Domin Lee

About Me

I am a Principal VFX Artist at Insomniac Games (Sony Interactive Entertainment), creating visual effects for AAA game titles. With a background as Head of Interactive Engineering at TikTok and over fourteen years as an FX Supervisor at DreamWorks Animation, I bridge the gap between technology and creativity to deliver captivating experiences.

My film credits include "Ratatouille," "Kung Fu Panda," "How to Train Your Dragon 2 & 3," "Abominable," and "The Croods: A New Age." I'm known for developing innovative systems for complex effects, earning nominations at the Annie Awards and Visual Effects Society Awards.

I also serve as an Adjunct Professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Director of Visualization at SoDAVi Group, a nonprofit applying VFX techniques to make social data more accessible.

AR/VFX Consultation

Leveraging leadership experience from TikTok's Effect House and production expertise from DreamWorks, I offer professional consultation for AR development, real-time VFX, and generative AI strategy.

Let's build the future of interactive experiences together.

Inquire About Services
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Resume

Summary

As an accomplished Tech Artist, AR Developer, Engineering Manager, Adjunct Faculty, and FX Supervisor, I bridge the gap between technology and creativity to deliver captivating experiences. With a unique blend of technical expertise and artistic flair, I inspire teams to push boundaries in animation and interactive experiences.

Experience

Principal VFX Artist

Insomniac Games (SIE)

6/2025 - Present | Burbank, CA

  • Leads the creation of high-quality real-time visual effects that enhance gameplay and storytelling.
  • Blends artistic vision and technical expertise, setting visual standards, mentoring other artists, and pushing the limits of real-time rendering.

AI Project Lead

ByteDance (TikTok)

1/2025 - 5/2025 | Culver City, CA

  • Developed Gen AI driven project to enhance AR effects using PyTorch.
  • Built strategic visions for AI generated contents with key stakeholders.

Head of Interactive Engineering

ByteDance (TikTok)

11/2021 - 12/2024 | Culver City, CA

  • Managed a team of 30+ TAs and engineers for AR effects & platform.
  • Drove technical and creative roadmaps, collaborating across global teams.

Adjunct Faculty

University of Southern California

1/2019 - Present | Los Angeles, CA

  • Teaching undergraduate & graduate students in School of Cinematic Arts.
  • Courses: Introduction to 3D Computer Animation, Digital Effects Animation.

FX Supervisor

DreamWorks Animation

07/2007 - 11/2021 | Glendale, CA

  • Identified effects in sequences and collaborated with Directors and VFX Supervisors.
  • Mastered FX toolsets, techniques, and workflows, supervising the FX team.
  • Leveraged technology to enhance animation imagery.

Director of Visualization

SoDAVi Group

2017 - Present | Los Angeles, CA

  • Leads big data visualization efforts for a nonprofit empowering the Korean-American community through data analysis.

Skills

Houdini Maya Unity Nuke C# Python JavaScript TypeScript Swift Metal/GLSL Shaders Unreal

Education

Master of Science in Computer Science and Engineering

The Ohio State University

Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Hanyang University, Korea

Publications & Talks

  • Lee, D., Li, A., and Lin, K. "AI-Powered Real-Time VFX for Mobile," SIGGRAPH 2025 Talks
  • Domin Lee, "How to Train Your Cloud," SIGGRAPH Asia 2020 Courses
  • Yuksel, C., Lee, D., and Henderson, R. "Vortex of Awesomeness," SIGGRAPH 2012 Talk
  • Lee, F., Ongaro, A., Lee, D., and Meredith, A. "Building and Animating Cobwebs for Antique Sets," SIGGRAPH 2011 Talk

Key Achievements & Awards

  • Best FX for Feature (Nomination), 47th & 48th ANNIE Awards
  • Outstanding FX Simulations in Animation (Nomination), 18th Visual Effects Society Awards
  • Technical Award for Cloud Pipeline @ DreamWorks Animation
  • VFX Graph and Gen AI Development @ ByteDance (TikTok)
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Media & Appearances

Chosun Ilbo Interview

Feature interview with Korea's major newspaper, Chosun Ilbo.

Read on Chosun Ilbo →

MBC News Desk

Appearance on MBC News, a major Korean broadcast network.

Watch on MBC News →

Yonhap News Agency

Article from Yonhap News, Korea's leading news agency.

Read on Yonhap News →

JoongAng Ilbo

Feature in JoongAng Ilbo, a major Korean daily newspaper.

Read on JoongAng Ilbo →

Dong-A Science for Kids

Interview about animation and technology for a youth audience.

Read on Dong-A Kids →

AniForce Blog Feature

Interview with AniForce, an animation and manga academy.

Read on Naver Blog →

Edubridgeplus Interview

Interview about global IT talent and career pathways.

Read on Edubridgeplus →

Keyframe: The Croods 2

An in-depth look at the production and technology behind 'The Croods: A New Age'.

Read on Keyframe Magazine →

Animation Magazine: Croods 2

Details on the "Croodaceous Period" and the making of 'The Croods: A New Age'.

Read on Animation Magazine →

Animation Scoop: Abominable

A peek behind the scenes of the DreamWorks film 'Abominable'.

Read on Animation Scoop →

Annie Awards Nomination

Nominated for "Best FX for Feature" for 'The Croods: A New Age'.

Read on Animation World Network →

Annie Awards Nomination

Nominated for "Best FX for Feature" for 'Abominable'.

Read on Cartoon Brew →

Keyframe Magazine Feature

Discussed the effects work for the film 'Abominable'.

Read on Keyframe Magazine →

USC Cinematic Arts

Faculty profile as Adjunct Professor at the School of Cinematic Arts.

View Profile →

SIGGRAPH 2020 Talk

Presented "How to Train Your Cloud" at SIGGRAPH Asia 2020.

View SIGGRAPH Profile →

SIGGRAPH 2011 Talk

Presented "Building and Animating Cobwebs for Antique Sets."

Read Paper →

Asian Journal Feature

Behind the scenes of 'How to Train Your Dragon 2' with Asian effects artists.

Read on Asian Journal →

Contact

Feel free to reach out for collaboration, speaking opportunities, or just to connect.