Job Title

Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the global leader in visual effects, is seeking a world-class Compositor to join our Sydney studio for an immediate, short-term project hire. This is a rare opportunity for a high-caliber Compositor to contribute to the legacy of Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company, working on the front lines of cinematic innovation in Moore Park. As a artist at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), you are the final architect of the image. Your role is to seamlessly blend reality with imagination, ensuring that every elementfrom liveaction plates to complex CG rendersfunctions as a singular, breathtaking whole. We are looking for a artist who possesses not only technical mastery of the software but also the soul of an artist. Job Overview: Compositor Category Details Primary Role Compositor Company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) Location Moore Park, Sydney, NSW Employment Type Project Hire (Up to 6 Months) Key Software Foundry Nuke Experience 5+ Years (Feature Film preferred) Start Date Immediate The Role of the Compositor at ILM The modern vfx comp artist must navigate a landscape of increasing visual complexity. At ILM, the Compositor is responsible for realizing the creative vision of the VFX Supervisor and the client. You will handle everything from standard matte extraction to the integration of highend CG elements that define todays blockbusters. Core Responsibilities Shot Integration: As a Comp artist, you will use Nuke to combine liveaction and computergenerated elements. You must ensure that light, shadow, and color interact across all layers with absolute photorealism. Aesthetic Uniformity: Every Comp artist on our team is responsible for maintaining the look of a sequence. You will evaluate color balance and grain to ensure that the audience never perceives a break in the visual narrative. Collaborative Problem Solving: You will attend daily reviews (dailies), where you will present your work and collaborate with the Compositing Supervisor to solve technical hurdles. Technical Leadership: A Senior Comp artist at ILM is expected to mentor Apprentice and Junior artists, helping them troubleshoot scripts and refine their artistic eye. Pipeline Efficiency: You will work toward defined milestones, ensuring that highquality shots are delivered within the rigorous timelines of feature film production. Candidate Profile & Compensation Industrial Light & Magic is searching for a Comp artist who understands the physics of light as well as the mechanics of a Nuke script. Whether you have a formal degree in Fine Arts or have built your career through handson experience, your work must demonstrate a sophisticated sense of composition and design. Estimated Salary Benchmarks for Compositor (Sydney Market) Level Annualized Base (AUD) Weekly Project Rate (AUD) MidLevel Compositor $118,000 $142,000 $2,270 $2,730 Senior Compositor $155,000 $190,000+ $2,980 $3,650+ Note: Compensation is prorated for the duration of the 6 month project and is commensurate with the specific experience and portfolio of the Compositor. Required Skills & Qualifications To be a successful VFX Comp artist at ILM, you should possess a blend of the following: Software Proficiency: You must be an expertlevel VFX Comp artist in Nuke. Knowledge of Python, C++, or the ability to write custom Nuke Gizmos is a significant advantage. Visual Foundation: We value a Comp artist with a background in photography, lighting, or traditional painting. Understanding how a real camera sees the world is vital to faking reality. Professional Pedigree: Ideally, you have 5+ years of experience as a Comp artist within a feature film environment. Communication: A great Comp artist is also a great communicator. You must be able to articulate your creative choices and take direction effectively. The Technical Skillset For the Compositor, technical proficiency is the baseline. You should be intimately familiar with: Matte Extraction: Advanced keying techniques for hair, motion blur, and transparent surfaces. Tracking: 2D and 3D tracking to ensure that CG elements are rocksolid within the liveaction plate. Color Science: Working within ACES or other professional color pipelines to ensure grading consistency. Deep Compositing: Experience with deep data to manage complex overlaps and atmospheric effects without traditional rotoscoping. The Artistic Skillset Beyond the nodes, a Compositor must understand: Atmospheric Perspective: How haze and lightwrap affect distant objects. Photographic Artifacts: Knowing when to add lens flares, chromatic aberration, or film grain to sell a shot. Storytelling: Using light and shadow to draw the viewers eye to the most important part of the frame. Why Join ILM Sydney? Industrial Light & Magic is not just a workplace; it is a global community of innovators. When you join as a Compositor, you are stepping into a studio that has shaped the history of cinema for half a century. Global Reach: With studios in San Francisco, London, Vancouver, Mumbai, and Sydney, our artists share knowledge and techniques across borders. Innovation: We are at the forefront of the digital revolution, constantly breaking new ground in VR, AR, and Immersive Cinema. Inclusion: As part of The Walt Disney Company, ILM fosters a culture where every Compositor is encouraged to bring their unique perspective to the table. We are an equal opportunity employer. The role of a Compositor has never been more critical. As filmmakers push the boundaries of what can be captured on set, the Compositor is the one who bridges the gap between the physical and the digital. At ILM, we provide our artists with the tools and the environment to do the best work of their lives. Whether we are deaging an actor, creating a sprawling alien metropolis, or simulating complex natural disasters, the Compositor is the artist who makes it believable. If you have a showreel that proves you are a toptier Compositor, we want to see it. ILM (Australia) Pty. Ltd. Moore Park, Sydney #J-18808-Ljbffr