Howard Cabalfin

Work History

• 

  Global Roto & Paint Supervisor 2024

  Digital Domain

  January 2024 - Present

  Los Angeles County, California, United States · Hy

  I oversee workflows, best practices, talent, technology and training of Roto Paint teams in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hyderabad, and Montreal.
  
  Specifically:
  - Onboard new artists, leads, and vendors on Roto and Paint Technical Specifications, best practices and quality control.
  - Support artists and leads personal development through career at DD
  - Provide basic training for Production Coordinators involved in Roto Paint
  - Consult producers on how to setup and project manage in our Global Pipeline.
  - Monitor key metrics of Roto Paint such as current counts on ingested plates, tasks, personnel, versions, and statuses of each
  - Curate key metrics into digestable reports and strategy recommendations for producers and studio management
  - Troubleshoot any technical and organizational blockages to the expected flow
• 

  Global Roto & Paint Supervisor 2023

  Digital Domain

  January 2023 - December 2023

  Los Angeles County, California, United States · Hy

  I oversaw workflows, best practices, talent, technology and training of Roto Paint teams in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hyderabad, and Montreal.
  
  Specifically:
  - Onboarded new artists, leads, and vendors on Roto and Paint Technical Specifications, best practices and quality control.
  - Supported artists and leads personal development through career at DD
  - Provided basic training for Production Coordinators involved in Roto Paint
  - Consulted producers on how to setup and project manage in our Global Pipeline.
  - Monitored key metrics of Roto Paint such as current counts on ingested plates, tasks, personnel, versions, and statuses of each
  - Curated key metrics into digestable reports and strategy recommendations for producers and studio management
  - Troubleshot any technical and organizational blockages to the expected flow
  - Projects included EXTRACTION 2, THE MANDALORIAN, SECRET WARS, AHSOKA, THE MORNING SHOW, POSTCARDS FROM EARTH (a Madison Square Garden SPHERE project),
• 

  Global Roto & Paint Supervisor 2022

  Digital Domain

  January 2022 - December 2022

  Greater Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hyderabad, Montrea

  I oversaw workflows, best practices, talent, technology and training of Roto Paint teams in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hyderabad, Montreal, and Beijing.
  
  Specifically:
  - Onboarded new artists, leads, and vendors on Roto and Paint Technical Specifications, best practices and quality control.
  - Supported artists and leads personal development through career at DD
  - Provided basic training for Production Coordinators involved in Roto Paint
  - Consulted producers on how to setup and project manage in our Global Pipeline.
  - Monitored key metrics of Roto Paint such as current counts on ingested plates, tasks, personnel, versions, and statuses of each
  - Curated key metrics into digestable reports and strategy recommendations for producers and studio managemement
  - Troubleshot any technical and organizational blockages to the expected flow
  - Projects included STRANGER THINGS, SHE-HULK, EXTRACTION 2, and WEREWOLF BY NIGHT.
• 

  Global Roto & Paint Supervisor 2021

  Digital Domain

  January 2021 - December 2021

  Greater Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hyderabad, Montrea

  - I oversaw workflows, talent, technology and training of Roto Paint teams in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hyderabad, Montreal, and Beijing.
  - Onboarded all new artists, leads and vendors on Roto and Paint Technical Specifications, best practices and standards.
  - Designed and started DD Roto Paint's Training Curriculum for Leads.
  - Projects included WANDAVISION, and LOKI.
• 

  Global Roto & Paint Supervisor 2020

  Digital Domain

  January 2020 - December 2020

  Greater Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hyderabad, Montrea

  - Oversee workflows, talent, technology and training of Roto Paint teams in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hyderabad, Montreal, and Beijing.
  - Introduced and trained the Beijing Team on Roto and Paint best practices and standards.
  - Designed and started DD Roto Paint's Training Curriculum for Artists.
  - Projects this year included FANTASTIC BEASTS, CHILDREN OF THE CORN, SHANG-CHI, TWILIGHT ZONE, HBO's PERRY MASON, and CARNIVAL ROW.
• 

  Global Roto & Paint Supervisor 2019

  Digital Domain

  January 2019 - December 2019

  Greater Los Angeles Area, Vancouver, Hyderabad, Mo

  Actively managed workflows, talent, technology and training of Roto Paint teams in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hyderabad, and Montreal. Designed and delivered DD's Procedural Motion Blur for Roto system, and rolled it out to facilities in Los Angeles, Canada, and India.
  
  Projects this year included AVENGERS: END GAME, TERMINATOR: DARK FATE, LOST IN SPACE - Season 2.
• 

  Global Roto & Paint Supervisor 2018

  Digital Domain

  January 2018 - December 2018

  USA, CANADA, INDIA

  Actively managed workflows, talent, technology and training of Roto Paint teams in Los Angeles, Vancouver and Hyderabad.
  
  Projects this year included AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, ANTMAN and the WASP, CAPTAIN MARVEL, and AQUAMAN.
  
  Commercial Project included SPARTA.
• 

  Global Roto & Paint Supervisor 2017

  Digital Domain

  January 2017 - December 2017

  USA, CANADA, INDIA

  Actively managed workflows, talent, technology and training of Roto Paint teams in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Hired, Trained, and deployed Digital Domain's Workflows and Practices to our Studio in Hyderabad, India.
  
  Projects included READY PLAYER ONE, FATE OF THE FURIOUS and SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING.
• 

  Roto & Paint Supervisor 2016

  Digital Domain

  January 2016 - December 2016

  USA, CANADA, INDIA

  Managed teams of international artists in the US and Canada. Supervised Outsource vendors in China and India. Bid shots. Engineered pipeline. Authored facility-wide technical specifications in mono and stereo. Devised and executed solutions for all of DD's feature films and commercials. Represented department with Producers and Production. Maintained Digital Domain's High Level of Quality throughout entire department.
  Feature Film Projects included DEADPOOL, X-MEN APOCALYPSE, FREE STATE OF JONES, and ALL I SEE IS YOU.
  My Roto Paint Team completed the 10 Song Virtual Performance displayed in JAY CHOU'S CONCERT DUET WITH TERESA TENG.
  I also developed the Roto and Paint workflows for Virtual Reality Projects such as VRLEE.
  
  Commercial Projects include NISSAN "TITAN", INTEL "FASTER PROCESSING" and "PHELPS", KENZOWORLD, and POKEMON "TRAIN ON".
• 

  Roto & Paint Supervisor 2015

  Digital Domain

  January 2015 - December 2015

  USA, CANADA

  Managed teams of international artists in the US and Canada. Supervised Outsource vendors in China and India. Bid shots. Engineered pipeline. Authored facility-wide technical specifications in mono and native stereo. Represented department with Producers and Production. Maintained Digital Domain's High Level of Quality throughout entire department.
  
  Feature Film Projects Included FURIOUS 7.
  
  I also improved the workflows for our Virtual Performance Projects and developed the workflows for Roto Paint for Virtual Reality.
  
  VR Projects include NIKE "THE NEYMAR JR. EFFECT". Commercial Projects include UFC 189: ALDO VS MCGREGOR and RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER "AIM GREATER".
  
  
• 

  Roto & Paint Supervisor 2014

  Digital Domain

  June 2014 - December 2014

  USA, CANADA

  Managed teams of international artists in the US and Canada. Supervised Outsource vendors in China and India. Bid shots. Engineered pipeline. Authored facility-wide technical specifications in mono and stereo. Devised and executed solutions for all of DD's feature films and commercials. Represented department with Producers and Production. Maintained Digital Domain's High Level of Quality throughout entire department.
  Feature Film Projects included PIXELS and NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 3.
  I also developed the workflows for the Virtual Performance - THE TERESA TENG PROJECT.
  
  
• 

  Roto / Paint Lead - XMEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

  Digital Domain

  September 2013 - April 2014

  Greater Los Angeles Area

  Delivered over 300 roto and paint shots for native-stereo feature film XMEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. Managed a cross-site team of 20 artists in Vancouver and Playa Del Rey. Supervised Outsource teams in India and Mexico. In addition, I art-directed look of Mystique's suitfix and communicated with Compositing Supervisors and Producers on task specifics, priorities, and status. Quality checked all work for DD internal and Outsource teams.
  
  Prior to the show, I authored the facility-wide technical specifications and set up the roto paint pipeline for all Outsource teams. Also authored the technical specifications for both mono and stereo shows.
• 

  Roto / Paint Lead - TERESA TENG PROJECT

  Digital Domain

  June 2013 - September 2013

  Venice, California

  https://youtu.be/TixHYua3XCI
  
  Managed roto and paint for 6500 frames of Virtual Performer Project. Assisted with tracking marker placement and greenscreen placement on set. Managed a team of 8 artists: assigned tasks, quality checked all work, and assembled and published roto and paint into master scripts.
  Communicated with Compositing Supervisors and Producer on task specifics, priorities, and status.
• 

  Roto / Paint Lead - INTO THE STORM

  Digital Domain

  April 2013 - June 2013

  Venice, California

  Managed roto and paint shots for feature film INTO THE STORM. Managed a team of 3 artists. Set up pipeline for and assisted with management of outsource teams (London and Mumbai). Communicated with Compositing Supervisors and Producer on task specifics, priorities, and status. Quality checked all work for DD and Outsource teams.

• Compositor - THE SIGNAL

  Stoked Productions

  April 2013 - April 2013

  Greater Los Angeles Area

  Removed moving truck from shot. Restored foreground characters and reconstructed motion blur for the Sci-Fi Short THE SIGNAL.
• 

  Roto / Paint Lead - IRON MAN 3

  Digital Domain

  August 2012 - April 2013

  Venice, California

  Here's some press on what we did:
  https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/iron-man-3-red-bull-452228
  
  Managed quality and timely delivery of roto and paint shots in Rose Hills, Chinese Theater and Barrel of Monkeys sequences. Hired and managed a team of 20 artists. Set up pipeline for and assisted with management of two outsource teams (London and Mumbai). Communicated with Compositing Supervisors and Producer on task specifics, status, and priorities. Created and/or instructed vfx techniques that increased speed and standards that raised shot quality. Trained new hires on DD Roto Paint procedures and standards which I also co-wrote.
  
  "I'm very proud of our work on the Air Force 1 sequence where we removed several stunt persons' parachutes, reconstructed characters and skies, and simulated the high-frequency edges of bodies falling through the sky. I was also trusted with the art direction of these parachute and stunt person removals."
  
  In the end, we delivered the sequences on time and with Digital Domain's signature "Gauntlet" level of quality.
• 

  Roto / Paint Lead - JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (2012)

  Digital Domain

  December 2011 - July 2012

  Venice, California

  Advanced paint clean up (rig/wire/crew removals, background and character reconstructions, etc) for native stereo feature film. Managed quality and timely delivery of roto and paint shots for Jack versus giants sequences. Communicated with Compositing Supervisors and Producer on task specifics and priorities. Created and/or instructed vfx techniques that increased speed and quality. Documented procedures and standards of Roto Paint Department for entire facility.
• 

  Roto / Paint Lead - THE AVENGERS (2012)

  Digital Domain

  November 2011 - February 2012

  Venice, California

  Managed quality and timely delivery of roto and paint shots for Loki in space sequences. Created and/or instructed vfx techniques that increased speed and quality. Communicated with Compositing Supervisors and Producer on task specifics and priorities.
• 

  Senior Roto / Paint Artist - GIRL WITH A DRAGON TATTOO

  Digital Domain

  August 2011 - November 2011

  Venice, California

  Advanced Roto / Paint on David Fincher's GIRL WITH A DRAGON TATTOO. Removed head of stunt double. Reconstructed environments.
• 

  Senior Roto / Paint Artist

  Framestore

  July 2011 - August 2011

  Iceland

  Advanced Roto / Paint on feature film, CONTRABAND.
• 

  Digital Paint Artist

  Pixomondo

  June 2011 - July 2011

  Burbank, CA

  Paint out undesired elements for feature film, RED TAILS.
• 

  Roto / Paint Artist

  Industrial Light & Magic

  February 2011 - May 2011

  Playa Del Rey, CA

  Rotoscope and Paint for COWBOYS & ALIENS.
• 

  Roto / Paint Artist

  Digital Domain

  March 2010 - February 2011

  Rotoscope and Paint for TRON: LEGACY and REAL STEEL.
• 

  Roto / Paint Artist

  Digital Domain

  February 2010 - March 2010

  I assisted in the creation of Samsung's 3d TV Commercials. Specifically, I created stereo mattes. The work can be seen at:
  https://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt8fDwXCx1c&feature=player_embedded&urlhash=PFan&_t=NUS_STAT-link_text&trk=NUS_STAT-link_text
• 

  Compositor

  Method Studios

  September 2009 - January 2010

  Santa Monica, CA

  I provided extensive roto/paint/compositing work on films such as NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (2010) and I'M HERE for Spike Jonze. Also I reconstructed reflections and created mattes for commercials such as McDonalds Avatar and Nintendo Zelda.
  
  I'M HERE
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OY1EXZt4ok
• 

  Compositor

  Motion Theory

  August 2009 - August 2009

  Venice, CA

  My primary responsibility was to composite all the elements for Pagine Gialle's latest commercial. This included green screen / white screen keying, match-moving, rig-removal, and color matching.
  
  Finished spots can be found at the following links.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubwMDIfwMRc&feature=related
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKZRPJ_cZKA&NR=1
• 

  Roto / Paint Artist

  Digital Domain

  August 2007 - February 2009

  Venice, CA

  Roto and Paint artist for GI JOE, Star Trek 2009, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, SPEED RACER, and THE GOLDEN COMPASS.
• 

  Roto / Paint Artist

  Stardust Studios

  August 2008 - August 2008

  Santa Monica, CA

  I contributed visual effects work for the 2008 WNBA Playoff spot. Specifically, I keyed out and rotoscoped basketball players entire bodies. Also, I painted out lines, motion-control rigs, and other undesired elements.
• 

  Rotoscoper / Keyer

  Stardust Studios

  June 2007 - August 2007

  Santa Monica, CA

  Created animated mattes for various commercial clients: SEARS, NIKE, IBM, & the NFL.
• 

  Rotoscope Artist

  Zoic Studios

  May 2007 - May 2007

  Culver City, CA

  Created animated mattes for GET SMART trailer.
• 

  Rotoscope Artist

  Digital Domain

  March 2006 - April 2007

  Venice, CA

  Rotoscope Artist for TRANSFORMERS, WE OWN THE NIGHT, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLDS END, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA & FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
• 

  Digital Asset Management

  Warner Bros. Pictures

  September 2005 - March 2006

  Burbank, CA

  Collect, process, and catalog daily flow of key art created for Warner Bros. movie library.

• Lead Graphic Designer / Special Projects

  Postcard Press / Next Day Flyers

  September 2002 - August 2005

  Torrance, CA

  I spearheaded an online design system to drum up new business. In addition, I vetted and trained new hires. And this was on top of my basic responsibilities of designing marketing materials for our clients and the company.

• Desktop Specialist

  GTS

  1999 - 2002

  Commerce, CA

  Graphic Design / Publishing

• Desktop Specialist

  GTS Graphics (acquired by Techbooks / Aptara, Inc.)

  1999 - 2001

  Commerce, CA

  Graphic Design / Publishing

• Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)

  Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme

  August 1991 - July 1994

  Ibaraki, Japan

  Consulted Japanese Teachers and the Itako-Town Board of Education on English language and American culture. Specifically, I worked primarily at Itako 1st and 2nd Middle School but also taught seminars at the Community Center and special trips at all the elementary schools.