At Pixar Animation Studios, I shouldered the responsibility of supervising one of the teams of rendering artists during the making of Cars, meticulously reviewing their work for final QC, and ensuring it met the gold standard before presentation in dailies to directors. Transitioning to MasterClass, my leadership journey evolved; there, I supervised both production and post-production artists. I bridged the gap between our feature-length course content and the nuanced requirements of editing, motion graphics, and color grading. My role was paramount in molding the raw materials into the story-driven class content like on Natalie Portman teaches Acting, ensuring that every narrative thread worked seamlessly to convey knowledge in its most engaging form.

Throughout my career, I have consistently driven innovation and seamlessly integrated cutting-edge technologies into creative workflows. My work has included leading the transition to Houdini at Walt Disney Animation Studios, which significantly optimized our production pipeline, and spearheading the switch from Shake to Nuke at Pixar, enhancing our compositing processes. I have also collaborated closely with system architects to identify creative use cases and implement solutions that advance digital media production. My ability to stay at the forefront of technology trends and adapt them to enhance creative projects ensures that I bring a forward-thinking approach to every team I join.

My creative journey includes extensive work on immersive large-scale art installations, such as multiple Temples, parts of the city, art cars, and theme camps at Burning Man. Notable projects include collaborating on the Sonic Runway, and the Catacomb of Veils, a 20,000 sq ft installation standing 65 ft tall. As part of the core design and build team, I have developed expertise in large-scale project management, intricate lighting design, and interactive storytelling. These experiences have honed my ability to innovate, collaborate cross-functionally, and execute complex projects with precision.

Throughout my career, I have excelled in cross-functional collaboration, working seamlessly with various teams including artists, engineers, system architects, and executives. My role at MasterClass required me to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, ensuring alignment and driving projects forward. I have led collaborative efforts to develop innovative workflows, conducted training sessions to enhance team productivity, and presented project outcomes to executive leadership. My ability to bridge the gap between creative and technical teams ensures cohesive project execution and fosters a collaborative environment that drives innovation.

Compositing emerges as the art of assembling disparate elements into a cohesive, compelling final frame. Starting with render passes—characters, backgrounds, and effects—I integrated them seamlessly with consistent lighting and interactions. Diving into the subtleties of color and light to achieve a consistent mood and aesthetic that resonates with the narrative's emotional story. Compositing requires a strong inter-departmental collaborative workflow, leading sequence and shot-work wth upstream departments such as FX, set extension, animation and others.

Foundation Lighting sets the core ambient conditions for entire sequences or environments, establishing the base mood, ambient tones, and generalized light sources to ensure consistency and integration of subsequent lighting elements. Key Lighting then focuses on the primary light sources that shape the main subjects, adding depth, volume, and emotional undertones. Finally, Shot Lighting refines individual shots, adjusting lighting for unique requirements, compensating for camera movements and compositions, and enhancing intricate details.