Professor of Cinematic Arts in Virtual Production, Division of Film and Television Production

The Division of Film and Television Production within the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California is seeking an experienced professional in the film and television industry to fill a full-time tenure position to teach beginning, intermediate, and advanced-level courses in Virtual Production. This position carries with it the Georges Méliès Endowed Chair in Visual Effects.

Qualified candidates will have extensive professional experience in Virtual Production.  Applicants should possess substantial Virtual Production credits in feature film and television.   The ideal candidate will have some teaching experience.  A commitment to mentoring students toward achieving their educational and career goals is crucial.  The candidate must have considerable experience using the Unreal Engine, Motion Capture, and other Visual Effects techniques.  They will also be responsible for advancing the technology for the Virtual Production program.

The Division of Film and Television Production offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Fine Arts degrees. The primary goals of the degree programs in film and television production are to develop the student's ability to express original ideas on film or video and to instill a thorough understanding of the technical and aesthetic aspects of motion pictures and television. Courses in Virtual Production provide individual and group filmmaking experiences and the opportunity to learn all aspects of filmmaking in a collaborative environment. Our Virtual Production classes focus on students learning Unreal Engine and Motion Capture to create a short CG film or Previs with basic animation, as well as hybrid films that combine traditional film production with virtual production elements.

Minimum Education: BA degree

Minimum Experience: A minimum of fifteen years of professional experience in the film and television industry

Preferred Education:  MFA degree

Preferred Experience: Teaching experience and a minimum of ten years of professional experience in the film and television industry

• Visual Effects background with ten years of experience
• Visualization, Lighting, Rendering, and compositing experience on films
• Experience using Unreal and Unity Game Engines
• On-set experience in LED volume operation using UE5
• Creative filmmaking experience from script to post

• Ability to put together a Syllabus (or adapt the existing one)
• Know 3D workflow and software such as Maya, Blender.
• Lighting skills
• Storytelling skills
• Cameras & Cinematography
• Mocap and Performance Capture
• Photogrammetry
• Communicating well with students
• Communicating and collaborating with the faculty and heads of Virtual Production
• Staying abreast of the latest techniques

The annual base salary range for this position is $120,000 - $160,000. This is a 9-month full-time tenure position.

When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.