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Sony Pictures Imageworks

High-end visual effects and animation services

Experienced Lighter

Full-Time
No salary listed
Mid
Montreal, QC, Canada
In Person
Art, Graphics & AnimationAnimation & VFX

About the job

Requirements
  • Excellent communication skills in French and English.
  • Knowledge of Katana, Maya, Linux, and UNIX.
  • Ability to write scripts in relevant languages, including MEL, Perl, and Python.
  • At least 3 years of production experience or feature film experience.
  • Ability to provide a demo reel illustrating relevant artistic and technical experience, including the nuances of this specific role.
Responsibilities
  • Design and implement lighting for characters and environments in assigned shots that meet and enhance the production’s art direction.
  • Light multiple types of scenes ranging from simple to moderately difficult.
  • Ensure assigned shots fit the continuity of the sequence.
  • Develop solutions and techniques that meet artistic and technical direction.
  • Apply a clear understanding of how art and technology should function.
  • Meet efficiency and quota targets.
  • Interact with supervisors and peers to exchange information relevant to the show or sequences.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in compositing.
  • Knowledge of RenderMan shading, volume rendering, and ray tracing.
  • Knowledge of relevant compositing software, including Nuke.

About the company

S

Sony Pictures Imageworks

View

Sony Pictures Imageworks is a visual effects and animation studio that creates photorealistic visuals for live-action films and full CG features. The company delivers services for projects from early concept design to final visual effects integration, working on creature and character animation as well as large-scale CG sequences. It differentiates itself with a long track record and its own developed software and tools that help solve industry challenges, which it also licenses to other studios as an additional revenue stream. The business mainly earns money by providing VFX and animation work on a project basis and by licensing technology. The studio serves major film studios and production companies worldwide and aims to help productions achieve high-quality visuals while advancing film technology through its proprietary tools and creative output.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Culver City, California

Founded

1992

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Imageworks posted 51 active openings in August 2026, signaling strong current production demand.
  • The studio expanded hiring in Montreal and Vancouver, increasing delivery capacity across Canada.
  • Job postings for security and pipeline engineers show investment in IP protection and efficiency.

What critics are saying

  • Sony Pictures plans several hundred layoffs on April 7, 2026, threatening Imageworks staffing.
  • High reliance on Sony franchise work concentrates revenue in Spider-Man and related tentpole schedules.
  • VFX labor remains volatile; a delayed show pipeline or strike gaps can idle artists quickly.

What makes Sony Pictures Imageworks unique

  • Michelle Grady leads Imageworks from Vancouver, with Montreal and Los Angeles capacity in 2026.
  • Imageworks combines feature animation, VFX, and pipeline engineering across Spider-Verse and blockbuster franchises.
  • The studio still recruits specialized technical artists, showing deep proprietary workflow differentiation in 2026.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • Paid Vacation

Company News

Animation World Network
May 29th, 2025
Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Imageworks Release 'This Is Animation' Course

Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks have teamed with the educational platform Yellowbrick for "This Is Animation," a free online course that introduces learners of all ages to the art and industry of animated filmmaking.

Business In Vancouver
Jan 8th, 2025
Sony Pictures Imageworks relocating Vancouver office to The Post

Sony Pictures Imageworks is relocating its Vancouver headquarters from CF Pacific Centre to The Post, a coveted downtown location known for its revitalized mid-century architecture and a long-term tenancy by Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN).

IMDb
Aug 13th, 2024
Sony Pictures Entertainment Chief Tony Vinciquerra to Receive the Variety Vanguard Award at Mipcom

Sony Pictures Entertainment chief Tony Vinciquerra to receive the Variety Vanguard Award at Mipcom.

postPerspective
Oct 4th, 2023
Sony Imageworks Promotes Michelle Grady to President

Sony Imageworks promotes michelle Grady to president.

Deadline
Oct 3rd, 2023
Sony Pictures Imageworks Promotes Michelle Grady To President

Sony Pictures Imageworks promotes Michelle Grady to President.