Lance Powell

Lance Powell

Supervising Art Director at Cloud Imperium Games

Supervisor Art Director / 29 yrs

Los Angeles, CA

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Texture Artist | Lord of the Rings II, L

Hero (2020)

Technical Coordinator

Contact (2018)

Medal of Honor (2010)

Environment Artist

Medal of Honor: Airborne (2007)

Rave Technical Consultant

Go (2007)

Surfacing Supervisor

Barnyard (2006)

CG Texture Artist

Ultraviolet (2006)

Texture Painter

Constantine (2005)

Texture Supervisor

Battlestar Galactica (2005)

Texture Painter

Serenity (2005)

Surfacer | Shrek 2

Shrek 2 (2004)

Texture Painter

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Texture Painter

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Technical Coordinator

The Postman (1997)

Technical Coordinator

Anaconda (1997)

Supervising Art Director

Star Citizen

Art Director with 20+ years of broad based experience in visual effects for film, video games, and advertising design. Predominant strengths: Look Development (Surfacing, Lighting), Cinematic Direction (story-telling, previs, mocap direction), and team Leadership.

Personal attributes: Highly motivated; driven; results-oriented; with emphasis on empowering team members through autonomy. Core attributes: Creative; problem solving; clear vision setting realistic goals that a team can exceed. Plays well with others; motivator; and mentor.
Work History

  • Supervising Art Director

    Cloud Imperium Games

    November 2014 - January 2016

    • Global Art Director for a 90m crowdfunded AAA game property
    • Managed planning, execution and budget for insource and outsource teams
    • Provided global arts management and leadership
    • Maintained artistic vision of the property across seven studios
    • Provided technical direction to achieve visual goals
    • Led local art milestones
    • Integrated Kanban methodology & optimized ‘work flow to approval’ process

  • Art Director, North America

    Gameloft

    October 2011 - February 2014

    • Provided Production Design and Art Direction for North American mobile IP’s
    • Integrated Agile & Scrum development process across studios
    • Integrated Arnold and VRay into pre-rendered art pipelines
    • Managed all aspects of art and animation for North and South America
    • Provided Maya and Photoshop Python scripts to automate some asset creation
    • Developed leadership and training programs across art, design and production

  • Art Director | Avengers

    THQ

    January 2011 - August 2012

    ● Hired to shore up a challenged production, bringing in polish, creative direction, team leadership and rendering prioritization
    ● Directed all aspects of art for the game, including technical art, and animation

  • Art Director | Medal of Honor: Airborne, Medal of Honor (2010)

    Electronic Arts

    October 2006 - 2010

    • Established rendering and pipeline tools and requirements
    • Spearheaded the team’s culture of success; advisor on studio and team culture
    • Provided marketing strategy and assets for extended campaign
    • Produced VFX, 2D Design, Matte Paintings, Environment Art and Technical Art
    • Directed Motion Capture for in-game cinematics
    • Led outsource quality and style continuity

  • Instructor

    Gnomon School of Visual Effects

    January 2004 - 2009

  • Principal

    Adam Smith Trading Company

    March 2005 - April 2007

  • Surfacing Artist | Uncharted

    Naughty Dog (contract)

    October 2005 - October 2006

    • Created skin, cloth, hair, and a range of CGFX shaders and textures
    • Created real-time and pre-rendered matching light kits to speed up workflow

  • Texture Supervisor | Serenity, Battlestar Galactica

    Zoic Studios

    2004 - 2005

    ● Managed varying number of artists by production
    ● Developing surfacing pipeline for future productions
    ● Produced Art Direction and Matte Paintings for a number of shows, films and commercials

  • Surfacing Supervisor | Barnyard the Movie

    Omation

    2004 - 2004

    ● Supervised look development and rendering pipeline, developing the artistic style and techniques used to achieve final look
    ● Developed a more nimble surfacing pipeline mimicking DreamWorks and established shader needs and libraries
    ● Served as Art Direction partner with the film’s Production Designer
    ● Managed deliverables, budget, staffing and training of new talent

  • Surfacer | Shrek 2

    DreamWorks Animation

    2003 - 2004

    ● Served as Lead Artist on several sequences throughout Shrek 2. Served as Support Artist on non-lead sequences
    ● Collaborated with lighting department to achieve desired look for Art Directors and Director
    ● Crafted finely detailed texture maps for extreme close-ups throughout the film
    ● Developed final look of all objects using painted texture maps and extensive shader library

  • Texture Artist | Lord of the Rings II, Lord of the Rings III

    Wētā FX

    2002 - 2004

    ● Created highly detailed texture maps for Digital Doubles, and Hero resolution characters.
    ● Created highly detailed texture maps for Hero resolution structures and objects in Return of the King
    ● Produced 360 Environment Cycloramas including 3D matte painting

  • Creative Director TMP

    Stephen J. Cannell

    2001 - 2001

  • Sr. Art Director

    Magnet Interactive

    1999 - 2001

  • Sr. Producer

    Express.com

    November 1998 - November 1999

  • Art Director

    Realtime Associates

    January 1998 - August 1998

  • Technical Coordinator

    Sony Pictures Imageworks

    1996 - 1998

  • Associate Producer

    Accent Media Productions

    January 1995 - April 1996

  • IT/Art

    ACTIVISION STUDIOS

    1992 - 1995

  • Technical Support

    Symantec

    1990 - 1992
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Education

  • Certification

    Gnomon School of Visual Effects

    2001 - 2001

  • N/A in Fine Art

    Otis College of Art and Design

    1989 - 1991