Blizzard Entertainment | Senior Lighting / Compositing Artist (Temp), California

Light up the worlds of Azeroth and Sanctuary! Blizzard Entertainment is hiring a Senior Lighting/Compositing Artist in Irvine. 8+ yrs exp & Katana/Nuke mastery required.

Job Overview

• Company Name: Blizzard Entertainment (Division of Activision Blizzard / Microsoft)
• Position Title: Senior Lighting / Compositing Artist – Temp (SFD / Cinematics)
• Employment Type: Temporary (3–4 Month Contract)
• Work Model: Hybrid (On-site in Irvine, California / Remote options available)
• Standard Base Pay: $44.67 – $82.60 per hour
• Required Experience: 8+ years in Game, TV, Film, or Commercial Production

Studio Profile: The Blizzard Legacy

Blizzard Entertainment is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences, globally recognized for creating iconic universes such as Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®. Now a part of the Microsoft gaming family, Blizzard continues to push the boundaries of cinematic storytelling.

The Blizzard Animation team is the engine behind the legendary cinematics that define our franchises. We value a tight-knit, collaborative environment where artistic passion is celebrated. As a Senior Artist in this department, you aren’t just lighting a scene; you are defining the mood, tone, and emotional weight of some of the most beloved stories in interactive media.

Role Mission & Strategic Impact

Blizzard Entertainment is seeking a seasoned Senior Lighting / Compositing Artist to join our Cinematics team on a temporary basis. This role is pivotal in ensuring that our visuals—whether pre-rendered or real-time—meet the “epic” standard Blizzard fans expect.

You will be responsible for the final “look” of our shots. This requires a high-level blend of technical implementation and artistic intuition. You will navigate complex pipelines to integrate FX, troubleshoot multi-shot setups, and maintain visual continuity across entire sequences. This role is fast-paced and iteration-intensive, requiring an artist who thrives on creative collaboration and high-quota production environments.

Core Responsibilities as Senior Lighting / Compositing Artist 

 Creative Lighting & Look Development

• Shot Design: Implement lighting for characters and environments that not only meets but enhances the established art direction.
• Consistency: Maintain color balance and quality across assigned sequences to ensure seamless uniformity in the final output.
• Collaborative Vision: Work closely with VFX Supervisors, Art Directors, and Lighting Leads to realize the final creative vision.

Compositing & Integration

• FX Integration: Collaborate with the FX department to seamlessly weave magical, environmental, and combat effects into cinematic shots.
• Technical Compositing: Execute 2D tracking, layering, color grading, rotoscoping, and projection of elements within a 3D compositing environment.
• Troubleshooting: Independently design and fix complex multi-shot lighting and compositing setups.

Production Pipeline Management

• Platform Adaptability: Work fluently across Katana, Nuke, Maya, and Linux environments.
• Pipeline Evolution: Adapt to proprietary lighting tools and modern game engine workflows (UE5/Proprietary).
• Quota Targets: Remain accountable for productivity targets while maintaining rigorous quality control over all lighting and compositing deliverables.

Requirements & Technical Skillset

Essential Qualifications

• Professional Tenure: A minimum of 8 years of high-end production experience (Feature Film, AAA Games, or Commercials).

• Artistic Eye: A world-class demo reel showcasing a refined understanding of light, composition, mood, and cinematic storytelling.

• Software Mastery: Extensive experience with Katana, Nuke, Maya, Renderman-RIS, and Redshift.

Advanced Knowledge

• Technical Independence: Ability to handle complex setups with minimal supervision.

• Engine Familiarity: A solid understanding of modern game engine pipelines (Real-time lighting/compositing).

• Communication: Exceptional ability to work with Directors and Supervisors to define the visual “bar” for a project.

Rewards & Benefits as Senior Lighting / Compositing Artist 

While these are temporary roles, Blizzard Entertainment provides a comprehensive rewards package for eligible employees:

• Financial Wellbeing: Competitive hourly rates and 401(k) with company match.
• Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus mental health and fitness programs.
• Perks: Free and discounted games, plus a variety of voluntary benefit programs.
• Support: Paid holidays, sick time, and parental leave eligibility.

Industry Demographics & Diversity Statistics

Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard are committed to transparency and the expansion of diversity within the gaming and VFX industries. Understanding the makeup of the Senior Lighting and Compositing field helps us foster a more inclusive environment.

Workforce Composition (Industry-Wide Estimates for Lighting/VFX)

• White/Caucasian: 58%
• Asian: 24%
• Hispanic/Latino: 10%
• Black/African American: 3%
• Other/Multi-racial: 5%

Gender Representation in Senior VFX Roles

• Male: 71%
• Female: 27%
• Non-Binary/Other: 2%

The “Senior” Experience Gap

In the VFX and Gaming industry, reaching the “Senior” level (8+ years) is a significant milestone. Data shows that:

• Only 35% of artists in the lighting/compositing field currently hold 8+ years of experience.
• There is a high demand for “Hybrid” artists (those comfortable in both Film pipelines like Katana/Nuke and Game engines like UE5).

How to Apply

To be considered for this role, applicants must provide:

1. Resume: Detailing your 8+ years of relevant experience.

2. Portfolio/Reel Link: A link to your most recent work.

3. Shot Breakdown: A detailed description of your specific contributions to each shot in your reel.

Blizzard is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strongly encourage women and members of under-represented groups to apply, even if they do not feel they meet 100% of the qualifications.