DEREK WALSH
Hi, I’m Derek.
Since 2004 I’ve been producing, project managing, data managing or editing for projects in the features, televisual commercial, games and virtual reality spaces.
Most uniquely I have a sound understanding of the processes of animation VFX and motion, and can understand, scrutinise and visualise the projects. This makes me particularly useful as a problem solver, my current employer often tasking me with challenges others would not be capable of, be that helping organise data flow on a 12Kx12K 6 minute film, or assigning me on projects that were at risk of failure to deliver to see if I can untangle things.
An animation hobbyist with a curiosity for AI, I enjoy understanding the world of design and animation at a deeper level. It is both times profession and leisure, learning how to connect the dots and using that knowledge to help the projects around me both at work and at home be the best that they can be.
SKILLSETS
RECENT
Took a career break after 8.5 years with a company to independently assess what I wanted from the next phase of my career in the AI Age. Having precedent on mixing freelance work in production with self directed artistic breaks in between for most of my career. This one was indulged a little longer. After all, It had an 8 year lead in.
I spent the time immersed in: CODEX, GEMINI, CLAUDE CODE, ANTIGRAVITY, MAYA, BLENDER, SHOTGUN, DEREKGUN, PYTHON, NPM, REACT, VITE, SQLITE, POSTGRESSQL, SVELTE, NUMPY, CUDA, HTML (to my surprise), JAVASCRIPT, RUBY ON RAILS (adjacent), TYPESCRIPT, MARKDOWN, TOML, agent skills, adk skills.
I can probably describe badly what a venv is and why its a thorn in your side because you did not put python 3.10 on PATH.
WORK HISTORY
Invited to produce the technical project — requested for my help and understanding of rendering, 360 experiences, data management and transfer, workflows, production tracking and managing projects with large image formats on a multidirector event to screen on the interior of the Las Vegas Sphere.
Reporting to the M.D. directly I helped establish contingency measures to protect a project. Working against a challenging delivery date, I helped identify key crew, task their workloads, and implement / spin up alternative rendering solutions to ensure the delivery of a 60" commercial featuring up to 20 groomed characters per scene. Provided dependable cloud rendering solutions which alleviated ‘capability’ based conversations.
Live action / CGI Hybrid commercial for Genesis Cars.
Fully CGI Promo film for McDonalds.
Returning to Orange for the Inaugural Video Game Adaptation. In addition to producing, I found myself supporting the Client, Agency and Developers by offering suggestions within brand guidelines, forecasting issues and, for lack of a team member filling the role, a smidge of creative direction — including steering character designs and animation briefs, forging efficient paths in a bespoke workflow and mentoring young talent.
Producing live animation (yes, live animation) to promote Gorillaz Cracker Island Album release. An hour long live streamed broadcast featuring Murdoc 100% performed live, using Nexus’s proprietary Motion Solving tools in conjunction with XSens and Stretchsense Technology.
Producing live animation Gorillaz using Unity and Motion Capture. Project involves prebaked animation mixed with totally live animation performance reacting in real time with fans.
Anim/Post Producer, considering all non ‘live action shoot’ phases from storyboards through to grade. Working in conjunction with Armoury Films who produced and executed all live action components.
A live animation (using Unreal/mocap). I was sent with a small team of developers to Hollywood Los Angeles to oversee the production of our 8 minute realtime performance with a team of Critical Role’s voice acting talent.
Black Mirror: Playtest (Dir. Dan Trachtenberg). Clientside VFX Coordination working between vendors Framestore, Glassworks, Invisible Arts and Baseblack.
Projects: The Aliens (S1), The Living and the Dead, Jericho S2, Poldark S2, Damascus Cover (Feature). Bidding, scheduling, team management, pipeline development, editorial, client-facing meetings, resource management, data I/O.
The Jungle Book (2015, Dir. Jon Favreau). Managed ingest of all live action footage for use by Technicolor subsidiary MPC. Liaised with Onset team, VFX Supervisors, Data Management Teams, Show Production, and Technology Departments, reporting to Head of Post Production in Los Angeles.
Nike: The Last Game, Phenomenal Shot, Ask Zlatan, Every Day Every Play · Cinnamon Toast Crunch · Les Furets · Damon Albarn: Everyday Robots · Metlife with Charlie Brown/Peanuts
This Is Jinsy: Series 2
Dark Shadows (Dir. Tim Burton) · Wrath of the Titans (Dir. Jonathan Liebesman)
John Carter (Dir. Andrew Stanton)
Atlantis · Stephen Hawking’s Universe
The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (Dir. Terry Gilliam). CG Layout, Render Management and Render Troubleshooting.
The Dark Knight (Dir. Christopher Nolan) · Cloverfield (Dir. Matt Reeves) · Harry Potter 5: The Order of the Phoenix (Dir. David Yates) · 10,000 B.C. (Dir. Roland Emmerich) · In Bruges (Dir. Martin McDonagh)
Graham Coxon: Standing On My Own Again · Snow Patrol: You Are All That I Have · Nizlopi: Girls. Onset Runner for Music Promos and Commercials.
EDUCATION
STR101: Introduction to Stereoscopic · NUK203: Nuke and Stereoscopic · PYT101: Python Scripting for Compositors · PFTrack in Production · NUK302: Advanced Nuke II · NUK210: Nuke in Production I · MYA211: Maya Rendering and Lighting
GROUPS AND SOCIETIES
Volunteer stability testing for the now superseded Quixel Suite 2.
Promoting Sketchfab service at 2015 3D Printing Expo, London.
Modelling, UV Layout, workflow, documentation.
Editing Promotional Videos for Degree exhibition.