Michael McDonald
SENIOR LIGHTING ARTIST AT LIQUID SWORDS
- Ex-Ubisoft, Wētā FX, Wētā Workshop/Magic Leap, and EA
Biography
It’s been a privilege over the last 14+ years to have helped craft so many award-winning titles. The innovative collaboration process amongst world-class teams (including Weta Digital, Wētā Workshop, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft) has helped me to refine my skills and empower others. Let’s work together to kick it up a notch on your next big project! 🚀
Specialties
• real-time dynamic lighting • real-time ray tracing • baked lightmaps • Light probes and reflection probes • environment atmospherics • PBR materials and custom shaders • time-of-day lighting and weather cycles • HDR exposure • color grading and lensing • marketing art • pipeline optimisation • look-dev
• art leadership/mentorship • Photorealistic and/or stylised 3D environment art • photography
17 Shipped Games and Films
• “Chorus” (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Stadia, PC) – Sr. Lighting Artist
• “The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two” (Netflix) – Matte Artist
• “Dr. Grordbort’s: Boosters” (Magic Leap One) – Senior Artist
• “Dr. Grordbort’s: Invaders” (Magic Leap One) – Senior Artist
• “Need For Speed™ No Limits VR” (Google Daydream) – Lead Environment Artist
• “Need For Speed™ No Limits” (iOS/Android) – Lead Environment Artist
• “Real Racing 3” (iOS/Android) – Mid-Level Artist
• “Need For Speed™ Most Wanted” (iOS/Android) – Mid-Level Artist
• “Mass Effect™ Infiltrator” (iOS/Android) – Mid-Level Artist
• “The Sims™ FreePlay” (iOS/Android) – Mid-Level Artist
• “Dead Space” (iOS/Android) – Mid-Level Artist
• “Need For Speed™ Hot Pursuit” (iOS/Android) – Mid-Level Artist
• “Need For Speed™ Nitro” (DS) – Outsourced Artist
• “The Sims 3™ World Adventures” (iOS) – Outsourced Artist
• “Path of Exile” (PC) – Environment Artist
• “Petanque Pro” (Wii) – 3D Artist
• “World Sports Party” (Wii) – 3D Artist
Work Experience
Senior Lighting Artist
Liquid Swords
Stockholm, Sweden · October 2021 – Present
Senior Lighting Artist
Avalanche Studios Group
Stockholm, Sweden · October 2021 – Present
Senior Environment Artist / Art Lead (Part-time contract)
realworld one
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany · November 2020 – Present
Senior Lighting Artist
Massive Entertainemnt
Malmö, Sweden · January 2021 – June 2021
Senior Lighting Artist
Deep Silver Fishlabs
Hamburg, Germany · August 2020 – November 2020
3D Matte Painter (Short term contract)
Wētā FX
Wellington, New Zealand · July 2020 – August 2020
Senior Artist
Wētā Workshop/Magic Leap
Wellington, New Zealand · December 2016 – July 2020
Lead Environment Artist / Senior Specialist Artist
Electronic Arts
Melbourne, Australia · June 2013 – December 2016
Mid-Level Artist
Electronic Arts
Melbourne, Australia · April 2010 – June 2013
3D Artist (Contract)
Tin Man Games
Melbourne, Australia · October 2009 – March 2010
Environment Artist (Contract)
Grinding Gear Games
Auckland, New Zealand · August 2009 – September 2009
3D Artist / Technical Artist
Mere Mortals NZ
Auckland, New Zealand · July 2008 – July 2009
Art Lead / Co-Founder
Disyi Arts
New Plymouth, New Zealand · February 2008 – July 2008
Art Tutor
Bubble Dome Ltd
Auckland, New Zealand · April 2007 – April 2008
Awards
2019🏆 The Slice of Heaven Grand Prize – Winner , NZ Games Festival – The Pavs
Dr. Grordborts: Invaders
2019🥈 Immersive Reality Technical Achievement – Nominee , D.I.C.E
Dr. Grordborts: Invaders
2019🥈 Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project – Nominee , VES Awards
Dr. Grordborts: Invaders
2014🥈 Game, Original Role Playing – Nominee , NAVGTR
Path of Exile
2013🥇 Gold Rating , PocketGamer
Real Racing 3
2012🏆 Best Aussie / NZ-Made Game – Winner , IGN AU Black Beta Select Awards
Mass Effect™ Infiltrator
2012🏆 Best Mobile Graphics – Winner , IGN
Need For Speed™ Most Wanted (iOS/Android)
2012🥇 APP STORE BEST OF , Apple Inc.
Need For Speed™ Most Wanted (iOS/Android)
2012🥈 Mobile & Handheld – Nominee , BAFTA
Dead Space™ (iOS)
2011🏆 iPad Game of the Year Award – Winner (U.S. and Canada) , Apple Inc.
Dead Space™ (iOS)
2008🏆 Best Animation, 48Hour Film Festival , 48Hours
2006🎓 Sidhe Interactive Annual Scholarship – Recipient , Sidhe Interactive
Notable Achievements
• Worlds first mobile Vulkan API demo at the 2016 Google Keynote
• NVIDIA and Apple promotional videos