Lead Animator (In-Game Cinematics)

Description

Blizzard Entertainment is looking for a talented lead animator to assist our Cinematics team in creating the next generation of in-game animated films. The in-game pipeline uses assets from the game team and the final renders are made using the game team's rendering engine. The in-game animation team works at a fast pace and is responsible for a large portion of story driven content. The lead animator will manage a team of animators, spearheading project planning and ensuring our artistic quality while staying on schedule. This person should will have top-notch animation skills and be is able to translate the director’s vision into actionable feedback for the team.  

• Responsible for the quality of animation for own projects.
• Main point of communication between the animators and all other teams.
• Assist in supporting and evolving the Cinematics team with constructive feedback both technically and artistically.
• Provide animation direction to the animators to ensure their work is in line with the director's vision.

• A minimum of 4 years’ experience in game development, television, or film industry using Maya or equivalent 3D program
• Experience leading a team of animators
• Excellent communication and conflict resolution skills
• Able to drive improvements in processes and pipeline
• Able to work efficiently and drive productivity for yourself and the team in a challenging environment
• Able to effectively collaborate with other artists, producers, and programmers
• Self-motivation, good communication skills, and a great team-player attitude
• Understanding of Blizzard Entertainment’s visual style and a passion to push it to the next level
• Passion for film, animation, and video games

• Artistic skills: storyboarding, gesture drawing, 2D animation, composition
• Technical skills: rigging, scripting, and understanding of pipeline
• Physical skills: acting, martial arts, and choreography
• Filmmaking skills: cinematography, pre-visualization, editing, and story writing
• Understanding of FX, particles, cloth, and hair as they contribute to a character’s performance

• Resume
• Demo Reel demonstrating excellent 3D animation skills
• Cover Letter