Alyssa Zarate
Vancouver,BC
Summary
I'm an Environment & Matte Painting Supervisor currently based in Vancouver, BC. With dual citizenship in New Zealand and Canada, I've had the privilege of working in diverse cultural and production environments, honing my ability to lead and innovate.
My traditional Fine Arts training and Computer Science background have equipped me to bridge the gap between aesthetic vision and technological execution. I've consistently pushed artistic and technological boundaries throughout my career, ensuring top-notch collaboration and seamless integration across production pipelines.
As I look forward to my next challenge, I am eager to leverage my unique blend of skills in the creative and tech realm, bringing with me a rich history of leadership, and innovation, and a proven track record of driving projects to completion.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Matte Painting Supervisor (Consultant)
Squeeze Animation Studios
09.2022 - Current
- I was brought on with the pivotal responsibility of establishing the Environment and Matte Painting Department from the ground up for their first feature-length animation project
- My role encompassed the intricate task of building a robust pipeline, developing tools and refining workflows to ensure operational readiness for high-caliber projects, particularly one featuring over 1000+ CG shots
- Leveraging my experience, I am assembling a dynamic team of both technical and creative artists, ensuring a harmonious blend of skill sets
- I also played a crucial role in managing budgets to optimize resources while ensuring artistic and technical excellence.
VFX Art Director
beloFX
08.2022 - 08.2023
- As a visual effects art director for feature film and episodic projects, my primary responsibility is to oversee the creative direction of VFX elements in the project
- I work closely with the director, producers, and other stakeholders to understand their vision and help bring it to life through VFX
- My role involves collaborating with various teams, including VFX supervisors, artists, and TDs, to develop and refine the look and feel of VFX shots
- I provide artistic direction and feedback to ensure the VFX elements align with the project's aesthetic and storytelling goals
- Additionally, I also lead teams of VFX generalists and matte painters, providing guidance and support to help them execute their work to the highest standard
- I help establish workflows, guidelines, and best practices that enable the team to efficiently create and deliver high-quality VFX on time and within budget.
Environment & Matte Painting Supervisor
Sony Pictures Imageworks
01.2015 - 08.2022
- During my 8 years at Sony Pictures Imageworks, I ascended roles from Senior Matte Painter to Lead Matte Painter and eventually to Matte Painting & Environment Supervisor
- In addition to hands-on artistic work, I also mentored interns and junior artists, streamlined the department's Photoshop - Nuke pipeline, developed tools to increase the productivity and efficiency of the teams, and built talented teams of artists, ensuring the successful delivery of high-end projects for esteemed clients like our sister company Sony Pictures Animation, Marvel, Amazon and Netflix.
Senior Matte Painter
Image Engine Design Inc.
10.2014 - 01.2015
Senior Matte Painter
Zoic Studios
05.2014 - 10.2014
Matte Painter
MPC
05.2013 - 02.2014
Matte Painter
Rising Sun Pictures
01.2013 - 05.2013
Illustrator
National Geographic
09.2012 - 05.2013
- Illustrations for National Geographic's education series
Onset Matte Painter & Illustrator
Starz Entertainment, LLC
08.2011 - 12.2012
- Created a series of onset concepts and production sketches for vendors.
Education
B.FA with Hons - Fine Arts
Canterbury University's Ilam School of Fine Arts
Christchurch, New ZealandPostGrad Diploma - Machine Learning & Data Science
California Institute of Technology
05.2024
Visual Effects & Motion Graphics - Visual Effects & Motion Graphics
Media Design School
Auckland, New Zealand01.2011
Skills
- Leadership & Team Management
- Workflow Optimization
- Art Direction
- CG Environment & Matte Painting
- Unreal Engine Virtual Production
- Python Programming
- PyTorch TensorFlow Scikit-Learn
- Client Relations
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Chinese (Cantonese)
Full Professional
Chinese (Mandarin)
Limited Working
Spanish
Limited Working
Timeline
Matte Painting Supervisor (Consultant)
Squeeze Animation Studios
09.2022 - Current
VFX Art Director
beloFX
08.2022 - 08.2023
Environment & Matte Painting Supervisor
Sony Pictures Imageworks
01.2015 - 08.2022
Senior Matte Painter
Image Engine Design Inc.
10.2014 - 01.2015
Senior Matte Painter
Zoic Studios
05.2014 - 10.2014
Matte Painter
MPC
05.2013 - 02.2014
Matte Painter
Rising Sun Pictures
01.2013 - 05.2013
Illustrator
National Geographic
09.2012 - 05.2013
Onset Matte Painter & Illustrator
Starz Entertainment, LLC
08.2011 - 12.2012
B.FA with Hons - Fine Arts
Canterbury University's Ilam School of Fine Arts
PostGrad Diploma - Machine Learning & Data Science
California Institute of Technology
Visual Effects & Motion Graphics - Visual Effects & Motion Graphics
Media Design School
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