VP, Creative Technologist & VFX

Position Summary Torchlight is Sony Pictures Entertainment’s advanced production, creative technology, and innovation organization, dedicated to transforming how stories are imagined, created, and delivered across Feature Film, Television, Animation, and Marketing. Leveraging Sony’s proprietary technologies alongside industry-leading third-party platforms, Torchlight identifies, develops, and operationalizes next-generation creative capabilities that redefine the future of filmmaking. Acting as both an innovation incubator and strategic production partner, Torchlight accelerates the adoption of emerging technologies while enabling filmmakers to push the boundaries of cinematic storytelling. Reporting directly to the Visualization Creative Director, Torchlight & SVP, of Visualization, the Vice President, Creative Technology & VFX serves as the organization’s senior creative technology executive and principal visual innovation leader. This executive works directly alongside filmmakers, showrunners, directors, producers, studio creative executives, animation leadership, the Sony Pictures VFX organization, global marketing creatives, engineering teams, and external production partners to transform creative ambition into production reality. The Vice President leads the creative exploration, implementation, and adoption of emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence, visual effects, virtual production, procedural content creation, real-time rendering, digital humans, simulation, immersive media, and future creative platforms—to expand what is creatively possible while maintaining world-class artistic standards. Unlike traditional technology executives, this leader remains deeply embedded within the creative process, serving as both a trusted creative partner and hands-on change agent responsible for shaping the future visual language of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Responsibilities Creative Technology Leadership · Partner directly with the Executive Creative Director to define Torchlight’s long-term creative technology vision. · Serve as Sony a senior executive advisor on emerging creative technologies and visual innovation. · Inspire new methods of storytelling through the convergence of filmmaking, machine learning, visual effects, and advanced production technologies. · Establish creative technology strategies that balance artistic excellence, production feasibility, and long-term studio innovation & efficiencies. Creative Partnership Serve as Torchlight’s primary creative technology partner to: · Feature Film Directors · Television Showrunners · Producers · Studio Creative Development Executives · Franchise Leadership · Global Marketing Creative Organizations · Sony Pictures VFX · Animation Leadership · Studio Production Executives Responsibilities include: · Collaborating from concept development through final delivery. · Developing innovative visual approaches that enhance storytelling. · Advising productions on technology adoption, creative methodology, and production strategy. · Building trust with filmmakers while preserving creative intent. · Developing new and innovative ways to create efficiencies in the filmmaking process Visual Innovation & Pixel Creation · Lead Torchlights exploration of next-generation image creation technologies. · Drive innovation across visual effects, computer graphics, virtual production, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, procedural content generation, and machine learning visual development. · Champion advances in pixel creation that improve both artistic quality and production efficiency. · Prototype emerging workflows that redefine how visual content is conceived, developed, and delivered. Emerging Technologies · Identify opportunities where new technologies enhance creative workflows while preserving artistic authorship. · Develop production-ready applications of machine learning, generative media, intelligent automation, and future creative systems. · Evaluate emerging technologies for creative value, scalability, production readiness, and enterprise adoption. Production Innovation · Work directly with productions to introduce innovative technologies into active filmmaking. · Support productions through visualization, proof-of-concepts, rapid prototyping, and creative technology consulting. · Collaborate with VFX Supervisors, Production Designers, Cinematographers, Editorial, Animation, and Post-Production leadership. · Help productions navigate complex creative and technical challenges through emerging technologies. VFX & Vendor Leadership · Partner closely with Sony Pictures’ Visual Effects organizations to define future production methodologies. · Build strategic relationships across leading VFX facilities, technology companies, developers, software partners, and research organizations. · Establish best practices for integrating emerging technologies into production pipelines. · Influence the industry’s evolution through collaborative partnerships and technological leadership. Innovation Incubation · Lead Torchlight’s creative experimentation initiatives. · Build proof-of-concepts demonstrating future production capabilities. · Transition promising technologies from research into production deployment. · Foster a culture of continuous experimentation, creative curiosity, and responsible innovation. Executive Collaboration · Partner closely with the Vice President, Creative Infrastructure to translate creative innovation into scalable enterprise capabilities. · Collaborate across Studio Technology, Engineering, Production, Marketing, Security, Product, Operations, and Sony corporate organizations. · Represent Torchlight at executive forums, industry conferences, technology partnerships, and strategic innovation initiatives. Qualifications · 25+ years of progressive leadership and hands-on experience in the visual effects, animation, and digital p