Lead Facial Animator inXile Entertainment, a Microsoft Game Studio, is seeking a Face Animator who can help develop the tools and pipeline of our next generation animation system. Working with a talented core team on both creative and large-scale projects, the ideal candidate will have the opportunity to build and develop new character performances, pushing the quality and fidelity of our in-game characters and narrative experiences for the studio’s next-gen RPG. The Face Animator will also have the opportunity to build and develop new character pipelines across all our studios, while working in a friendly and inclusive environment that fosters collaboration, fun and learning.
Responsibilities
- Create visually stunning 3D facial animations.
- Oversee and push face performances of unique characters.
- Work closely with the team to deliver life-like face performances on original timeless characters.
- Ability to animate natural, expressive motion to create realistic facial animations.
- Implement, troubleshoot, and debug animation systems.
- Push facial animation team to achieve quality bar
- A keen eye for subtle acting and performance.
- Iterate with designers, artists and animators to make the best game possible
Qualifications
- A Bachelor’s Degree in Animation or a similar competitive program.
- Production experience on current generation console and/or PC.
- Minimum of 5+ years of experience in animation for cinematic or equivalent.
- Hand key facial animation knowledge required.
- An outstanding demo reel demonstrating solid understanding of the principles of animation with a focus on high quality performance.
Skills
- Strong leadership skills and communication through both dialogue and text.
- Advanced knowledge in automated facial solution a plus
- Advanced knowledge in a Maya, MotionBuilder, or equivalent 3D program.
- Exceptional skill in animating any type of face.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work closely with artists, designers and programmers.
- Superb problem-solving skills and the ability to make timely, well-thought out decisions quickly.
- Strong understanding of development issues involved in getting animations into a game.
- A passion for game development and Unreal Engine
Pluses:
(These are desirable skills and are not required but highly valued)
- Proven industry experience as an animator on at least one AAA title.
- Previous experience working on an RPG.
- Knowledge of Python.
- Experience developing animation pipeline.
- Experience working with Jali or speech graphics