Doug MacMillan

Work History

• 

  Senior Pipeline Software Engineer

  Tippett Studio

  May 2012 - Present

  Tool development for publishing, asset management for Maya, RV, Nuke and Katana via Shotgun; standalone PyQt and command line interfaces, python modules; training, documentation. Rebuilt legacy element library via Shotgun with additional components. Shotgun Evangelist.

  

  

  
• 

  Science Visualization Artist

  California Academy of Sciences

  August 2011 - May 2012

  PyQt/PyOpenGL software design and development for morphing earth tectonics; photoshop concept art; Python pipeline development; marketing and exhibit high res images; Houdini evangelism, dynamic fracturing, dust cloud F/X, realtime shot previz, rendering and dome-centric OTL development.

• CG Supervisor

  Stereobox LLC

  December 2010 - August 2011

  Workflow, pipeline, infrastructure, communication, process. Command line tools, Python modules, PyQt and PyOpenGL toolmaking.
• 

  F/X Technical Director

  Industrial Light & Magic

  February 2011 - April 2011

  Fluid simulation and lighting artist using in house proprietary software.

  

  
• 

  Senior TD

  ImageMovers

  April 2008 - December 2010

  Designed and developed the Lookdev core toolset. What started out as a few quicky Mel scripts to help me and other artists find textures emerged into dozens of command line tools, python modules, database ops and Qt apps, including PyOpenGL viewers and GLSL shading helpers. It's been a real fun place... and I did most of this while doing lookdev work too, nothing complicated, but a few projects involving managing large quantities of assets. Completed work at IMD after transferring to the F/X department and developed electrical spark and arcing tools in Houdini for a handful of shots I handled.
• 

  Senior TD

  Sony Pictures Imageworks

  January 2007 - April 2008

  Look development artist working in the Novato office.

  
• 

  Lead TD

  The Orphanage

  July 2006 - December 2006

  Look development for "The Last Mimzy" cocoon f/x and skin damage for "Grindhouse"

• CG Supervisor

  Tweak Films

  February 2006 - June 2006

  Previz in Maya for "Zodiac"; Animation in Maya for "Mimzy"; Crowd rendering in Tweak proprietary Python pipeline for "Invincible"
• 

  Technical Director

  The Orphanage

  December 2005 - January 2006

  Maya tree modeling, animation and IBL rendering; 3DS Max cityscapes; Houdini gun f/x; all for "Superman Returns"

• Freelance CG Artist

  cgdougm.com

  November 2005 - November 2005

  Writing a python program that is used in screenplay visualization. Renovating my bathroom. Updating my reel.

• Creative Director and Director of R&D

  elementFX

  February 2005 - November 2005

  Compositor on "The Darwin Awards"; helped design new company infrastructure, advertising.
• 

  Associate Director VF/X and Animation

  Academy of Art University

  August 2004 - December 2004

  Taught four courses in Computer Graphics, Portfolio review; attended graduation student reviews; assisted in directing the department; wrote curriculum for Particles course.
• 

  CG Supervisor

  Industrial Light & Magic

  March 1995 - August 2004

  CG Supervisor for "Deep Blue Sea" (underwater look development); CG Supervisor various Clio commercials. FX Unit Supervisor for "Frankenstein". VFX Supervisor for "Bounty Hunter" game cinematics; FX TD on "Perfect Storm", "Mission to Mars", "Planet of the Apes".

• CG Supervisor

  Dome Productions

  1990 - 1995

  Broadcast Designer for many of Canada's largest clients; Prisms and Houdini.
• 

  Software Designer

  Sidefx Software

  1994 - 1994

  Designing Houdini UI.

• Creative Director/CG Artist

  Side Effects

  1987 - 1990

  Designed and animated many large Canadian broadcast pieces. Prisms. Was first employee for Side Effects which started at Alias. Wrote some Alias rendering code.

• TD/Animator/Supervisor

  Omnibus

  1982 - 1987

  Manager of Software (5 programmers) in the LA satellite office. Designed and programmed some of Prisms (including the first tool.) Programmed and performed a realtime on-set SGI display in GL.