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Mid / Senior Animator - Unannounced Project
4 years ago
Blizzard Entertainment is looking for an extraordinarily skilled senior animator to join an exciting unannounced project.
We are a team of passionate developers that highly value open-minded collaboration, direct feedback, and the eagerness to grab and drive a feature to Blizzard quality. As a senior animator on the team, you will have a strong understanding of game development best practices and production methodologies in order to collaborate with our teams to bring life to creatures, characters, and critters of all kinds, and help develop our animation style and production pipeline. Ultimately, you’re combining inspiring art with great gameplay while actively communicating and thriving on a small team.
The ideal candidate will have experience working with teams through all aspects of the product life cycle, including prototyping, pre-production, production, beta, and release.
COVID-19 Hiring Update: We’ve transitioned to a work-from-home model and we’re continuing to interview and hire during this time. This role is expected to begin as a remote position. We understand each person’s circumstances may be unique and will work with you to explore possible interim options.
Responsibilities
- Animating a diverse range of compelling, alluring, and believable characters and creatures that facilitate unique and dynamic gameplay.
- Partnering with art leadership to develop a unique animation style and visual direction for the project.
- Partner with engineers and tech artists to help develop an effective animation pipeline that facilitates prototyping and a rapid iteration mindset for a game development team.
- Work with team leadership and production to strategize and execute a plan to grow an effective and diverse animation team.
- Partner with other artists, designers, and engineers to collaborate on creatively complex assignments to develop an inspiring creative vision.
Requirements
- 5+ years professional experience animating characters and creatures in Maya (or equivalent 3D programs).
- You have an exceptional understanding of human and creature anatomy and a keen eye for creatively representing their movements in unique and inspiring ways that bring them to life.
- You might know enough basic modeling and rigging to be dangerous on a small prototyping team and you can lovingly polish your creations to bring them to life. Either way, you figure out how to get inspiring art, content, and animation into the game quickly.
- You love to solve problems and you love to collaborate. Creating epic entertainment experiences is a team effort and you thrive when exploring ideas and working with others.
- You love games, movies, feature animation, and you love dissecting them while thinking about how to take them to the next level.
- You have a passion for Blizzard games and understand the unique approach to creating Blizzard art for our game universes.
Pluses
- A current and relevant online portfolio which demonstrates advanced knowledge in Maya or equivalent 3D programs.
- Experience working with outsourcing.
- Experience with multiple game engines (Unreal, Unity, Frostbite, etc.).
Required Application Materials
- Resume
- Cover Letter which should include:
- Why you are passionate about working at Blizzard.
- What games you are currently playing.
- Portfolio demonstrating relevant programming and artistic skills required.
- Only online artwork submissions will be accepted (e.g. website, blog or online album).
- Must be willing to complete a test if requested to do so.
Blizzard Entertainment is a global company committed to growing our employees along with the business. We offer generous benefits and perks with an eye on providing true work/life balance. We’ve worked hard to cultivate an intensely collaborative and creative environment, a diverse and inclusive employee culture, and training and opportunity for professional growth. Our people are everything. Our core values are real, and our mission has never changed. We are dedicated to creating the most epic entertainment experiences ever. Join us!
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