Animation Lighting Artist Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Parts I and II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we’d love to find talented individuals to join us.

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

As a Cinematic Lighting Artist, you will collaborate with concept artists, animators, VFX artists and fellow lighters to create visually spectacular and engaging cinematic sequences. You will be using our proprietary lighting tools to achieve captivating lighting schemes for characters and environments. As a part of the Naughty Dog legacy, you’ll become a part of continuing the development of extraordinary and enduring experiences for a broad, global range of audiences.

• Develop lighting schemes for characters and environment working closely with Directors and the Concept Art team.


• Collaborate with the Level Lighting team to establish smooth integration of in-game cinematics with gameplay.


• Collaborate with multiple departments to determine that the in-game cinematics run within the memory budget without sacrificing the look.


• Work with outsource vendors and lighting artists, collaborating on visual looks, tech, training, and workflows both giving and receiving feedback


• Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed

• A minimum of 7 years’ experience in Games or Animation/VFX/Film


• Has shipped a AAA game or equivalent


• Excellent understanding of direct/indirect light, color-theory, exposure, contrast


• Outstanding understanding of shading/materials and the relationship with lighting


• Excellent artistic skills to interpret concept art and color keys to recreate the mood and atmosphere in a game environment


• Demonstrated expertise in industry standard software such as Autodesk Maya


• Excellent understanding of color grading with proficiency in industry standard software such as Nuke, Fusion, Resolve


• Strong problem-solving skills and a dedicated attention to details


• Excellent time management and organizational skills


• Ability to work with minimal direction


• Ability to work under pressure while completing time-sensitive projects

• Experience with real time engines


• Experience with generating light-maps, pre-lighting or baked lighting


• Experience with scripting

As a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates will be expected to provide a portfolio or demo reel of their work and may be asked to complete an art test.

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At SIE, working with our partners, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. Please note that the individual base pay range may vary based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this role is eligible for benefit offerings that include medical, dental, and vision. Click here to learn more.

The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below, this is an hourly rate.

$69.09—$86.35 USD

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