VFX Lead Compositor - (Los Angeles, California) - Freelance

All applicants MUST reside in California, and legally eligible to work in California. About DigitalFilm Tree (DFT) DigitalFilm Tree (DFT) is a veteran boutique post-production facility with operations in Los Angeles and British Columbia, specializing in VFX, cloud-based dailies, finishing, and archival services for film and television. DFT is also a leader in cybersecurity for the media and entertainment industry, with ongoing R&D efforts that have produced innovative software solutions for production and post-production. A multidisciplinary approach is central to how we work, bringing together artists, producers, technologists, and operations teams to solve complex challenges while putting people first through a culture of collaboration, trust, and exceptional client service. About our VFX Team Our VFX team is detail-oriented, deadline-driven, and adaptable to shifting priorities. We are collaborative, hands-on problem-solvers who take pride in delivering high-quality work while supporting one another throughout the production process. Success on our team requires clear communication, sound judgment, and the ability to balance creative goals with production realities. We value accountability, proactive thinking, and building strong working relationships with clients, supervisors, producers, coordinators, artists, and vendors. Position Overview As the Lead Compositor, you will serve as a hands-on creative and technical lead for compositing across one or more productions. Working closely with the Head of VFX, SVP of VFX, VFX Supervisors, Producers, and Coordinators, you will help establish the overall compositing approach, maintain visual and technical consistency, and ensure work meets creative, technical, and scheduling expectations. This is a working lead role. You will be expected to contribute hands-on to complex shots while providing direction, feedback, troubleshooting, and mentorship to other compositors. You will also participate in client reviews and serve as a key point of communication between the compositing team and production leadership. Please note: This role is focused on live-action 2D and 2.5D compositing. Candidates whose background is primarily CG lighting and compositing are not the right fit for this position. Responsibilities Lead the creative and technical direction of compositing across assigned sequences or productions. Establish and maintain compositing methodologies, workflows, look, continuity, and quality standards in collaboration with VFX Supervisors. Perform advanced, hands-on compositing for complex live-action and/or CG shots, delivering photorealistic results. Review shots and sequences for creative and technical continuity, quality, and consistency. Participate in client reviews, interpret feedback, and communicate clear, actionable notes to compositing artists. Collaborate with VFX Supervisors, Producers, Coordinators, and other departments to establish priorities, assign work, manage workload, and meet deadlines. Troubleshoot complex creative and technical challenges and provide practical solutions within the show pipeline. Mentor and support compositing artists through coaching, feedback, knowledge sharing, and technical guidance. Develop and share tools, templates, and workflows that improve efficiency and support the broader compositing team. Perform final quality control on assigned work and ensure shots are production-ready and aligned with client and project expectations. Communicate production status, team workload, risks, and pipeline needs to production and VFX leadership. Contribute to process and pipeline improvements throughout production and participate in post-project evaluations. Support recruitment and team-building efforts as needed. Qualifications 5+ years of professional VFX compositing experience in film and television; 3+ years may be considered for exceptional candidates. 2+ years of experience in a Lead or Senior Lead Compositor role, including establishing looks, maintaining sequence consistency, reviewing work, and communicating notes. Advanced to expert proficiency in Nuke, with strong knowledge of 2D and 3D compositing workflows. Extensive hands-on experience with photoreal compositing, including keying, tracking, rotoscoping, cleanup, matte extraction, projections, matte painting integration, CG integration, and color management. Strong understanding of EXR workflows, image formats, color spaces, and color management. Strong eye for color, composition, continuity, and detail, with the ability to take shots from direction through final delivery. Demonstrated ability to solve complex creative and technical challenges independently and efficiently. Experience leading, mentoring, and providing technical guidance to other compositors. Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines in a fast-paced production environment. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to communicate effectively with artists, supervisors, producers, coordinators, and clients. Experience with Nuke 3D workflows; familiarity with Maya, Houdini, and/or Unreal Engine is a plus. Experience working on the vendor or facility side of VFX production, preferably in episodic television. Bonus Qualifications Familiarity with FTrack or similar production management tools. Experience with Python or pipeline scripting. Experience with ComfyUI workflows. Additional information This is a remote or hybrid freelance position. The anticipated rate is $700–$750/day, depending on the candidate's experience, portfolio, and the complexity of the services required. Candidates based in the Los Angeles area who are able to work from our office on a hybrid basis are a plus. Candidates must be located in California and legally eligible to work in California. We do not offer relocation options. You must have a reliable internet connection via Ethernet and be available for team meetings and reviews during Pacific Time. This description outlines the primary services required but is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all project deliverables. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regret that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. If the above sounds like you and you’re looking to work with one of the strongest and most innovative teams in the industry, we’d love to hear from you! #J-18808-Ljbffr DigitalFilm Tree