ICON Creative Studio is seeking a visionary and technically elite Lighting Supervisor to join our leadership team in Vancouver. This is a pivotal role designed for a professional who balances high-level artistic sensibilities with the technical rigor required to lead Canada’s largest independent animation studio.

At ICON, we don’t just make cartoons; we build worlds. As a Lighting Supervisor, you will be the guardian of the final image, ensuring that every frame reflects the premium quality our global partners—including Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon—have come to expect.

Located in the vibrant, historic heart of Gastown, ICON Creative Studio stands as a titan of the Canadian animation industry. Our philosophy is holistic: we believe that the best art is born from a synergy between cutting-edge technology and human creativity.

ICON Creative Studio operate a massive, state-of-the-art pipeline that supports hundreds of artists. Despite our size, we maintain the soul of an independent studio—flexible, autonomous, and deeply committed to the professional growth of every individual on our roster. When you join ICON, you aren’t just a number; you are a key architect of the visual legacies of the world’s most beloved franchises.

The Lighting Supervisor at ICON Creative Studio is more than a technical lead; you are a creative conduit. You sit at the intersection of the Art Director’s dream and the reality of the render farm. Your mission is to translate high-level creative briefs into actionable, optimized lighting setups that a team of artists can execute with consistency and beauty.

1. Creative Stewardship & Artistry

You will collaborate directly with Art Directors and Clients to establish the “look” of a series or feature. This involves:

• Developing Master Lighting Keys that define the mood, time of day, and emotional resonance of a sequence.
• Conducting high-level Look Development for characters and environments to ensure shaders and lights react realistically (or stylistically) according to the project’s DNA.
• Maintaining rigorous Shot Continuity. In episodic animation, consistency is king. You will ensure that a character’s look remains stable across multiple episodes, sequences, and lighting conditions.

2. Technical Orchestration & Optimization

A beautiful frame that takes 48 hours to render is a failure in a production environment. You will be responsible for:

• Render Management: Balancing the creative vision against the “render budget.” You must know when to push for higher samples and when to optimize AOVs to save time.
• Pipeline Collaboration: Working with the CG Supervisor and Pipeline team to develop tools, gizmos, and templates that automate the mundane, allowing artists to focus on the art.
• Troubleshooting: Acting as the final line of defense for technical “gremlins” in the Maya/Arnold/Nuke bridge.

3. Team Leadership & Mentorship

ICON’s greatest asset is its people. As a Supervisor, you are a teacher:

• Daily Rounds: Reviewing artist work, providing constructive, “over-the-shoulder” feedback that elevates the final output while teaching the artist why a change was made.
• Performance Evaluation: Conducting formal reviews and identifying “rising stars” for promotion or specialized assignments.
• Department Culture: Fostering a supportive, ego-free environment where ideas are shared openly and collective problem-solving is the norm.

Production Management:

• Kick-offs: Prepare and lead episodic kick-off meetings, ensuring every artist understands the creative goals and technical constraints before the first light is placed.
• Status Reporting: Provide the Producer with clear, transparent updates on show status. If a delivery is at risk, you are expected to communicate this early with proposed solutions.
• Recruitment: Partner with Human Resources to interview and vet incoming talent, ensuring we hire not just for skill, but for cultural fit.

Quality Control:

• Final Validation: Approve all shots before they reach the Art Director’s desk. You are the filter that ensures only “Icon-standard” work moves forward.
• Documentation: Create and maintain the “Department Bible”—a living document of workflows, toolsets, and best practices to ensure seamless onboarding of new artists.

To thrive in this role, you must possess a blend of artistic “eye” and technical “brawn.” We are looking for:

• Software Mastery: You must be an expert in Autodesk Maya, Foundry Nuke, and the Arnold rendering engine. Familiarity with Katana or Houdini is a significant plus but not required.
• Experience: A minimum of 5–8 years in a professional CG production environment, with at least 2 years in a Lead or Supervisory capacity.
• The “Lighter’s Eye”: A deep understanding of traditional cinematography, including three-point lighting, color theory, composition, and the behavior of light in the physical world.
• Communication: The ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical clients, and creative concepts to technical artists.
• Resilience: The ability to remain calm and decisive in high-pressure “crunch” periods. You lead by example, maintaining a positive attitude when deadlines loom.

ICON Creative Studio believe that high-quality work comes from artists who are well-rested, well-compensated, and inspired.

• Location: Work in the heart of Gastown, surrounded by Vancouver’s best coffee shops, galleries, and transit links.
• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive benefits package covering dental, vision, and mental health.
• Continuous Learning: We provide access to the latest software and internal masterclasses. If there is a new rendering technique or Nuke workflow, we want you—and your team—to master it.
• Diversity: Join a global community. Our studio is a melting pot of cultures and perspectives, which enriches the stories we tell.

Note to Applicants: This position is on-site in Vancouver, BC. While we offer flexibility and autonomy, the collaborative nature of supervision at ICON thrives on face-to-face interaction and real-time problem-solving within our Gastown facility. Relocation assistance may be available for the right candidate.