Siran Liu

Siran Liu

Senior Lighting Artist / 9 yrs

United States

Hire Me

lighting technical director

Spies in Disguise (2019)

Lighting Technical Director

Ferdinand (2017)

Lighting Technical Director

Ice Age: Collision Course (2016)

Lighting Technical Director

The Peanuts Movie (2015)

Animator

Sleddin'

Lighting and CG Artist Demo Reel 2021
Originally born and grew up in Beijing, China, I moved to the US in 2011 to learn and pursue a career in computer graphics and arts. Since then, I have been deeply attracted to the discipline.

Currently working in Unreal pipeline as a lighting artist for in-game cinematics, but also had 6+ years of working in a traditional render pipeline in the film industry. It has been my most satisfying moment to see the digital environments and characters come to life in my renderings, and I've alway been amazed by the passion and dedication people put in to push the boundary of craft in visual storytelling.

One of my favorite things about being an artist is that it constantly keeps me curious about life and open to the possibilities of what can be created. Besides working in animated film production, I have also been exploring and expanding my practices in areas like fine arts, illustration and graphic designs, all of which helps me learn and grow as an artist. I'm always hungry to learn new skills, and exhilarated to explore and experiment.

Feel free to reach out and I'm looking forward to speaking with you.
Work History

  • lighting artist

    Frame Machine

    June 2021 - May 2025

  • Lighting Technical Director

    Blue Sky Studios

    June 2014 - March 2021
    Greenwich, Connecticut

    Work with art director and lighting supervisor to reach the final cinematic aesthetic for shots and sequence in a feature animation film, including ‘the Peanuts Movie’ , ‘Ice Age: Collision Course’ , ‘Ferdinand’, ‘Spies in Disguise’ and ‘Nimona’;
    Work with other departments in look development solution for characters and environment that would inform and guide final lighting process to achieve the art direction.
    Perform creative compositing work for shots that help realize the final art direction
    Work with upstream departments to QC shots and assets.

  • Blue Sky Studios

    June 2018 - October 2019

  • Material Technical Director

    Blue Sky Studios

    June 2016 - October 2018
    Greenwich, Connecticut, United States

    Worked with Art Director and Material Supervisor to create material for digital character's, prop and environment based on concept design and art direction for film 'Ferdinand' and 'Spies in Disguise'

  • 3D Artist Intern

    The Mill

    September 2013 - December 2013

    Modeling, texturing and look development for assets in live action commercial production;
    Setup lighting and rendering for shots to generate hi-quality render from 3D software for final compositing
    Troubleshoot creative and technical issues.
    Assisted Lighting Artists performing technical work in support of shot lighting;

  • Lighting & Look Development Intern

    LAIKA, Inc.

    June 2013 - August 2013

    Helped to combine live action, stage, and cg elements into visual effects shots that realize the Director’s vision and the creative direction;
    Lighting and LookDev Artist on ‘Honey Nut Cheerios - Must be the honey (office remix)”;
    Modeling, Texture and Look Development Artist on short film "The Alchemist’s Letter";
    Troubleshoot creative and technical issues.

  • Intern Student Researcher (UI design)

    Lenovo

    March 2011 - May 2011

    Created wantted webpage special effects(like shadow box) using html, css, javas- cript and documented such effects so that they can be reused in the future Learned and reported advanced webpage design method

  • Intern Localization Engineer (multimedia)

    Welocalize

    February 2011 - March 2011

    Localized multimedia content in the project (flash, web page, video work, image)
    Checked and edited images in the finished work

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Education

  • Graphic Design

    Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts

    2011 - 2011

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engine

    Tianjin University

    2007 - 2011