Working at MPC - Moving Picture Company

I spent two years in London at the MPC - Moving Picture Company, from September 2017 to September 2019.

I’ve been part of the making of The Lion King movie as a software developer for the layout department. In a few words, their job is to frame a shot by working on the camera and on the characters’ position and transitions from shot to shot through the entire sequence.

My role was to support the team by writing new tools to improve, automate, or simplify the team’s workflow. I’ve done this working closely with the team leads and the HoD (Head of Department) to improve their pipeline.

In summary, I’ve done:

  • python tools using the Maya API for better handling cameras in the shots
  • research on finding solutions for doing layout in real time, mainly experimenting with Pixar USD (Universal Scene Description) and Unreal Engine for rendering.
  • standalone tools using python and pyQt/pySide for doing bulk operations on a large amount of assets (for instance: loading props and characters in scenes, applying modification to them and release it automatically in the studio’s content)

Some of my tools were also used on other movies: Dumbo, Pokémon - Detective Pikachu, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.


Working at Rainbow CGI

I started my career just after my graduation in late 2014 at Rainbow CGI as a pipeline developer.

Rainbow CGI produced the first Italian full-length CGI Feature Film. It is the only Italian Studio to feature in its filmography the production of four 3D animation movies for the big screen, together with more than one hundred episodes of TV and web series.

Here I’ve worked on the studio’s pipeline, writing python tools to enhance the production and building new workflows between the studio departments.

In summary, I’ve worked on:

  • Tools and scripts for Autodesk Maya using its python API
  • standalone apps using python Qt libraries for the UI
  • Maintenance of the studio’s database and data structures