Instructor or Artistic Assistant Professor of Virtual Production, Non-Tenure track, Spring 2025

$100,000 - $110,000/Yr

Chapman University - Orange, CA

Full-time - Entry Level

Orange, CA

Educational Services

About the position

Chapman University is seeking a non-tenure track Instructor or Assistant Professor in Virtual Production for its Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, starting in February 2025. The role involves teaching, academic advising, and contributing to the college's service, with a focus on virtual production and VFX courses. The position emphasizes a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and aims to foster an environment for student and faculty achievement.

Responsibilities

• Teach Virtual Production and VFX courses.
• Work closely with faculty, staff, and students to plan and execute projects including preparation of assets and production design elements for Virtual Production.
• Assist the onsite stage team in the virtual production needs for student productions by providing training, mentoring, and guidance on set.
• Assist tech support staff and the chief technology officer in curating new hardware and software for virtual production and assist with AI integration.
• Mentor undergraduate students who are focused on virtual production projects.
• Mentor students throughout their creative journey, from conceptual development to postproduction.
• Develop curriculum to align with current and emerging industry standards.
• Explore opportunities for multi-disciplinary collaboration.
• Assist the Chair and Program Director in developing relationships with industry to maintain current best practices and facilitate student placement at graduation.
• Contribute to developing a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion for all constituents.

Requirements

• MFA or other terminal degree in film production, a related field, or significant relevant professional experience in virtual production.
• Experience as a director, cinematographer, or supervisor in virtual production on an LED volume stage.
• Experience with hardware and software integration, and on-set pipelines such as camera tracking and source control on a virtual production stage.
• Advanced knowledge of surfacing, environment setup, lighting, and optimization in Unreal as well as experience with blueprints.
• Experience directing teams in a VFX asset and shot production pipeline.
• Experience using digital content creating software such as Maya, Nuke, and Unreal Engine.

Nice-to-haves

• Teaching experience of two to five years
• CG supervisor experience
• VFX supervision experience
• Extensive understanding of film history, theory, and aesthetics.

Benefits

• Competitive salary ranging from $100,000 to $110,000, commensurate with experience.