Lead Animator

Department: Animation
Location: Anywhere (Remote)
Duration: Full Time

Magic Media is a pioneering media, entertainment and tech group powered by creativity and innovation. We have a physical presence in 14 countries and expertize in the areas of art, animation, cybersecurity, game development, software development, VFX and video production amongst others. We work with leading developers and publishers within the games and tech industry, providing support and solutions designed around individual needs and carried out by global experts.

Magic Media is currently seeking a Lead Animator to help our team on their next adventure. The ideal candidate enjoys putting their skills and knowledge to use in a variety of styles. Your broader experience in game development and the animation pipeline will help you work collaboratively with designers, concept artists, technical artists, and 3D artists to create an immersive and epic experience. 

WHAT YOU WILL DO: 

• Lead and mentor a team of artists, ensuring that each has clear, concrete tasks, goals, and regular constructive feedback.
• Utilize Maya to produce keyframe and/or motion capture animation that will be used as a quality benchmark for a team of animators.
• Partner closely with producers in helping delegate tasks, plan estimates, and arrange meetings as needed to ensure individuals’ workloads are manageable and the team’s deliverables can be completed on schedule.
• Work with clients in upholding their artistic vision and ensuring outgoing work is technically sound and meets technical standards.
• Partner with Tech Art and Engineering throughout development to ensure assets are functionally sound and optimized for engine/platform constraints.
• Help continue to expand the capabilities of the Animation team through training, team building, refinements of process and techniques, and candidate recruiting and hiring.
• Explore opportunities to technically innovate, streamline tools and processes, and champion best practices for the team.
• Engage in technical and aesthetic problem-solving efforts through to completion.
• Be proactive about elevating your team’s concerns to the larger team and making sure that your discipline is well represented.
• Help work with recruiting exceptionally talented artists onto a team and helping them to learn and grow through mentorship and coaching.

YOUR PROFILE:

• An accomplished animator with 6+ years of experience within the the game industry, with 2+ years of experience as a Lead Animator.
• Proficiency with MotionBuilder, Maya, or other 3D software packages.
• Knowledge of game engines (Unreal, Unity) and production management tools.
• A proven understanding of body mechanics and physicality for creature and animal movement.
• An understanding of rigs and typical rigging set-ups, animation pipelines and transferring data between tools.
• Aesthetic sense and in-depth understanding of movement in space.
• Deep technical knowledge of modern animation pipelines, workflows, and techniques for video game development.
• A demonstrable commitment to creative collaboration within a team and with other departments.
• Passion for video games with knowledge on different game genres across all platforms.
• Passionate about mentoring others to further develop their artistic and technical skill sets and are excited about managing, leading, and continuing to grow a world-class character art team.
• Excellent organization, time management, and communication skills.
• You have a great team spirit and are proactive.
• Professional working English proficiency.

Note: Applications for this role must include a portfolio/reel (or link to a portfolio/reel). Applications that do not have this information will not be considered.

WE OFFER: 

• Permanently remote position.
• An opportunity to hone and improve your skills by applying them to a diverse variety of engaging projects.
• Be part of an international group with offices worldwide.
• Career growth and development.
• Working closely with a team of like-minded people in a fast-paced, multicultural environment.
• Ongoing training and professional self-improvement opportunities.
• Flexible working hours.
• An inclusive culture and open communication.

At Magic Media, our passion lies in gaming. Our vision is to create and deliver engaging and interesting games for our clients. We can deliver this high-quality work on any platform, whether it be on a console, PC, or mobile. We know that reputation and results go hand-in-hand. Therefore, we work hard to find experts and talented creators to deliver the best results.

If you do not meet all the requirements, but believe you’d still be a great fit for the role, don’t worry! We’d still love to hear from you, please get in touch!