James Gettinger

James Gettinger

Lead Lighting Artist / 26 yrs

San Francisco, CA, United States

Hire Me

lighting artist

Lightyear (2022)

Lighting Lead

Luca (2021)

lighting technical director

Onward (2020)

Lighting Artist

Wind (2019)

Lighting Artist

SparkShorts (2019)

lighting artist

Incredibles 2 (2018)

Lighting Artist

Finding Dory: Marine Life Interviews (2016)

Lighting Artist

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Lead Lighter

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

Lighter

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)

Lighting Lead

Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)

Lighting Supervisor

Rio (2011)

Lighting Lead

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)

Lighting Lead

Horton Hears a Who! (2008)

No Time for Nuts (2006)

Lighting Lead

Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)

Lighting Lead

Robots (2005)

Lighting TD

Ice Age (2002)

Denmark Logo Animation

Hamlet (2000)

Work History

  • Lighting Technical Director

    Pixar

    March 2015 - Present

  • Freelance Lighter

    Psyop

    January 2015 - January 2015
    New York, NY

  • CG Supervisor, Lead Lighter

    DreamWorks Animation

    2012 - 2014

    Created key shot lighting and setup lighting rigs for team. Tested, evaluated, and implemented the studio’s next generation lighting software, “Torch”.
    Shows: “How to Train Your Dragon 2”, “Peabody and Sherman”, and “Turbo”

  • Lighting Supervisor

    Blue Sky Studios

    2009 - 2012

    Directed and managed the Lighting Department for a feature film and short. Approved all shots. Oversaw the quality and consistency of the final imagery, including the digital intermediate, DCP, and film print.
    Shows: "Rio" and "Surviving Sid"

  • Lighting Lead

    Blue Sky Studios

    2003 - 2009

    Created key shot lighting, setup lighting rigs, and supervised and coordinated production team.
    Shows: "Ice Age: Continental Drift", "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs", "Horton Hears a Who", "No Time for Nuts", "Ice Age: The Meltdown", and "Robots"

  • Pre-Visualization Set Designer

    Blue Sky Studios

    2002 - 2003

    Conceived of, proposed, and implemented the Pre-Visualization Department.
    Show: "Robots"

  • Freelance Lighter/Compositor

    Psyop

    2002 - 2002

  • Freelance Lighter/Compositor

    Rhino FX

    2002 - 2002

  • Lighting TD

    Blue Sky Studios

    2000 - 2002

    Created lighting, and compositing for over 100 shots.
    Show: "Ice Age"

  • Freelance Lighter/Compositor

    Liquid Design

    2000 - 2000

  • Freelance Lighter/Compositor

    Black Logic

    1999 - 2000

  • Co-Founder/Creative Director

    Funhouse Studio

    1997 - 2000

    Built and managed a boutique computer graphics studio. Responsible for art direction, project management, business development, and hands-on production.
    Clients: Double A Films/Miramax, Gucci, Independent Film Channel, R/GA, and Donovan and Green

  • Freelance Lighter/Compositor

    R/GA

    1998 - 1999

  • Virtual set Modeler, CG Generalist

    The Jim Henson Company

    1996 - 1998

    Modeled Seussian environments from production sketches for proprietary virtual set software. Created animation, shaders, and lighting for the show’s opening titles and transitional sequences.
    Show: "The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss"

  • Architectural Designer

    Donovan and Green

    1995 - 1997

  • Architect

    Davis Brody Bond

    1994 - 1995

  • Architectural Designer

    Eisenmann Architecture

    1992 - 1994

  • Architect

    Smith-Miller + Hawkinson Architects

    1989 - 1991
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Education

  • MS, Advanced Architectural Design

    Columbia University - Graduate School of Architect

    June 1991 - June 1992

  • Masters of Architecture

    University of Kansas

    August 1984 - June 1989