Animation Director - The Initiative

mustardFX are teaming up with a Remote-First AAA Developer based in the UK that has created and friendly and supportive environment for all staff, specialising in Unreal Engine. As a Studio creating it's own AAA IP's, they also work with some of the Top AAA studios as Co-Dev for a range of Genre-Defining AAA projects.
Our Established Client is currently looking for an Animation Director to lead the Animation Team in creating captivating and immersive animations & cinematic sequences for the studios co-dev and internal projects. The Animation Director will play vital role in defining animation styles, maintaining quality standards, driving cinematic quality and ensuring that animations seamlessly integrate with gameplay mechanics.
Circa £50,000 - £60,000 (Depending on Experience)
Define the high-level visions and styles for animation and cinematics across multiple projects, aligning with the overall artistic direction and narrative goals.
Develop animation and cinematic pipelines, processes, and best practices to ensure efficiency and consistency across the team.
Collaborate with art/creative/design directors, alongside production, to ensure that animations and cinematics enhance storytelling and player immersion.
Set clear expectations, goals, and priorities for the animation team, ensuring alignment with project milestones and deadlines.
Animation Production:
Oversee the creation and pipelines for high-quality animations, including keyframe animation, motion capture integration, procedural animation techniques, skinning, rigging, weight-painting and any other relevant techniques.
Work closely with animators to provide creative direction, solve technical challenges, and maintain consistency in animation quality.
Where needed, research new animation technologies through R&D processes and integrate them into existing and new pipelines.
Quality Assurance & Iteration:
Conduct regular animation reviews and provide feedback to ensure that animations meet quality standards and align with the project vision.
Iterate on animations based on feedback from stakeholders, playtesting sessions, and usability testing to refine and polish character movements.
Define what the “definitions of done” are for a project and use these as a communication tool for the team and stakeholders throughout the development process.
Client Relationship Building:
Build and maintain relationships with existing clients, whilst using the support of the animation team to deliver confident and consistent high-quality delivery to projects.
Collaborate with new potential clients to understand their specifications and requirements, to help secure more projects for the company.
A minimum of 7+ years of experience as an Animator in the video game industry, with a proven track record of contributing to successful game projects.
A strong artistic vision and creative sensibility, with the ability to develop and communicate a cohesive animation style that aligns with the project’s artistic direction.
Expertise in animation software such as Maya, 3ds Max, or Blender, as well as experience with game engines like Unreal Engine or Unity.
A comprehensive portfolio showcasing your animation and/or cinematic expertise, including examples of various animation styles and relevant game-related work.
Bonus Experience/Skills:
Fully Remote
Bonus scheme
Private healthcare
I am a consultant at mustard with a specialist approach to creative recruitment.
For more info on this role or to chat about other options call me on 0117 284 0422 or the office on 0117 929 6060. mustard is a creative recruitment consultancy and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. If you require any accommodations during the application process, please let us know.