Senior Cinematic Animator at Playground Games
Company: Playground Games
Location: Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, United Kingdom (Hybrid Remote)
Job Type: Contract (Hybrid)
Salary: Not Disclosed
About Playground Games
Playground Games is a first-party Xbox Game Studio known for developing genre-defining, accessible, and visually stunning games. The studio is currently rebooting the beloved Fable franchise, building a new action RPG experience with a talented and diverse team based in Royal Leamington Spa.
The studio is committed to creativity, collaboration, and inclusivity, fostering an environment where innovation thrives.
Role Overview
The Senior Cinematic Animator will collaborate closely with the cinematics team to deliver high-quality cutscenes and bespoke animation content. This role requires a strong storytelling mindset, mastery of facial and body performance animation, and experience integrating cinematics into proprietary game engines.
This is a contract position operating under a hybrid work model at Playground Games’ state-of-the-art facilities in Royal Leamington Spa. Relocation assistance is available for qualified candidates.
Key Responsibilities
- Capture, solve, retarget, and polish facial and full-body motion capture data for cinematic sequences
- Produce believable, emotionally driven performances for cutscenes
- Iterate on cinematic layout to refine pacing and enhance narrative impact
- Collaborate with the Lead, Director, and cinematic team to align animations with creative vision
- Implement cinematics into the proprietary engine for seamless integration with gameplay
- Ensure high-quality animation polish from previsualization through final delivery
Qualifications
- Impressive animation portfolio showcasing realistic facial and body animation work
- 5+ years of professional animation experience
- Proven track record contributing to at least two published titles (AAA preferred)
- Strong expertise in body, facial, and camera animation
- Experience with motion capture cleanup and industry-standard animation software
- Familiarity with game engine cinematic implementation
- Passion for narrative-driven games and cinematic storytelling
- Experience in cinematography or editing is highly desirable
Why Join Playground Games?
- Work on a high-profile AAA reboot of the Fable franchise
- Collaborate with a talented and established first-party Xbox Game Studio team
- Hybrid work model with relocation assistance available
- Inclusive, diverse, and creativity-driven workplace culture
- Strong focus on professional growth, well-being, and career progression
How to Apply
Apply through the official application page below:
Please include a link to your portfolio showcasing cinematic animation work. For reasonable accommodations, contact recruitment@playground-games.com.