Lead Cinematics Animator

At Invoke, our mission is to Have Fun Building Great Games.

We believe the best games come from people who love what they do, in an environment that values them and their ideas. And we ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to our collective success, whatever their role. As a member of Wizards of the Coast, we help enrich a catalog of games that has inspired gamers and developers for decades.

At Invoke, you get to play your part as a valued member of an open and dedicated team within a magical world!  

Job Description

Invoke is looking for a Lead Cinematics Animator to lead, manage and mentor an animation team as well as coordinate and integrate the content deliveries from other departments into the game cinematics.

What a Lead Cinematics Animator does at Invoke

• Support the Cinematics Animation Director in the management of tasks for the animation team within the scope, schedule & vision of the game with the direction of production
• Lead and mentor a team of animators and integrators providing guidance and support to ensure the delivery of high-quality animated sequences meet the vision of the Cinematic Animation Director
• Work with the Cinematics Animation Director to define the needs, phases, schedules and priorities of the cinematics and mocap shoots and then works with the Production Manager to manage and deliver on the details
• Ensure the animation steps of the cinematic production pipeline are followed, from pre-vis to polished in-engine shots, and approval/signoffs are achieved at key phases
• Collaborate with other departments, such as Animation, Lighting, Narrative, Audio, and other art teams, to facilitate cinematic processes and oversee the in-engine implementation of cinematic content to   create engaging real-time cinematics and narrative content
• Gather, and validate, cinematic elements such as characters, props, environments, and animation assets, for mocap shoots and then build cinematic sequencer scenes using Unreal Engine and in-house tools for smooth integration of the data assets
• Verify that the content of 'sequencer' scenes aligns with the CIN Scripts, Animatics, and Cin Documents, ensuring accuracy and cohesion during all production phases, while optimizing scene setups for efficiency and player experience
• Create and enhance pipelines and processes to support efficient, high-quality cinematic production, while planning for dependencies and resource needs
• Hands-on animation work, either hand-keyed or mocap (a plus)
• Help with recruitment by screening, interviewing, and making selections to build a skilled team
• Assist in developing prototypes to test and validate new concepts and techniques.

What you'll bring

• 8 years of experience in the video game industry, with a focus on cinematic animation
• 2 years of experience in a senior or lead role
• Experience with Unreal Engine and Maya.  Motion Builder experience a plus.
• Familiarity with a variety of game development pipelines
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Flexibility to adapt to a range of situations
• Self started and can work autonomously
• Detail-oriented and great at problem-solving with a proactive, solutions-focused approach
• A team player who is proactive in facilitating communication
• Excellent communication skills in French and English.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer

Invoke commits to offer equal working chances to every individual, without regard based on the following: age, sex, sexual orientation, physical disability, country origin, religion, citizenship, native country or any other possible particularities. We sincerely believe in a respectful and open-minded work environment, in which everyone can fully contribute to the organization's development.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. 

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