Dan Smiczek

Work History

• 

  ASVP Virtual Production Supervisor

  Amazon Studios

  August 2021 - Present

  • Supervise Virtual Production projects to be shot on a large-scale LED volume
  • Collaborate with the Director, Director of Photography, and VFX Supervisor on how to creatively
  execute the Director’s vision within determined scope
  • Act as main point of contact for flow of information between production and control team
  • Responsible for ensuring technical execution and consistent high visual quality during shoot
  
  Projects:
  Fathead – Entertainment Technology Center for USC Cinematic Arts
  Candy Cane Lane – Amazon Studios
• 

  Virtual Production Supervisor / VFX Supervisor

  Exeeter Entertainment, Inc.

  November 2008 - Present

  • On-Set Virtual Production and Visual Effects Supervision
  • 2nd Unit Directing
  • Plate Supervision
  • Bidding and Script Breakdowns
• 

  Unreal Fellowship In-Camera Visual Effects Spring 2022

  Epic Games

  April 2022 - May 2022
• 

  Unreal Fellowship Virtual Production Spring 2021

  Epic Games

  May 2021 - June 2021
• 

  Virtual Production Supervisor

  NantStudios

  October 2020 - April 2021

  • Worked closely and trained with Lux Machina and Epic Games to operate the LED Volume
  
  "Unreal Engine 4.27 In-Camera VFX Production Test" - Epic Games
  "Virtual Production: Are You Game?" - Produced by the Academy's Science and Technology Council
  "Creating an Army of the Dead" - Netflix
  Resorts World Las Vegas "Stay Fabulous" - Psyop and the Hooray Agency
• 

  CG Supervisor

  Pixomondo

  August 2018 - October 2020

  Greater Los Angeles Area

  • Led facility efficiency sprint solving problems in processes and pipeline tools
  • Supervised and coordinated globally with six Pixomondo facilities to share assets and tools for a tentpole feature film (“Midway”)
  
  Perry Mason (HBO): S01
  Westworld (HBO): S03
  The Mandalorian (Disney): S01
  Star Trek: Picard (CBS): S01
  Midway (Lionsgate)
  The Orville (Fox): S02
• 

  Director Location Based Entertainment Engineering

  SPACES Inc.

  August 2016 - August 2018

  • Explored diverse cutting-edge technologies and integrated them into Virtual/Augmented Reality experiences (hardware and software)
  • Expert in design, setup, and operation of OptiTrack active motion capture tracking systems
  • Researched and selected all hardware for facility, technology demos, and product lines
  • Pioneered the integration of high-powered Virtual Reality experiences with established theme park ride technologies
  • Spearheaded and oversaw the creation of technology demos on accelerated timelines
  • Orchestrated vendor selection and acted as single point of contact
• 

  Crowd Agent Developer

  DreamWorks Animation

  January 2014 - August 2016

  Glendale, CA

  Crowds Agent Developer
  "Trolls"
  "B.O.O."
  "Bollywood Superstar Monkey"
  
  Crowds Artist
  "How To Train Your Dragon 2"

  

  
• 

  FX Lead

  Psyop

  November 2013 - December 2013

  Venice, CA

  Supercell - "Clash of Clans: Anthem" Commercial
  Led Houdini FX team to create:
  • pyro explosions
  • ground impact debris and dust
  • flaming projectiles and smoke trails
  • fuse flame
• 

  Senior FX Technical Director

  The Mill

  September 2013 - October 2013

  Culver City, CA

  Western Digital - "Overcrowded" Commercial
  • populated cloud with crowd (Massive)
  • cloud elements (Houdini)
  
  Allstate - "Honesty" Commercial
• 

  Senior FX Technical Director

  Method Studios

  May 2013 - June 2013

  Santa Monica, CA

  "Into the Storm" (Warner Brothers)
  • rain, debris, and lighting volumetric tornadoes (Houdini)

  
• 

  Senior FX Technical Director

  Rhythm & Hues Studios

  December 2012 - April 2013

  "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" (Fox)
  • secondary splashes and debris (Houdini)
  
  "R.I.P.D." (Universal)
  • RBD cars, debris, and re-fracturing (Houdini)

  

  

  

  

  
• 

  FX Artist

  Digital Domain

  June 2012 - December 2012

  "Ender's Game" (Lionsgate)
  • FX R&D Look Development (Houdini)
  • OTL and tool creation
• 

  Senior FX Technical Director

  Sony Pictures Imageworks

  March 2012 - May 2012

  Culver City, CA

  "The Amazing Spider-Man" (Columbia)
  • dust, sparks, RBD debris and destruction (Houdini / Katana / Arnold)
  • street pedestrian crowds (Massive)

  

  
• 

  CG Supervisor

  Hammerhead Productions

  June 2010 - March 2012

  • Designed and programmed stage based, software non-specific, pipeline building upon an already existing show structure
  • Augmented and created render farm submission tools for a Rush based system involving various software packages
  • Created and supported a unified image and movie creation process across all departments resulting in consistency for client submissions (including stereoscopic work)
  • Collaborated with Visual Effects Supervisor and presented work for feedback and approval
  • Provided problem solving and artistic guidance to meet client and facility vision
  • Scheduled artists priorities across all shows and reviewed work in progress on a daily basis
  • Created bid packages for current and future projects
  • Participated in the hiring process to build an effective team
  
  Feature Film:
  Prometheus Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
  The Green Hornet
  Fast Five
  Fright Night
  I Am Number Four
  The Hangover Part II
  No Strings Attached
  Wanderlust

• VFX Supervisor / Head of CG

  Ring of Fire Studios

  November 2008 - May 2010

  • Supervised the filming of all visual effects sequences on-set
  • Directed 2nd unit photography
  • Interacted directly with the clients ensuring project vision was accomplished
  • Provided creative direction and managed resource allocation
  • Oversaw all aspects of Computer Graphics department in a fast-paced environment
  
  Television: Men of a Certain Age
  Feature Film: About Fifty
  Music Video: Nickelback, “Gotta Be Somebody”, Director: Nigel Dick
  Commercial Clients:
  H&R Block
  Orkin
  McDonald’s
  Priceline.com
  AT&T
  Honda
  Minutemaid
  MetroPCS
• 

  Effects Supervisor

  Framestore

  September 2007 - October 2008

  "The Tale of Despereaux" (Universal) (animated feature)
  * Recruited and supervised team of digital artists to provide naturalistic effects for a fully
  animated feature film
  * Managed priorities of all artists as well as provided artistic feedback and direction to meet
  the vision of the Director(s)
  * Created and implemented crowd simulation characters utilizing keyframe animated cycles
  
  Elements:
  • fluid simulations (soup, perfume, tears)
  • fire simulations (fireplace, torches)
  • candle/match flames and sparks
  • volumetric effects (steam, dust, ash)
  • debris particle effects and bubbles
  • cobwebs
  • RBD simulations (potatoes, onions) and shattering glass
  • ocean water surface, boat wake, sky dome
  • sewer water surface and interaction
  • rain
  • magical effects
  • supervised creation and implementation of Massive Software
  “rat” and “human” agents as well as Massive pipeline

  
• 

  Effects Artist

  Asylum Visual Effects

  January 2007 - September 2007

  Nike - "Leave Nothing" Commercial
  • populated multiple football stadiums with fans (Massive)
  
  Nike - "The Plan" Commercial
  • populated football stadium with fans (Massive)
  
  Carlsberg - "Awesome Game" Commercial
  • populated a soccer stadium with fans (Massive)
  
  Pontiac - "Graphic World" Commercial(s)
  • created graphic worlds made of interactive lines (Houdini)
  
  Propel - "Stress Monster" Commercial
  • designed and implemented system for Monster based on particle
  instancing as well as dynamic objects (Houdini)
  • Bronze Clio award winner for animation
• 

  Effects Supervisor

  Rhythm & Hues Studios

  October 2002 - January 2007

  R&D Effects Supervisor
  "The Golden Compass" (New Line)
  • daemon death volumetric fluid effect
  • volumetric based auroras
  • Massive agent pre-production
  
  Effects Supervisor
  "Night at the Museum" (Fox)
  • dust/smoke
  • CG fire, arrows, and darts
  • magical effects
  • snow interaction (falling snow, spray, footprints, chunks)
  • drool
  • Massive fighting agents
  
  CG/Effects Supervisor
  "The Fast and Furious : Tokyo Drift" (Universal)
  • car drift smoke
  • glass debris
  • Massive pedestrian and car agents
  • supervised modeling, texturing, and prelighting of Massive agents
  • directed motion capture session at Giant Studios for Massive agents
  • animation supervised hero cars
  
  Massive Supervisor
  "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe" (Disney)
  • established Massive Software into the pipeline for large scale battle scenes
  • supervised the brain creation and shot pipelines
  • supervised R&D, 22 weeks of motion capture (including horses), creation of 49 massive agents (ranging simple arrows to a complete battle ready centaur), all shot work (using between 500 and 40,000 agents per shot)
  • put together training program for Massive artists as well as trained them (learned Massive directly from software creator Stephen Regelous)
  
  Massive Supervisor
  "Elektra" (Fox)
  • supervised and used Massive for a sequence involving piles of writhing fully rigid body dynamic snakes driven by procedural animation
  
  CG Crowd Lead
  "The Chronicles of Riddick" (Universal)
  • populated a prison sequence as well as soldiers marching using motion capture data (Behavior)
  
  CG Crowd Lead
  "Around the World in 80 Days" (Disney)
  • crowds using motion capture data (Behavior)
  
  Effects Technical Director
  "The Cat in the Hat" (Universal)
  • pink tornado (Houdini)
  • confetti debris
  
  Effects Technical Director
  "Elf" (New Line)
  • jet engine smoke
  • engine flame effect
  • bark debris and sparks
  
  Effects Technical Director
  "X-Men 2" (Fox)
  • engine fire and heat distortion
  • ejection seat smoke and jet smoke
• 

  Animator

  Wētā FX

  June 2002 - October 2002

  "The Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers" (New Line)
  • keyframe animated digital doubles, warriors, and Ents (tree characters)
  • used Maya cloth simulations for CG rope around Gollum's neck
  • supervised the placement of background battle action in the Warg Battle and the Battle for Isengard

  
• 

  Tech Animator

  Rhythm & Hues Studios

  January 2001 - June 2002

  Lead Muscle Technical Director
  "Scooby Doo" (Warner Brothers)
  • led team involving skin deformations
  
  Technical Animator
  "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (Warner Brothers)
  • assisted with Norbert the dragon skin deformations
  
  Technical Animator
  "Cats & Dogs" (Warner Brothers)
  • modified skin deformations and fur dynamics
  
  Matchmove Technical Director
  "Dr. Dolittle 2" (Fox), "Planet of the Apes" (Fox)
• 

  Senior Software Engineer / NASA JPL

  Raytheon

  September 1999 - December 2000

  • calculated and published daily orbit of TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite for the study of ocean circulation
  • analyzed kinematic ground survey GPS data in support of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) using the GIPSY-OASIS software package
• 

  Flight Design Software Engineer / NASA JSC

  United Space Alliance

  July 1997 - September 1999

  • supported and developed software for the Flight Dynamics Officer (FDO) (FORTRAN, C, C++)
  • augmented all Trajectory Operations and Software Task (TOAST) applications to support both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station
  • created application to transfer data between flight controllers workstation and the legacy Mission Operations Computer (MOC)