Eric Pender

Eric Pender

Seasoned VFX artist with solid knowledge of VFX and CGI.

Supervisor CG Supervisor / Lead Lighting Artist

Los Angeles, CA

Hire Me

Virtual Production Artist

Here (2024)

Lighting Artist

House of the Dragon (2022)

Visual Effects Crew

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

Crowd TD

The Rescue (2020)

Crowd TD

Midway (2019)

Crowd TD

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Digital Effects Animator

The Kid (2019)

Crowd TD

Amateur (2018)

Compositor

Rampart (2012)

Lighting

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Visual Effects

Argo (2012)

Compositor

Footloose (2011)

CG Artist

Charlie's Angels (2011)

CG Artist

The Secret Circle (2011)

Compositor

A Better Life (2011)

Visual Effects

Game of Thrones (2011)

Animator

The Tempest (2011)

Compositor

Faster (2010)

Lighting Artist

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

Lighting

Killers (2010)

Digital Artist

Orphan (2009)

Animation & 3-D Artist

Fast & Furious (2009)

Massive Pipeline And Animation

The Express (2008)

FX Artist

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)

Artist

Eagle Eye (2008)

CG Artist

Tropic Thunder (2008)

CG Artist

Meet Dave (2008)

CG Artist

Speed Racer (2008)

Massive Pipeline TD/Animator

Leatherheads (2008)

CG Artist

Ocean's Thirteen (2007)

CG Effects Artist

The Reaping (2007)

CGI Artist

The Last Stand (2006)

Visual Effects

We Are Marshall (2006)

CG Artist

Idlewild (2006)

CG Artist

The Break-Up (2006)

Visual Effects

Poseidon (2006)

FX Artist

The Shaggy Dog (2006)

CG Artist

Eight Below (2006)

CG Artist

Flightplan (2005)

CG Artist

Fantastic Four (2005) (2005)

CG Artist

Herbie Fully Loaded (2005)

Visual Effects

Constantine (2005)

CG Supervisor

Flight of the Phoenix (2004)

CG Effects Animator

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Effects Animator

Kangaroo Jack (2003)

Effects Animator

Reign of Fire (2002)

Effects Animator

Ghosts of Mars (2001)

Effects Animator

Mission to Mars (2000)

Effects Animator

Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies (1999)

CGI Animator

The Truman Show (1998)

CGI Animator

Sphere (1998)

Effects Animator

Hard Rain (1998)

Procedural Animation Development

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Computer Graphics Imaging Animator

Air Force One (1997)

Effects Animator

Batman & Robin (1997)
Lighting reel
Lookdev and Lighting Reel 2017
I started in CGI at Wavefront in Santa Barbara in 1994. I learned all facets of 3D and ventured out into production. I started with feature films as an effects artist using Dynamation and Renderman. I transitioned into lighting around 2007-2010. I had been lighting my effects elements so the transition was smooth.

I have a broad skill set and have filled many roles professionally such as effects, lighting, lookdev, animation, compositing, foliage, and massive crowds. I supervise, lead or just do the work whatever is needed.

I dabble in python and solve many production problems with scripts. I have written full workflows for crowds, textures, trees and custom foliage as well as many other interesting python scripts. I started early on at Wavefront writing translations of cameras from one package to another and never stopped solving problems with scripts. I have a very high level understanding of workflow and how to get lots of work done quickly.
Work History

  • Effects Animator

    Origami Dollar

    March 2023 - April 2023

    Animated talking fish bubbles for a hulu commercial.

  • Effects Animation and CG Supervisor

    Light VFX

    November 2022 - March 2023

    Helped out with some effects animation on Napolean (Ridley Scott movie). I also worked on dog fur dynamics for John Wick 4. I then CG supervised two Prius commercials.

  • Lead Lighter and Crowd Artist

    Pixomondo

    September 2021 - November 2022

    Created crowd for Winning Time from HBO , did a lot of lighting for West World from HBO, helped out a bit on House of Dragon too.

  • VFX Artist

    Timber

    April 2018 - May 2018
    Santa Monica, California, United States

  • Houdini FX TD

    ETC

    March 2018 - April 2018
    Los Angeles, California, United States

  • Houdini Lighter

    MPC

    February 2018 - February 2018

  • owner

    epicrender

    July 2017 - August 2017

  • crowd artist

    Baked FX

    July 2017 - July 2017

  • crowd td

    Baked FX

    April 2017 - June 2017

  • crowd artist

    Baked FX

    March 2017 - April 2017

  • Lead Lighter

    Mirada Studios

    February 2017 - February 2017
    Hollywood, CA

    Created a CGI theme park for a Katy Perry music video.

  • lighting artist

    Brewster Parsons

    January 2017 - January 2017
    Venice Beach, CA

    Lit a few cars for a commercial.

  • VFX Artist

    Timber

    December 2016 - January 2017
    Santa Monica, CA

    Helped animate, rig and light a set of bugs for a Tmobile commercial.

  • CG Supervisor

    Brewster Parsons Inc.

    November 2016 - December 2016
    Venice Beach, CA

    On set VFX supervisor as well as CG supervisor on a Universal Studios commercial.

  • VFX Artist

    Zoic Studios

    September 2016 - November 2016
    Culver City

    Various lighting, texturing , and animation jobs on various commercials and tv series.

  • Lighting Artist

    Zero VFX

    August 2016 - September 2016
    Venice Beach, CA

    Lookdev and lighting on cool snapchat commercial with a vending machine attached to bunch of balloons.

  • MindOverEye a division of TEN: The Enthusiast Network

    July 2016 - August 2016

    Lighting and lookdev artist for a Dodge car commercial

  • Zoic Studios

    June 2016 - July 2016

    Lighting and lookdev work for an upcoming tv series.

  • Lead Lighter

    Mirada Studios

    May 2016 - June 2016
    Marina Del Rey, CA

    Lighting lead on an Exxon print ad and a Capitol One commercial.

  • Walt Disney Imagineering

    January 2016 - May 2016

    Created visual effects for Tron Roller Coaster at Shanghai Disney Land.

  • VFX Artist

    Mind Over Eye

    December 2015 - January 2016
    El Segundo

    Created cameras and animation for a Chrysler commercial. Also helped with lighting and lookdev for a Dodge Hellcat commercial.

  • Mirada Studios

    October 2015 - November 2015

    Lighting and lookdev on two Sketchers ads using Arnold render.

  • CG lead

    Timber

    October 2015 - October 2015
    Santa Monica, CA

    CG lead for a Tmobile commercial using maya, houdini and vray.

  • Mirada Studios

    August 2015 - September 2015

    Lighting and lookdev on two Lexus ads using Arnold render.

  • Lead Lighter

    Prologue Films

    February 2015 - August 2015

    Lead lighter on a Destiny cinematics.

  • Mirada Studios

    September 2014 - February 2015

    Lighting and lookdev on Lexus Christmas ads, Taco Bell and a Disney Epcot commercials.

  • Lead Lighter

    Timber

    August 2014 - September 2014
    Santa Monica, CA

    Lead Lighter on Ugg commercial.

  • FX artist

    Pacific Title & Art Studio

    August 2014 - August 2014
    Burbank, CA

    Created bullet hits and blood hits for American Sniper.

  • Mirada Studios

    April 2014 - June 2014

    Lookdev and lighting on a Nintendo commercial, another high end commercial that is currently under NDA. Helped out with an Amazon spot as well.

  • Zoic Studios

    April 2014 - April 2014

    Lookdev on a character and a spaceship for two television pilots.

  • Lead Lighter

    Mirada Studios

    March 2014 - March 2014
    Marina Del Rey


    Lead lighter on an Etrade commercial.

  • Senior VFX Artist

    RGH Themed Entertainment

    February 2013 - March 2014

    Helping to develop pipeline to create a large number of assets for CGI entertainment venue.
    Leading foliage creation pipeline. Also leading up costuming for crowd simulations. Helping out with the pipeline and creation of workflows for lighting and texturing.

  • Lead Lighter

    Mirada Studios

    August 2012 - February 2013


    Led up lighting on several commercials. Also helped light a few monsters in Pacific rim.

  • Method Studios

    January 2012 - August 2012

  • Visual Effects Artist

    PublicVFX

    June 2011 - January 2012
    Venice Beach

  • Wildfire VFX

    September 2010 - June 2011

  • Asylum Visual Effects

    2009 - June 2010

  • Imaginary Forces

    2010 - 2010

  • Pacific Title & Art Studio

    June 2008 - June 2009

  • CIS Hollywood

    September 2004 - June 2008

    Effects and Lighting. Maya and Houdini.

    Digital Crowd Simulations with Massive. I set up pipelines and animated the crowds for these projects:
    We Are Marshall
    Leatherheads
    The Express

  • CG supervisor

    CafeFX

    December 2003 - August 2004

    Dust Storm for Flight of the Phoenix

  • FX Animator

    Digital Domain

    October 2002 - November 2003

    Ice breaking shots for Day After Tommorow

  • FX Animator

    Dream Quest Images

    July 1999 - September 2002

    Lot's of cool projects.
    Gone in 60 Seconds
    Mission To Mars
    Soarin Over California
    Wonderful World of Disney Opening
    Kangaroo Jack
    Reign of Fire

  • FX Animator

    Shadow Caster

    2002 - 2002

  • FX Animator

    Freelance At Various Small Studios

    March 1998 - June 1999

    Worked around town on several small projects. Also taught some classes at Gnomon. Various consulting gigs as well.

  • Gnomon School of Visual Effects

    1998 - 1999

  • FX Animator

    Cinesite

    March 1997 - February 1998

    Batman and Robin
    Hard Rain
    a lot of other movies.

  • Blue Sky Studios

    January 1997 - February 1997

    Created a system for animating underwater bubbles on Alien Resurection.

  • CG Animator

    Freelance Animator in NY

    April 1996 - December 1996

    Worked at various small studios in Manhatten.

  • Alias|wavefront

    June 1994 - March 1996

    Answered questions over the phone about Wavefront animation software.

    Tought people how to use TAV and Dynamation.

    Consulted at various studios.

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Education

  • BA in Business Economics

    UC Santa Barbara

    1987 - 2002

  • BA in Business EconomicsBA, Business Economics

    University of California, Santa Barbara

    September 1990 - June 1992

  • transferred to UCSB

    UC Berkeley

    September 1989 - June 1990