Principal Cinematics Designer

1 Week ago • 13 Years + • Game Story Writing/Narrative Design

Job Summary

Job Description

Elsewhere Entertainment seeks a Principal Cinematics Designer for their next AAA title. Responsibilities include guiding cinematic creation, overseeing pipelines and tools, managing a team, collaborating with other departments (Narrative, Content, Gameplay, Art), ensuring consistent tone and style, taking narrative ownership of cinematic and dialogue presentations, developing storyboarding and animatics, directing dialogue and cinematic sequences, partnering with Narrative Leadership for VO and mocap, providing feedback, acting as a liaison, developing best practices, working with vendors, mentoring staff, and meeting deadlines. The ideal candidate has 13+ years of CG directorial experience in video game cinematics or TV/film, a strong understanding of composition and camera language, shipped titles as a cinematics director, and expertise in video game narrative presentations.
Must have:
  • 13+ years CG directorial experience
  • Strong understanding of composition and camera language
  • Shipped titles as cinematics director
  • Expertise in video game narrative presentations
  • Team collaboration skills
  • Independent work ethic
  • Problem-solving creativity
  • Positive and respectful attitude
Good to have:
  • AAA Open World Game experience
  • Credited CG work in other media
  • Experience with Hollywood talent
  • Major recognition in the field
  • Familiarity with major game releases
  • Experience in adjacent disciplines

Job Details

Job Title:

Principal Cinematics Designer

Requisition ID:

R024290

Job Description:

Elsewhere Entertainment is looking for a Principal Cinematics Designer to join the development of our next AAA title—an exciting new Narrative Driven IP. 
 
Feed your creativity while driving the development of our game’s world and story! Collaborate with our highly skilled team to build something innovative, exhilarating, and expansively entertaining. 
 
As a member of the cinematics department, you’ll guide the creation of memorable moments in telling an epic player driven story. You’ll also oversee the project’s cinematic pipelines, tools, and best practices, and you’ll manage your team by tasking and reviewing work, providing growth opportunities in skill and career progression, and tending to the emotional health of the team. You’ll work closely with Narrative, Content, Gameplay, and Art leads to coordinate, design, implement, and polish the cinematic work of the game. 

 

As a leader on the project, you’ll help take the studio and our game from great to even better—with a focus on inclusivity, mutual respect (for ourselves and our players), thoughtfulness, empathy, professionalism, and collaboration.  
 
If you’re a passionate cinematics creator and a positive, respectful collaborator who enjoys cross-department communication and creative problem-solving as a part of your workflow, we’d love to talk to you! 
 
You’ll help us by 

  • Ensuring consistency of tone and style is depicted across the entire cinematic experience that matches the vision set by the Creative Director. 

  • Taking narrative ownership of the cinematic and dialogue presentations and pipelines, helping bring the characters, world, and story to life. 

  • Assist in the development and direction of storyboarding and animatics to develop the cinematic pipeline. 

  • Developing and directing the presentation of the games dialogue and cinematic sequences. 

  • Becoming proficient in using the game's proprietary cinematics and dialogue tools. 

  • Partnering with Narrative Leadership to audition, cast, and direct VO and mocap performances for cinematics and dialogues in the game. 

  • Providing constructive feedback on others’ work. 

  • Acting as a liaison to other departments, conveying the consistent cinematic vision of the project. 

  • Working with narrative designers, cinematics designers, and campaign designers to develop the best cinematic storytelling practices for the game. 

  • Working with 3rd party vendors/clients to help facilitate asset creation, pre-rendered assets both for the game and media support. 

  • Mentoring the staff of cinematic animators and designers. 

  • Ensuring all tasks are completed according to given specifications and deadlines. 

  • Performing any additional cinematic responsibilities as assigned by Studio Leadership. 


You’re awesome because you have 

  • 13+ years of credited CG directorial experience working in either videogame cinematics or TV/film – with mocap and keyframed animation direction. 

  • A strong understanding of composition and camera language and how it helps tell our stories. 

  • One or more shipped titles as a cinematics director. 

  • Subject matter expertise specific to videogame narrative presentations such as handling both various dialogue presentations and in game cutscenes. 

  • Experience with technical cinematics design (animation, camera presentation, facial animations, and conveying mood and emotions). 

  • The ability to collaborate and thrive as part of a creative team. 

  • An eagerness to work independently; are self-driven in taking ownership of tasks in a highly confidential environment. 

  • Creativity in problem solving and a positive, respectful team-first attitude. 

  • Organization methods and the capability to meet deadlines. 

  • Comfort with self-critique and accepting outside feedback. 

  • A habit of regularly playing and understanding modern video games and popular media. 


Bonus points for 

  • Experience with directing cinematics and dialogue for AAA Open World Games. 

  • Credited CG Work in other media (Film, television, shorts, etc...) 

  • Experience developing both bespoke cinematic content as well as dialogue in systematic systems 

  • Experience working with Hollywood talent and/or reputable VO recording studios and directors 

  • Major recognition in your field of work 

  • Familiarity with many of the major games released in the last decade 

  • Enjoyment of playing a variety of video game genres and titles 

  • Experience in adjacent disciplines such as quest design, narrative design, environment art, programming, etc... 

 

Not sure you meet all the qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! At Activision, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply. 

Our World   

At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We’re driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™, and Guitar Hero®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our “press start” is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.  


We’re not just looking back at our decades-long legacy; we’re forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization.   


We’re in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater — this could be your opportunity to level up.   


Ready to Activate Your Future?  


#elsewhere 

Similar Jobs

Activision - Associate Cinematic Director

Activision

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)
3 Weeks ago
Jam City - 2D Animator

Jam City

Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina (On-Site)
8 Months ago
Wargaming - 3D Character Animator

Wargaming

Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus (Hybrid)
2 Days ago
PhonePe - Lead Motion Designer

PhonePe

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (On-Site)
4 Months ago
Titmouse - Titmouse Artistic Mentorship Program - Storyboarding

Titmouse

New York, New York, United States (On-Site)
1 Week ago
CD PROJEKT RED - Junior Technical Support Specialist

CD PROJEKT RED

Warsaw, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland (On-Site)
1 Month ago
Bluehole - System/Balance Designer

Bluehole

(On-Site)
2 Days ago
CD PROJEKT RED - Support Writer Specialist

CD PROJEKT RED

Warsaw, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland (On-Site)
2 Weeks ago
Rocksteady Studios - Cinematics Director

Rocksteady Studios

(Hybrid)
4 Days ago
SNK IT Solutions - Narrative Designer

SNK IT Solutions

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (Remote)
6 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Similar Skill Jobs

Stepico - Middle 2D Animator

Stepico

(Remote)
2 Months ago
Aeon for Ocean - Volunteer : Comic Illustrator

Aeon for Ocean

United States (On-Site)
7 Months ago
Mindtickle - Senior Instructional Designer

Mindtickle

Pune, Maharashtra, India (Hybrid)
5 Months ago
SuperPlay - 3D Animator Disney Solitaire

SuperPlay

Tel Aviv District, Israel (On-Site)
2 Months ago
STAEDEAN - Motion Graphic Designer

STAEDEAN

Hyderabad, Telangana, India (On-Site)
8 Months ago
Next Level Business Services - Sr UX Architect

Next Level Business Services

Dallas, Texas, United States (On-Site)
5 Months ago
USE Insider - Senior Digital Designer (Hybrid)

USE Insider

İstanbul, İstanbul, Türkiye (Hybrid)
5 Months ago
Magic Media - Senior Storyboard Artist

Magic Media

Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina (Remote)
2 Days ago
Meesho - Motion Designer II

Meesho

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (Hybrid)
5 Months ago
Tamatem Games - Multimedia Specialist - Motion Designer

Tamatem Games

Amman Governorate, Jordan (On-Site)
1 Week ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Jobs in Malmö, Skåne County, Sweden

Snowprint Studios - Concept/UI Artist

Snowprint Studios

Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden (Hybrid)
2 Days ago
Paradox Interactive - Senior Game Designer, Hearts of Iron

Paradox Interactive

Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden (On-Site)
1 Month ago
Ubisoft - Associate Game Director

Ubisoft

Malmö, Skåne County, Sweden (Hybrid)
3 Days ago
Avalanche Studios Group - Player Insights Manager

Avalanche Studios Group

Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden (Hybrid)
3 Weeks ago
Activision - Lead Network Programmer

Activision

Malmö, Skåne County, Sweden (Hybrid)
4 Days ago
Avalanche Studios Group - Brand Marketing Lead - The Hunter, Call of the Wild Franchise

Avalanche Studios Group

Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden (Hybrid)
1 Month ago
House of How - QA Intern - Sweden

House of How

Boden, Norrbotten County, Sweden (On-Site)
4 Months ago
Toptracer - Master Thesis Project | Summer Job | Extra Work

Toptracer

Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden (On-Site)
8 Months ago
Avalanche Studios Group - Senior Community Developer

Avalanche Studios Group

Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden (Hybrid)
2 Weeks ago
Ubisoft - Senior AI Designer [Tom Clancy's The Division 3]

Ubisoft

Malmö, Skåne County, Sweden (On-Site)
3 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Game Story Writing/Narrative Design Jobs

SmileGate - Cinematic Director [LOST ARK Mobile]

SmileGate

Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (On-Site)
3 Days ago
Guerrilla - CINEMATIC TECHNICAL DESIGNER

Guerrilla

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands (On-Site)
10 Months ago
Bungie - Contract Senior Narrative Designer

Bungie

(Hybrid)
3 Months ago
CD PROJEKT RED - Game Capture Team Internship

CD PROJEKT RED

Warsaw, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland (On-Site)
3 Weeks ago
Larian Studios - RPG Designer

Larian Studios

Warsaw, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland (On-Site)
4 Months ago
TiMi Studio Group - Principal Cinematic Artist

TiMi Studio Group

Washington, United States (On-Site)
1 Month ago
Larian Studios - RPG Designer

Larian Studios

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland (On-Site)
8 Months ago
PlayStation Global - Principal 3C's Specialist

PlayStation Global

Liverpool, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
3 Weeks ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

About The Company

Founded in 1979, Activision continues to disrupt the world of entertainment with its extensive roster of epic blockbuster games -- Pitfall®, Tony Hawk®, Guitar Hero®, Crash Bandicoot™, Skylanders™, Bungie’s Destiny and Call of Duty.®


As the leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products on consoles, mobile and PC, our “press start” is simple: delight players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.


Activision is headquartered in Santa Monica, and publishes globally in markets including U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, mainland China, Hong Kong and the region of Taiwan.


At Activision, we strive to connect and engage our global player community through entertainment. Our success comes from the passionate, talented and diverse team of people behind our world-class franchises. Ensuring Activision is an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive will help us deliver a new era of epic entertainment for our players.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (On-Site)

Quebec, Canada (On-Site)

Middleton, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)

Los Angeles, California, United States (On-Site)

Malmö, Skåne County, Sweden (On-Site)

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)

Los Angeles, California, United States (Remote)

Warsaw, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland (On-Site)

View All Jobs

Get notified when new jobs are added by Activision

Level Up Your Career in Game Development!

Transform Your Passion into Profession with Our Comprehensive Courses for Aspiring Game Developers.

Job Common Plug