Lead Animator

Location: Pasadena, CA, USA

Notice

This position is no longer open.

Requisition Number: 157383

Position Title: Senior Animator 2

External Description:

Industrial Toys, creator of Midnight Star and Midnight Star: Renegade, is a AAA mobile developer founded by Halo veteran Alex Seropian. Industrial Toys is working on the cutting edge of FPS gaming on mobile and is looking for like-minded people to join the team who are also “Mobile To The Core!” If you’re interested in creating innovative experiences that will reach mobile players around the world, we would like to hear from you!

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Overview

The Lead Animator works closely with the Art Director and Technical Leads and Designers to help define and execute best in class animation standards. In addition to creating high quality animations for characters, vehicles and cinematics, the Lead Animator sets processes and workflows for the project and helps design the animation system to support animation and design. The ideal candidate proactively seeks opportunities to elevate the game, gives and receives constructive feedback, and thrives in a highly collaborative environment.

We are seeking a Lead Animator who is passionate about creating an animation system and high quality animations that tell a story, define a character, and enhance gameplay. An expert understanding of movement, timing, posing is a must, as is the mission to elevate the state of animations in mobile games.

Responsibilities

Create high quality in-game animations for characters, vehicles, props
Partner with Art Director and Engineering to design an animation system that allows stellar animation and gameplay
Provide artistic guidance to internal and external animators
Use of Maya and/or Max
Adapt and/or create the animation style that supplements the art direction.
Collaborate with Technical Artists to create and improve tools and workflows.
Direct Motion Capture sessions and oversee and/or execute clean-up of mocap files
Work with technical rigger to assure quality rigged/skinned characters
Setup anim trees and state graphs when necessary
Identify animation needs and strategy for accomplishing them
Review work from external partners and provide feedback.
Work fast and collaboratively to make your stuff happen
Drive the animation look and feel through hands-on work
Create visually stunning characters, vehicles, weapons through stellar animation

Qualifications

5+ years of experience in videogame development including several development cycles
A Strong animation portfolio demonstrating expert keyframing skills in multiple styles including realistic.
Thorough understanding of current artistic/technical requirements for video game production pipelines
Experience managing and mentoring other artists
Mocap experience
Experience working with a game engine and implementing animations into the pipeline.
Strong ability to adapt and execute in different art styles (photorealistic and stylized)
Expert understanding of fundamental animation principles like posing, timing, weight, anticipation, resolution
Strong written and oral communication skills
Ability to find solutions from a visual, production, and technical perspective
Experience working collaboratively with cross-disciplinary teams to envision, plan, schedule, and execute animations that support and enhance gameplay while raising the visual bar of the game.

Bonuses

Experience in Unreal Engine
Experience in technical aspects of animation such as rigging/skinning
Experience in working with remote teams (outsourcing)
Mobile gaming passion
Facial animation experience

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Community / Marketing Title: Lead Animator

Company Profile:

We are a global team of creators, storytellers, technologists, experience originators, innovators and so much more. We believe amazing games and experiences start with teams as diverse as the players and communities we serve. At Electronic Arts, the only limit is your imagination.

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About Electronic Arts

Everything we do is designed to inspire the world to play. Through our cutting-edge games, innovative services, and powerful technologies, we bring worlds with infinite possibilities to millions of players and fans around the globe.

We’re looking for collaborative and inclusive people with diverse perspectives who will enrich our culture and challenge us. We take a holistic approach with our benefits program, focusing on physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support our people through every chapter of life. We provide comprehensive benefit packages and support for a balanced life with paid time off and new parent leave, plus free games and so much more. Our goal is to provide a safe and respectful workplace that empowers you to thrive in both work and life.

Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.

Days Open: 41

Can this position be remote?:

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About Electronic Arts