I monitor and manage the render queue and nodes in both Los Angeles and New Zealand and troubleshoot failed render jobs. I also make sure stage and render environments are up to date.
Q&A
What is something surprising about your job that most people might not know?
The render wrangler position on Avatar sequels, more than other shows, requires a lot of interaction with the various departments and you need a general understanding of the technology and workflow being used. On most days, I communicate with artists, developers, coordinators, and systems engineers and all the while having to be aware of what is happening on stage.
Is there a detail from Avatar: The Way of Water you want fans to know?
A tremendous amount of effort and attention to detail went into every single shot. It's an interesting and challenging project to work on as an artist or technical operator (even for the highly experienced) because you have to learn new workflows and technologies -- and the processes evolve as the production goes on.
What’s the most exciting thing about working on the sequels?
Watching the actors work on set. Also getting to see the quality of the virtual production renders, even though they are not even close to being final shots yet.
Best film industry advice you want to share?
You should always work on a project that gives you an opportunity to learn new things.