Steamroller Animation
We bring rich stories to life with breathtaking animation, cinematics, character animation, and creature animation.
Animation Supervisor – Creature & Gameplay Focus
Location
Florida
Posted
80 days ago
Salary
Not specified
8 yrs expEnglishUnreal Engine
Job Description
• At least eight (8) years of proven production experience, ideally within AAA, AA, or high-quality indie titles.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience is required.
• Ability to work efficiently and professionally, demonstrating versatility in both independent and team-based settings.
• Experience as an animation instructor in a university or online program is preferred but not required.
• Deep understanding of animation principles: weight, physics, balance, appeal, clear timing, spacing, and staging, particularly as they apply to creature locomotion and combat.
• Knowledgeable in human and animal anatomy, with the ability to translate real-world studies into fantastical movement.
• Profound understanding of leveraging reference and research for nuanced performance choices, utilizing biomechanical analysis to ground animation in authenticity.
• Proficient with Autodesk’s Maya.
• Proficiency in conveying emotion through body language and facial expressions.
• Experience with motion capture data and/or creature animation is highly beneficial and central to this role.
• Working understanding of Unreal Engine is a plus.
• Clear and cohesive communication of performance ideas that align with the project vision.
• Proactive and adept problem-solving skills to identify show needs and potential issues.
• Ability to effectively communicate in English.
Job Requirements
- Define artistic direction and quality standards for various animated projects, specifically focusing on gameplay mechanics, creature behaviors, and cinematic sequences.
- Motivate and mentor team members, cultivating technical and artistic excellence with a focus on biomechanical realism and responsive gameplay.
- Serve as the main point of contact for Animation on projects, adeptly representing the team’s creature and gameplay work to other departments.
- Attend Partner meetings as a distinguished representative of the team and the studio, ensuring the vision for creature mechanics is aligned.
- Stay attuned to artistic and production requirements, aligning with the team and Partners to ensure player immersion and believability.
- Create comprehensive documentation for show workflow and onboarding, ensuring animators understand the pipeline and gameplay systems.
- Prioritize, assign, and follow up on tasks, ensuring timely deliverables and effective schedule planning.
- Anticipate and resolve conflicts or production issues proactively, particularly those involving technical constraints or design blockers.
- Clearly communicate technical and artistic constraints to the team, balancing visual fidelity with gameplay responsiveness.
- Conduct impactful dailies, rounds, and team reviews, providing clear and decisive feedback to refine motion and support design goals.
- Provide constructive feedback professionally to a team with diverse skill levels and Partners, ensuring consistency across all assets.
- Conduct dynamic training sessions for the animation team and department, specifically on creature anatomy and gameplay implementation.
- Maintain a robust working knowledge of essential production tools, including Autodesk Maya and game engine integrations.
- Attend relevant training classes, continually enhancing leadership skills.
- Contribute to team efforts and perform additional tasks to support department goals as needed.
Benefits
- 8+ years of proven production experience, ideally within AAA, AA, or high-quality indie titles.
- Previous leadership or supervisory experience is required.
- Ability to work efficiently and professionally, demonstrating versatility in both independent and team-based settings.
- Experience as an animation instructor in a university or online program is preferred but not required.
- Deep understanding of animation principles: weight, physics, balance, appeal, clear timing, spacing, and staging, particularly as they apply to creature locomotion and combat.
- Knowledgeable in human and animal anatomy, with the ability to translate real-world studies into fantastical movement.
- Profound understanding of leveraging reference and research for nuanced performance choices, utilizing biomechanical analysis to ground animation in authenticity.
- Proficient with Autodesk’s Maya.
- Proficiency in conveying emotion through body language and facial expressions.
- Experience with motion capture data and/or creature animation is highly beneficial and central to this role.
- Working understanding of Unreal Engine is a plus.
- Clear and cohesive communication of performance ideas that align with the project vision.
- Proactive and adept problem-solving skills to identify show needs and potential issues.
- Ability to effectively communicate in English.
