Principal Cinematic Animator

Wetake play seriously. Were looking for curious adventurers ready to find their party fueled by imaginationand driveto build whats never been built before. At Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast youll collaborate with passionate teams to reimagine our iconic brands and create experiences that spark joy connection and community through the magic of play. This is your chance to shape legendary play that lasts a lifetime.

Step Into the Multiverse: Your Next Adventure Starts Here
AtWizards of the Coast we harness the power of imagination and connection to create unforgettable experiences. We create entertainment that inspires creativity sparks passionforgesfriendships and fosters communities around the every pursuit our mission is to inspire a lifetime love of games. Whetheritsthrough the strategic depth ofMagic: The Gathering the rich storytelling ofDungeons & Dragons orour AAA digital game studioswe build worlds that bring people together spark creativity and fuel adventure. As we continue to grow and explore new realmswereseekingpassionate curious and innovative mindsto join the adventure.

Skeleton Key is headquartered in Austin TX and were building out a new growing studio in Montreal QC. Were looking for a passionate and dedicated Principal Cinematic Animator to join the Montreal team and help bring our first AAA game to life.

Reporting to the Animation Director you will be a key contributor as we enter pre-production focused on creating high-quality cinematic animation that integrates seamlessly with gameplay. This role focuses on interactive cinematic moments working closely with cinematics design and engineering teams to deliver compelling narrative experiences both systemically and through bespoke content.

What youll do:

• Create high-quality cinematic animation using both motion capture and keyframe animation techniques.
• Collaborate with the Cinematic Director to define staging camera work and shot composition for cinematic sequences.
• Previsualize cinematic sequences to support motion capture shoots.
• Clean up and polish motion capture performances to a high level of fidelity.
• Refine facial animation including expressions eyelines and hand-keyed acting beats.
• Craft interactive cinematic moments in collaboration with the Design team.
• Contribute to building and maintaining an animation library for systemic narrative content.
• Support implementation maintenance and debugging of cinematic animation systems and help improve related pipelines and tools.

What youll bring to the team:

• 5 years of professional experience in cinematic animation for games or film.
• Strong understanding of cinematic principles including pacing camera movement shot selection and character performance.
• High-level experience cleaning and polishing performance capture data.
• Excellent keyframe animation skills.
• Experience working with tools such as Unreal Engine Maya MotionBuilder or comparable software.
• Ability to work independently and manage tasks with minimal oversight.
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively across disciplines.
• Passion for games storytelling and cinematic animation.

Nice to have:

• Experience using Unreal Engine Sequencer.
• Experience authoring cinematics for video games.
• Familiarity with rigging skinning or other technical animation workflows.
• Experience with 3D cinematography and camera work.
• Experience working with actors in motion capture or performance capture environments.

At Wizards we believe in the magic of diversitygreat ideas come from unique perspectives. We are committed to building an inclusive welcoming workplace where everyone belongs. Wizards is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin age marital status or any other legally protected status.

Wizards will provide reasonable accommodations with the application process upon your request asrequiredtocomply withapplicable laws. If you have a disability and requireassistancein this application process please contact your recruiter or coordinator.

Employees may be eligible for annual and long-term incentives as part of their overall compensation package depending on role location and eligibility. Benefits and programs may include:

• Health & Wellness
• Time Off to Recharge
• Financial Well-being
• Life & Family Support
• Volunteer and Community Initiatives
• Learning & Development
• Exclusive Perks

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