Morgan McDermott

Work History

• 

  CG Supervisor

  InfiniteWorld

  December 2021 - Present

  Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

  Working closely with Art Department to realize the creative vision, oversee every aspect of production, and plan a pragmatic way to deliver projects on time and with the budget
  Assisting in all technical aspects of animation production including rigging, animation, lighting, and FX
  Designing and implementing the technical, artistic pipeline and workflow
  Leading development of an Unreal Pipeline for Linear Media Production
  Training artists
  Designing and supervising the creation of CG imagery
  Verifies technical solutions proposed by other crew members
  Keeping up on current technology trends and tools that best suits future productions
  Assisting and supervising the artist in achieving the artistic goals of the production
  Working with Creative Resources to define recruiting goals to achieve the appropriate balance of qualified artists
• 

  3D Artist Film/TV/Unreal/Unity/VR

  Freelance

  November 2014 - Present

  Ann Arbor, MI

  3D artist and supervisor with a background in film VFX currently working with game engines and VR.

• Lead Look Dev Artist

  Dreamview Studios California USA

  September 2020 - November 2022

  Remote
• 

  CG Supervisor

  DreamView Inc.

  March 2021 - December 2021

  Working closely with Art Department to realize the creative vision, oversee every aspect of production, and plan a pragmatic way to deliver projects on time and with the budget
  Assisting in all technical aspects of animation production including rigging, animation, lighting, and FX
  Designing and implementing the technical, artistic pipeline and workflow
  Leading development of an Unreal Pipeline for Linear Media Production
  Training artists
  Designing and supervising the creation of CG imagery
  Verifies technical solutions proposed by other crew members
  Keeping up on current technology trends and tools that best suits future productions
  Assisting and supervising the artist in achieving the artistic goals of the production
  Working with Creative Resources to define recruiting goals to achieve the appropriate balance of qualified artists
• 

  Contract Senior 3D Artist Unreal, VR, Film

  Freelance

  January 2015 - September 2020

  Ann Arbor, MI

  Curiosity Stream - The History of Home. Supplementary animation for documentary series
  Dev101 - Not My Car! Battle Royale car combat game
  Three One Zero - Unreleased Unreal VR game
  Fusion Media Group - Mars 2030 Unreal VR Experience
  Labrodex Studios - Scraper Unreal VR Shooter.
  Smorpheous Game Lab - Various small Unity VR projects
  Model / sculpt AAA quality HighPoly Hard Surface game props and environment assets
  Bake Normal and utility maps
  Create PBR compliant photoreal textures
  Setup assets and material networks in Unreal Engine 4
  Optimize LowPoly assets and LODs for in engine use.
  
  Various Film and Television projects
  3D modeling, texturing, animation
  2D compositing and matte painting

• Lead 3D Artist

  Saganworks

  November 2017 - January 2020

  Develop 3D environments to be implemented in a future information storage and retrieval application running on multiple platforms including VR and AR.
  Design custom modular asset and material workflows to meet unique application needs.
  Hire and manage outsource artists to ensure production of quality assets delivered within budget and schedule constraints.
  
  

• Senior 3D / Unreal Engine Artist

  Labrodex

  April 2017 - September 2017

  Ann Arbor, MI

  Texture AAA quality environment and character assets for unannounced VR game.
  

• Senior 3D / Unreal Engine Artist

  FusionVR

  December 2016 - April 2017

  Model and Texture AAA quality environment assets for Mars 2030 exploration VR game.
  Work with NASA to create realistic future accurate models.
  
• 

  3D / Unreal Engine Artist

  Three One Zero

  February 2016 - December 2016

  Model / sculpt AAA quality highpoly game props and environment assets
  Bake Normal and utility maps
  Create PBR compliant photoreal textures
  Setup assets and material networks in Unreal Engine 4
  Optimize lowpoly assets and LODs for in engine use.

• 3D Generalist

  (self employed)

  December 2014 - March 2015
• 

  3D Supervisor / Partner

  Scoundrel Inc.

  November 2009 - October 2014

  Santa Monica, CA

  
  Use Autodesk Maya to create photo-real 3D models, environments, animation, and dynamic effects according to client specifications.
  
  Use Photoshop, ZBrush, and Mari to paint photoreal textures that comply with physically based shading techniques and render engines.
  
  Use Photoshop and Nuke to composite multipass renders into final quality elements for shot integration.
  
  Transfer high-poly model details via normal maps to low-poly models for scene optimization without loss of quality for real-time and non-real-time render efficiency.
  
  Design artist and project pipelines, standards, and workflows to assure quality work while minimizing QA overhead.
  
  Work closely with clients to define element and shot looks that maintain narrative and technical continuity.
  
  Present 3D elements and composited shots to clients for iteration notes and final review.
  
  Supervise and lead a teams of 3D / 2D artists and producers to maintain creative and technical direction while delivering final effects within time and budget constraints.
  
  Create client bids and schedules based on scripts and shot breakdowns while assessing artist and overhead costs.
  

• 3D artist

  Digital Dream VFX

  August 2006 - November 2009

  Greater Los Angeles Area

  
  Created technically and historically accurate 3D models of World War II Pacific Theater airplanes, ships, landing craft, and tanks for HBO's The Pacific.
  
  Worked with military historians to assure correct color, camouflage, and insignia for texturing of American and Japanese military hardware and vehicles.
  
  Won a Visual Effects Society award for Outstanding Created Environment for the re-creation of the invasion of Iwo Jima as well as contributing to the Emmy award win for The Pacific series overall.
  
  Designed 'hero looks' for 3D and 2D elements to be used by other artists as guides to adhere to client direction and maintain continuity.
  
  Compositing and rendering of multi-pass 3D elements to produce final quality shots for client review.
  

• Associate Art Director

  Future Network USA / Mobile magazine

  August 2004 - September 2005

  San Francisco, CA

  
  Design and layout for monthly mobile technology magazine
  Work with editorial staff to develop art concepts and designs for feature articles
  Art direct photography
  3D illustration
  Production work including photo clipping, color correction, and photo re-touching
  
• 

  Freelance Design and VFX work

  Self-employed

  September 2002 - August 2004

  Print publishing layout and design work, Advertising design, 3D illustration, 3D modeling and 2D compositing.

• Lead 3D artist

  dvGarage

  March 2001 - September 2002

  Developed lessons and training content for 3D artists