Senior Cinematic Designer

Firesprite is a visionary game development studio based in the heart of Liverpool.

Proud to be an integral part of the PlayStation Studios family, we create showcase games that take players on thrilling journeys, with memorable characters, captivating narratives, and shared moments of excitement. Our commitment to the core values of Inclusivity, Bravery, Responsiveness, Entrepreneurial and Professionalism is a key driving force behind our work culture.

Role Overview:

We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced Senior Cinematic Designer to join our Cinematics team, working on a dark, story-driven 'Narrative Adventure'. In this role you will build blockout and first-pass cinematics based on the requirements of gameplay and level design. You will ensure that all cinematics are authored and maintained consistently throughout the project, from initial integration to final production delivery. You will act as a key connection point between asset creators, design, narrative, and the game engine and be a key contributor in crafting a compelling cinematic experience in our games.

This is a senior level role that offers career progression in artistic or technical directions. It will involve being responsible and accountable for important sections of the game and being a trusted role model and safe pair of hands within the Cinematic Design team.

The role is based in the studio for 2-3 days per week with flexibility.

What you'll be doing:

Core responsibilities involve initial creation and management of cinematic sequences whilst integrating and checking deliveries from multiple departments:

• Collaborate with Animation, Art, and Design to build exciting cinematics.
• Build high quality blockout cinematics in Unreal.
• Process and integrate character animations, visual effects, and camera work.
• Independently maintain and handle cinematics in a highly iterative environment.
• Consult on the planning of cinematic team goals.
• Troubleshoot problems in a collaborative and communicative way.
• Champion the development and refinement of cinematic tools and workflows.
• Supervise members of the team and coach them to success through reviews and mentorship.

In addition to core responsibilities, you will be encouraged to take ownership of key features with minimal direction, in support of the Cinematic Design Lead and the Cinematics team.

What we are looking for:

• Excellent proficiency in Unreal Engine and Sequencer.
• Experience in cinematic creation using character animation, cameras and editing.
• Fastidious, well-organised and detail focused.
• Excellent cinematic literacy.
• Work well with others and embraces different approaches to different problems.
• Takes initiative, anticipating team needs and producing appropriate solutions.
• Proactive demeanour and strong problem-solving skills.
• Excellent knowledge of cinematic workflows for narrative games.

Desirable skills:

• Knowledge of 3D Modelling, animation and camera animation.
• Knowledge of composition and cinematography, with the ability to analyse and apply these principles.
• Experience with multitrack video/audio editing.
• Visual Scripting knowledge.
• Experience in crafting tools requests and prototypes.
• Mentoring and coaching experience in a professional environment.
• Candidates should provide links to portfolio work in games/animation if available.

Firesprite is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, with a commitment to a culture of inclusion and mutual respect for all employees from every walk of life, reflecting the community we make games for. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable applicants regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.