Principal Cinematics Artist

About Steel City Interactive

SCI was born out of passion for video games and boxing, with the ambition to create an authentic and exciting boxing game that does justice to the sport we love. What started as a fun prototype has grown into ‘Undisputed’, the first major boxing video game in over a decade.  

SCI is a welcoming place for expression and open communication, where everyone has a voice. We’re a diverse bunch, consisting of people with decades of games industry experience, graduates and talented individuals who come from other industries. We all bring knowledge and learn from each other.

Together we are driven by ambition to bring the world of boxing into a video game like never before.  

The Role

Alongside the Head of Art the Principal Cinematics Artist deliveries all the cinematic requirements across the UNDISPUTED Franchise. This work encompasses the production of complex narrative, dialogue, camera and character animation to support the game’s vision through all stages of development from pre-dev to live-ops.

The Principal Cinematics Artist manages the quality of all narrative based cutscenes across the franchise using the support of the centralised art team as well as external vendors and proven workflows.

Ensures all cinematic work is of an industry leading quality and constantly exploring new styles and methodology for creating evoking artwork.

Ensures all cinematic planning is effective, clearly communicated and includes strategic planning for efficiencies and cross discipline dependencies.

Alongside the Head of Art, the Principal Cinematics Artist helps drives communication for the project. Presents with confidence, gravitas and persuasion within the team and wider organisation.

Alongside the Head of Art, they can effectively define and articulate all the art vision goals and visual rules/reasoning for the project in a way that is clearly understandable to different audiences.

Responsibilities

• Alongside the Head of Art, they will support and help define the high-level narrative direction of the game and franchise.

• Produce a broad spectrum of cinematic ideation techniques from narrative scripting, storyboards, animatics, visual targets through to the implementation if in game cutcenes the help delivery against the overall Art direction based on the Head of Arts requirements.

• Provides world leading cinematic work that can be utilised for Marketing/UA purposes.

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of camera behaviour and shot composition and how that applies to a compelling narrative through delivered cutscenes.

• Inspires peers to push limits of what could be achieved through the delivery of detailed animatics and visual targets to help sell an aspiration for the game.

• Outside the box thinking to bring in new potential art features; effectively working with talent in and outside the studio to green light concepts.

• Take ownership of all cutscene delivery and works closely with production to support roadmap.

• Works closely with marketing to support and explore trailers.

• Working with other Artists to ensure that cinematic feature progress is shared.

• Assess and communicate issues and risk within reasonable timescales.

• Have a keen eye for quality, identifying areas that could be improved, ensuring the game is meeting the highest standards.

• Helps to mentoring and coach colleagues in their artistic development.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• At least 5 years in the games industry as a Principal Cinematics Artist

• Shipped at least one game, where you were heavily involved and contributed to the artistic direction of the game.

• Preferably console or PC.

• Proficient in standard 3D Art software and game engines.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Be able to work independently and as part of a team.

• Based in the UK.

What we offer

Healthy work-life balance:

• 23 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), that increases 1 day per year of service.
• Christmas shut down
• Holiday exchange programme
• Flexible working hours

Support for family life:

• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay
• Option to add children to our Healthcare Cash Plan

Great office environment:

• A dog friendly studio based in Sheffield, with free snacks, fruit and drinks!
• Free parking

Health & wellbeing support:

• Company sick pay
• 2 days paid Mental Health leave per year
• Healthcare Cash Plan which includes optical and dental
• Access to 24/7 doctors
• Employee Assistance Programme
• £300 wellbeing stipend every January

Learning support:

• Career progression path
• 5 Learning days per year
• Unlimited access to Udemy courses

Additional financial support:

• Technology scheme (up to £750)
• Discount Club at over 350 high street stores
• Discretionary Cost of Living Payments
• Relocation benefits
• Electric Car Vehicle Scheme

Connection and perks:

• Wrap parties & company paid outings
• Individual entertainment budget to cover team events

Steel City Interactive is an equal opportunity employer. We’re committed to building a diverse team and welcome all applications, considering them without regard to race, religion, belief, age, gender, gender expression, gender identity, gender reassignment, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, sex or sexual orientation.

If you’re excited about this role and believe you would add value to our team, but don’t meet every single requirement, we would still like to hear from you – please let us know about the value you would bring in your application.