Steven Knipping

Work History

• 

  Rigid Body Simulation TD

  Industrial Light & Magic

  March 2014 - October 2015

  
• 

  FX TD / Artist

  Atomic Fiction

  December 2013 - March 2014

  Oakland, California

  Lead Houdini FX TD
  - Provided FX for 3 episodes of FOX's Cosmos
• 

  FX TD / Artist

  The Mill

  August 2013 - October 2013

  New York City, NY

  Lead Houdini FX TD
  - Created all FX on three advertisements for Glad and Advil
  - Created Houdini Pyro-based smoke, vapor, and steam effects as well as sparkle and spark particle effects.
• 

  FX TD / Artist

  Atomic Fiction

  February 2013 - July 2013

  Emeryvill, CA

  FX TD
  - Created RBD and particle destruction FX for climax of Disney's The Lone Ranger
  - Created particle FX for intro and extro credits for Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
• 

  CFX TD / Artist

  DreamWorks Animation

  January 2012 - February 2013

  PDI (Redwood City, CA)

  Character FX Animator
  • Animator on the in- production feature, Rise of the Guardians (out November 2012).
  • Houdini mentor for CFX department by teaching classes, helping other artists with shot-specific issues,
  and creating Houdini tools and setups for the department.
  • Develop and utilize Maya and Houdini solutions for shot- work with secondary animation, rigid
  bodies, hair, fur, and clothing.
  • Highly collaborative environment, with great focus on effective communication between artist and
  technical staff.

  

  

  
• 

  CFX and Lighting TD

  DreamWorks Animation

  August 2009 - January 2012

  PDI (Redwood City, CA)

  Character FX and Lighting Technical Director
  • Technical Director for Character FX on Madagascar 3, combining artist and technical production
  problem-solving roles.
  • Developed Houdini systems to simulate dynamite packed cannons, character fur interaction, dynamic
  surface contact, procedural cloth, as well as many other procedural shot- specific solutions.
  • Technical Director for Lighting Department on How To Train Your Dragon, again combining artist
  and technical problem-solving roles.
  • Engaged in extensive production problem solving, focusing on rendering and pipeline issues on a tight
  production schedule.