Layout Technical Director at Weta Digital
New Zealand
- Current
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- Layout Technical Director at Weta Digital
- Past
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- Co-Project Lead, Lead Level Designer at Crackpot Entertainment
- Project Manager at Keystone Associates, LLC
- Lead Designer, Co-Owner at Nihilistic Software
- Level Designer, 3D Background Artist at LucasArts Entertainment, LLC
- Intern Architect at Highland Associates
- Education
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- Pennsylvania State University
- Montrose Area High School
- Recommended
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9 people have recommended Jacob - Connections
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163
connections
- Industry
- Computer Games
- Websites
Jacob Stephens’s Summary
Experienced interactive and conceptual designer specializing in spatial design, layout and cinematics, seeking to bring accumulated knowledge and experience from successful AAA Console & PC game development into broader entertainment industry, tv and film.
Skills: Maya 8.0, 3D Studio Max, LightWave, FormZ, SketchUp, AutoCAD, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Soundforge, XACT, DevTrack, Filemaker Pro, Word, Excel, Access, limited Java/C++/HTML, Final Cut Pro, Shake
Jacob Stephens’s Specialties:
Working with and directing creative teams, developing creative processes and streamlining production pipelines. Developing and expanding existing creative licenses (Star Wars, Vampire the Masquerade, StarCraft, Marvel) as well as developing new intellectual property. Over ten years of experience designing and building high-profile games for top-tier publishers (EA, Activision, Blizzard/Vivendi Universal, LucasArts).
Jacob Stephens’s Experience
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Layout Technical Director
Weta Digital
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Motion Pictures and Film industry)
April 2008 — Present (4 months)
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Co-Project Lead, Lead Level Designer
Crackpot Entertainment
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Computer Games industry)
January 2007 — April 2008 (1 year 4 months)
Providing contract design services, including layout concepts, design documents and finished elements. Current project: http://www.insecticidethegame.com/
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Project Manager
Keystone Associates, LLC
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Architecture & Planning industry)
September 2006 — January 2007 (5 months)
Providing design services, including concepts, documents and finished elements to clients.
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Lead Designer, Co-Owner
Nihilistic Software
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Games industry)
September 1999 — August 2005 (6 years)
Responsible for the design and design direction, and assisted in managing the production, development and completion of multi-million-dollar titles for international publishers of entertainment software. Served as a primary point of contact for publisher-developer relationships and fostered new business relations.
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects (2005) Lead Designer
StarCraft: Ghost (TBD) Lead Designer
Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption (2000) Designer -
Level Designer, 3D Background Artist
LucasArts Entertainment, LLC
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Computer Games industry)
September 1996 — August 1999 (3 years)
Designed interactive experiences and puzzles, and built in-game environments using a variety of proprietary software, 3D Studio Max and LightWave for multiple top-selling PC and console games. Scripted in-game events and cutscenes using proprietary software and Java.
Escape From Monkey Island (2000) Background Artist
Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer (1999) Level Designer
Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith (1998) Level Designer
Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (1997) Level Designer -
Intern Architect
Highland Associates
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Architecture & Planning industry)
May 1994 — August 1995 (1 year 4 months)
Produced design development sketches and final renderings
of commercial healthcare and banking projects for established
architectural firms. Created as-built and final construction drawings with teams of licensed architects.
Jacob Stephens’s Education
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Pennsylvania State University
BArch, Architecture, 1991 — 1996
Research Grant Assistantship
The Mnemonic Function of Architecture
Penn State Sede di Roma (Summer 1994)- Activities and Societies:
- American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
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Montrose Area High School
1987 — 1991
- Activities and Societies:
- National Honor Society, AP Club, Marching Band, Wrestling, Cross Country, Track
Additional Information
Jacob Stephens’s Websites:
Jacob Stephens’s Interests:
Reading, movies, home theater, cooking, iMovie, blogging, hiking, camping, comics, LOTR, Star Wars, Transformers, Thundercats, Voltron, etc.
Jacob Stephens’s Groups:
Tolkien Society
Jacob Stephens’s Honors:
Speaker, Game Developer’s Conference (2001)
Unbilled extra, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
American Institute of Architects Merit Scholarship (1994)
SOM Traveling Fellowship Nominee (1996)
Design Excellence Award (1993)
Design Excellence Award Honorable Mention (1994)
Jacob Stephens’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- expertise requests
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
