John Feather Email & Phone Number

San Francisco Bay Area

• As Senior Facial Production R&D at Soul Machines, I established and advanced their FACS facial rigging pipeline and methodology and trained their artists in FACS modeling and rigging. Accomplishments:
• Refined FACS network shape requirements to meet the needs of real-time deployment
• Implemented an advanced rule system to constrain the FACS network combinational envelope
• Developed a rule based system for handling asymmetric facial effects in a symmetrical FACS system
• Developed a real-time look-dev environment for Maya
• Developed a one-click rigging tool for Maya

San Rafael, California

• I served as Facial Pipeline Supervisor for projects involving celebrity likenesses. In December of 2014, I took an extended leave of absence from my position to care for my parents at the end of their.
• Developing and deploying universal character topology
• Modeling and texturing celebrity likenesses
• Creating a universal pose space UV layout
• Creating a tissue simulation workflow and tool set for prototyping complex facial dynamics
• Standardizing and authoring anatomical combination space blend shape networks

Larkspur, California

• Beginning as a facial modeler on Jack the Giant Slayer, I was soon promoted to staff and project facial lead. I continued as facial lead on Digital Domain’s most ambitious photorealistic creature project at the time.
• Creation of resolution independent realtime high frequency skin dynamics system
• Creation of Disney Zurich facial data ingest and modeling workflow
• Extension of industry standard facial network prioritization logic
• Facial shot finaling on all hero creature shots
• Lead modeler on all actor / creature facial designs and rigs (Maleficent)

Monterey, California

• A freelance video production company through which I provided a broad range of content for corporate, commercial, and independent clients while advancing my general VFX skills.Accomplishments:
• End to end content creation from script, storyboard, and animatic, through physical location prep, lighting, and photography, to editing, sound and music design, and extensive VFX

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

• On the strength of facial rigging, modeling, and pipeline development for my previous employer, I was asked to assist with the development of Gollum’s facial rig for the first LOTR trilogy.Accomplishments:
• Continued combination state blendshape network technology development
• Rapid, production level facial rig asset creation
• Modeling staff training / mentorship

Monterey, California

• I was hired to create a realtime, photorealistic facial modeling, rigging, and animation pipeline for online digital avatars.Accomplishments:
• Creation of a hierarchical, combination state blendshape network facial rigging system
• Modeling and rigging of all hero creature assets
• Extensive pipeline tool development
• Staff recruitment, management, and training
• Authoring of staff training syllabi