Valerie Tai

Work History

• 

  Lighting Technical Director

  Wētā FX

  May 2023 - Present

  Melbourne, Victoria, Australia · Remote

• Full-time parenting

  Career Break

  June 2022 - May 2023

  Wellington, Wellington Region
• 

  Lighting Artist

  Framestore

  March 2021 - June 2022

  Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• 

  Lighting Technical Director

  Wētā FX

  July 2020 - December 2020

  Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand · Remot

• Full-time parenting

  Career Break

  May 2019 - July 2020

  Wellington, Wellington Region
• 

  Junior Technical Director

  Wētā FX

  April 2012 - May 2019

  Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) lighting and rendering
  The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) lighting and rendering

  

  

  

  

  
• 

  Lighting Technical Director

  Wētā FX

  September 2015 - May 2019

  Technology: Katana, Manuka, Nuke, Maya, PRMan, Linux.
  Film List: Gemini Man (2019), Alita Battle Angel (2019), Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017), The BFG (2016), Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Road Chip (2015).
  -Took on shots of high complexity with challenging asset management scenarios and unique
  optimisation and debugging oportunities.
  -Among the first members of the department to experience a major pipeline overhaul mid
  production.
• 

  Lighting Artist

  Iloura

  April 2015 - August 2015

  Lane Cove, New South Wales, Australia

  Technology: PRMan, Katana, Nuke, Linux.
  Film list: Gods of Egypt.
  -Part of a very small lighting team with few tools meant self sufficiency and tight rendering
  resource management was a must.
  -Tight deadlines meant high shot counts and efficient turnovers were necessary.

  
• 

  Assistant Technical Director

  Wētā FX

  April 2012 - October 2013

  The Wolverine (2013) FX simulations in Houdini
  Man of Steel (2013) FX simulations in Houdini, technical render troubleshooting and debugging
  Iron Man 3 (2013) FX simulations in Houdini, lighting and rendering, technical render troubleshooting and debugging
  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) lighting and rendering, FX, technical render troubleshooting and debugging
• 

  Junior 3D Animator

  Oktobor Animation

  January 2012 - April 2012

  Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (2011) Character animator
  The Penguins of Madagascar (2008) Character animator
  Robot and Monster (2012) Character animator
• 

  3D Animator

  Oktobor Animation

  September 2011 - April 2012

  Auckland, New Zealand

  Software: Maya.
  -Started as an animation/layout intern where I was tasked with the layout of 3D elements. Progressed to 3D animator.
• 

  Animation Intern

  Oktobor Animation

  September 2011 - December 2011

  Monster and Robot (2012) Layout of 3D scene assets, character animation
  The Penguins of Madagascar (2008) Layout of 3D scene assets, character animation

• Motion Graphics Artist

  Freelance Contractor

  December 2008 - December 2010

• Motion Graphics and Compositing VFX artist

  Albedo VFX

  April 2009 - February 2010

  Auckland, New Zealand

  Software: Fusion, After Effects, Premiere, Mocha, Photoshop.
  -Compositing and rotoscoping of footage for television
  -Design and animation of futuristic screen interfaces