Resume

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

oct2018-now – Apple Inc – Sunnyvale, US
Lead FX-TD – Staff

  • Houdini Tool Developer and Trainer
  • Shot / Asset Work

Software : Houdini, Maya, Nuke
Render Engines : Mantra, VRay
Languages : Python, VEX, OpenCL

feb2018-jun2018 – Weta Digital – Wellington , NZ
Sr FX-TD

  • Show (Film) : Alita Battle Angel

Software : Houdini, Nuke
Render Engines : Mantra, proprietary render engine
Languages : VEX, Python, OpenCL

sept2014-sept2018 – Framestore LA – Culver City, US
Lead FX-TD – Staff

  • Houdini Tool Developer and Trainer
  • Shot work for Commercials, Music Videos and VR Projects.

Software : Houdini, Maya, Nuke
Render Engines : Mantra, Arnold
Languages : Python, Mel, VEX, OpenCL, Nuke Blink Script

sept2013-feb2014 – Gradient Effects – Marina del Rey, US
FX Developer & 3D Generalist – Freelance

  • show (TV): BlackList
  • show (TV): The Last Ship
  • show (film): North of Hell
  • tasks
    • modeling / texturing / lighting / rigging / comp
    • water and fracture simulation in Houdini and Maya
    • research and development of custom solution for water simulations
    • pipeline tool development

Software : Houdini, Maya, Nuke, PFTrack, Boujou, MochaPro, Photoshop
Render Engines : Mantra, Mental Ray
Languages : Python, Mel, C++, Nuke Blink Script

aug2008-sept2013 – DreamWorks Animation – Glendale, US
FX Developer and Animator – Staff Position

  • Turbo – water simulations, speed trails, fireworks, lawnmower grass
  • Rise of the Guardians – developed aurora , fire, nightmare horses
  • Puss in Boots – developed large environments fog, torches system, sand system, roaches crowd system
  • 83rd Academy Awards Far Far Away effect – shown while Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis were introducing the nominees for Best Animated Short Film
  • Kung Fu Panda 2 – smoke, torches, fire, water, cloth effects
  • Shrek Forever After – developed environment rain and rain interacting with geometry, flies and foot dust systems.

Software : Houdini, Maya, Nuke, DreamWorks proprietary software.
Languages : Python, Mel, C++, Nuke Blink Script

Gnomon School – Los Angeles, US

  • mar-jun2012 – Maya Dynamics II class – Guest Lecturer
  • dec2013 – “Advanced Particle Techniques in Maya : Particle Expressions” – Online MasterClass

nov2006-jun2008 – Framestore CFC – LONDON,UK
Pipeline TD – Contract

  • The Golden Compass (2008 Academy Awards for Best Achievement in VFX)
    • implemented all the tools to calculate characters Meshcache on the farm
    • implemented part of animation pipeline
    • written several tools for the rigging/animation/lighting dept
    • reference TD for the animation dept
    • tool trainer
  • Batman The – Dark Knight
    • implemented part of the Lighting Pipeline
    • tool trainer
  • The Tale of Despereaux (2007 Academy Awards for Best Animated Film of the Year)
    • developed Rigging Pipeline tools. Implemented a tool to procedurally generate variations of characters to populate crowd system

Software: Maya, Liquid, Renderman
Languages : Python, Mel, Awk

sept-oct2006 – Animal Logic – Sydney, Australia
Lighting TD – Contract

  • Happy Feet
    • lighting per shot using Maya and AL proprietary software (rendering with Renderman and final comp with Digital Fusion)

Software: Maya , Digital Fusion
Render: Renderman, Mayaman

jan-mar2006 – Art Five – Genoa, Italy
FX TD – Freelance

  • Ceres Chen 2006 Commercial Series – 12 full CG commercials
    • effects work (beer bubbles, smoke, steam, teardrops, mud)
    • developed custom tools
    • rough and final compositing

Software: Maya, Digital Fusion, Shake, Muster.
Render: Maya Software, MentalRay for Maya, Renderman for Maya

2001-2006 – Amila Entertainment S.A. – Lugano , Switzerland
All Rounder – Staff Position

  • managed team in Amila’s Commercials division starting from the script to the final render
  • on several projects, with main focus on effects work, tools writing and compositing
  • covered a wide range of techniques from live action shooting and seamless integration with 3D elements, to particle effects, Mel scripting, storyboarding, match moving, blue/green screen
  • produced a 4m 30s full CG musical video clip, completed in 6 months
  • bidding

Software: Maya, Digital Fusion, Shake, Flint, 3dEqualizer, Maya Live, Photoshop, Sony Vegas, After FX.
Render: Maya Software, MentalRay for Maya, PRman

1997-2000 – SIlent Bay Studios – Genoa, Italy
All Rounder – character modeler and animator for videogames – Staff Position

  • character modeling and animation. Full 3D animation for videogame intros

Software: Maya (modeling), 3D Studio 4 (keyframe animation)
Render: Maya

1999 – Darko Studio – Genoa, Italy
All Rounder – Freelance

  • recruiting, scheduling and managing of resources for the startup of a short feature animation
  • Modeler, character animator, lighter

Software: Maya, After Effects

1999 – Bedroom Studio – Genoa, Italy
Character Animator – Freelance

  • character modeler and animator for videogames

Software: Maya (modeling), 3D Studio 4 (keyframe animation)

1998 – Waywards – Savona, Italy
All Rounder – Freelance

  • realization of videogame CG intro

Software: Maya, After Effects
Render: Maya

EDUCATION

2017 – Neural Network and Deep Learning Certification – (certification id)
1991-1997 – Università degli Studi di Genova (Computer Science) – Italy
1985-1990 – Istituto M. Champagnat Genova(Scientific High School Diploma) – Italy

CG SOFTWARE PROFICIENCY

3D : Maya(excellent), Houdini(excellent), Real Flow(good)
Compositing : Nuke(excellent), After Effects(good)
Render Engines : Mantra(excellent), Renderman (good)
Match Moving : 3D Equalizer(very good), Matchmover Pro(very good), Boujou(good)
2D : Premiere, Photoshop

OPERATING SYSTEMS
Windows (excellent), Linux (excellent)

PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
Vex (excellent), Mel (excellent), C++(good), general scripting languages (Awk, Python)

SKILLS

  • able to manage projects in every aspect (modeling/texturing/lighting/animation/simulation/scripting/rendering/comp) using a large range of tools.
  • R&D, proceduralism, algorithms, optimization
  • creative problem solver
  • programming, physics, math
  • ability to work as a team member or alone with little supervision
  • ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

LANGUAGES
Italian (mother language), English (fluent)

HOBBIES
squash (not the vegetable), snowboard, movies, photography, good food and wine