game.
Directed several team members across 3 different time zones, capitlizing on their strengths and alternating work hours.
"Battlefield Hardline"
VFX Director
Designed, crafted and integrated unique environment and event based VFX across several maps.
Designed, crafted and integrated several different vehicle specific VFX depending on what materials they were interacting with.
Created a proceduralnode based logic system for handling dynamic fireworks in the "Episode 9: Independence Day" chapter.
Heavily involved with memory and runtime performance optimizations throughout the game.
Directed several team members across 3 different time zones, capitlizing on their strengths and alternating work hours.
"Dead Space 3"
VFX Director
Designed, crafted and integrated unique environment and event based VFX across the game.
Responsible for creating and maintaining weapon impacts for a brand new weapon crafting system.
Crafted effects for the final boss fight and final game cinematic.
Responsible for ice and snow effects during wall rappel section of the prologue.
Responsible for a large number of ice and snow effects throughout the game.
Heavily involved with memory and runtime performance optimizations throughout the game.
Directed several team members in Montreal and capitlizing on their strengths and alternating work hours.
"Dead Space 2"
Sr. VFX Artist
Responsible for creating a new look for Blood throughout the game.
Responsible for conceptualizing and creating character effects for new enemy "The Puker".
Conceptualized and crafted a large number of weapon impact effects.
Designed, crafted and integrated unique environment and event based VFX across the game.
Heavily involved with memory and runtime performance optimizations throughout the game.
"Dante's Inferno"
VFX Artist
Responsible for supporting the character team on all enemy NPC combat and locomote effects.
Responsible for all boss fight combat and environment effects.
Created a handful of our effects textures used in production from scratch.
Heavily involved with memory and runtime performance optimizations throughout the game.
Responsible for supporting the character team on all enemy NPC combat and locomote effects.
Responsible for all boss fight combat and enviornment effects.
Created a handful of our effects textures used in production from scratch.
Heavily involved with memory and runtime performance optimizations throughout the game.
LucasArts
January 2008 - June 2008
San Francisco, CA
"Fracture"
Sr. VFX Artist
Responsible for compositing cinematic sequences in AfterEffects for playback at runtime.
"Star Wars: The Force Unleashed"
Sr. VFX Artist
Responsible for compositing cinematic sequences in AfterEffects for playback at runtime.
Digital Kitchen
February 2007 - March 2007
Chicago, IL
"Target"
VFX Artist
Responsible for developing particle streams flowing from target logos found throughout the commercial.
Gnomon School of Visual Effects
June 2005 - July 2006
Hollywood, CA
"Introduction to Dynamics"
Instructor
Responsible for creating course curriculum around Maya's dynamics engine.
"Introduction to Texture Mapping"
Instructor
Responsible for creating course curriculum around Maya's hypershade and using it to create shaders.
Zoic Studios
November 2002 - July 2006
Culver City, CA
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel"
Sr. VFX Generalist
Responsible for all aspects of a "shot" as a VFX generalist; Model, light, animate, rig, dynamics, render and composite.
Created many of the featured vampire dusting effects found on Buffy and Angel.
Wrote MEL scripts to help improve artist efficiency and workflow.
"CSI: Miami" and "CSI: Las Vegas"
Sr. VFX Generalist
Responsible for all aspects of a "shot" as a VFX generalist; Model, light, animate, rig, dynamics, render and composite.
Created some macro snap zoom shots found in CSI.
"Serenity"
UI Designer
Responsible for creating and animating UI elements found on ships and interior environment locations.
Responsible for animating the particulation effect of the Fruity Oaty Bar commercial.
"E-Ring"
Sr. VFX Generalist
Responsible for all aspects of a "shot" as a VFX generalist; Model, light, animate, rig, dynamics, render and composite.
Crafted a bridge explosion based on a still photograph frame.
Removed the bridge in photoshop to create a clean plate. Modeled the bridge, camera projected textures.
Procedurally shattered the bridge, rigged, simulated and added volumetrics for explosions.
"Spider-Man 2"
Sr. VFX Generalist
Object tracked a car tumbling through the air hitting a plate glass window.
Replaced the bottom of the vehicle to hide the hollowed out bottom.
V Squared Labs
August 2002 - September 2002
Los Angeles, CA
"KoRn Live Visuals"
VFX Generalist
Responsible for texturing and rendering 3 environment scenes to be projected on stage while performing.
Responsible for animating cameras for two of the environment to create seamless transitions while performing.
EDUCATION
Gnomon School of Visual Effects
January 2001 - October 2002
Hollywood, CA
Completed Maya certification program.
Collins College
August 1999 - July 2000
Tempe, AZ
Graduated with Associates degree in Graphic Design.
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Maya, Houdini, Redshift, AfterEffects, Photoshop, Frostbite, Unreal, Unity, Niagara, VFX Graph, Compositing
C#, Python, MEL, HLSL\Shader Graphs, VFX Workflow, Pipeline Development and Mentorship