Blizzard Entertainment is seeking a highly skilled Animation Editor to join the Creative Development division’s Animation Editorial team on a 4-to-5-month temporary basis. Operating as the central post-production hub within the Story & Franchise Development (SFD) branch, this team authors the world-class reveal trailers, marketing assets, short films, and in-game cinematic sequences that define and support Blizzard’s globally recognized intellectual properties.
This position requires a seasoned editorial professional with a sophisticated background in narrative pacing, visual storytelling, and animation post-production pipelines. Operating out of the Irvine, CA studio under a flexible hybrid framework—with fully remote arrangements considered for unique circumstances—the successful candidate will manage multiple high-profile projects simultaneously under tight live-operations deadlines.
Job Overview : Animation Editor
| Attribute | Details |
| Company | Blizzard Entertainment (An Activision Blizzard / Microsoft Company) |
| Location | Irvine, CA (Hybrid / Remote options available) |
| Employment Type | Full-time, Temporary Contract (Anticipated 4–5 month duration) |
| Department | Creative Development — Animation Editorial (Story & Franchise Development) |
| Compensation | $30.47 – $56.35 Hourly (Based on experience and location) |
| Core Software | Adobe Premiere Pro (Expert-level required) |
| Preferred Software | Adobe After Effects (Compositing & 2D effects) |
| Required Experience | 5+ years of professional editorial history, with a focus on animation |
| Core Workflow | Storyboards, animatics, temp music/SFX, and final cinematic delivery |
| Franchise Scope | Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, StarCraft |
Key Responsibilities as Animation Editor
Key Responsibilities
- Creative Editorial Execution: Craft high-impact narrative cuts for animatics, trailers, and short films from initial storyboards through to final look, integrating rough layouts, temporary music tracks, and provisional sound effects.
- Stakeholder & Director Alignment: Facilitate formal content reviews with project directors, creative leads, and game team stakeholders, translating specific creative notes into precise, iterative timeline modifications.
- Asset Ingestion & Management: Oversee the ingestion, version tracking, and organizational mapping of multi-layer animation footage, audio library assets, and legacy archival media.
- Post-Production Delivery Pipelines: Generate technical review outputs and standardized delivery manifests for downstream Sound and Visual Effects departments, partnering closely with assistant editors to guarantee flawless project handoffs.
Required Skills and Experience
- Industry Tenure: 5+ years of professional post-production editorial experience, with a dedicated, demonstrable portfolio focused directly on automated or keyframed animation pipelines.
- Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Proven history of interfacing seamlessly with upstream and downstream creative departments, including Writing, Storyboarding, Sound Design, Voice Acting, and technical animation teams.
- Software Fluency: Expert-level mastery of Adobe Premiere Pro within a shared storage, enterprise-studio network environment.
- Cinematic Artistry: A profound understanding of cinematic composition, continuity, screen direction, narrative flow, and precise audio-to-video synchronization.
- Franchise Alignment: Authentic familiarity with current video game culture, alongside a foundational understanding of Blizzard’s core universes (Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, StarCraft).
- Operational Autonomy: Self-motivated work ethic capable of executing complex edits under minimal supervision, troubleshooting platform bottlenecks independently while managing short-turnaround sprint goals.
Desirable Pluses
- Advanced knowledge of industry-standard video compression techniques, codecs, and delivery encoding software.
- Basic compositing, rotoscoping, and 2D motion graphics proficiency utilizing Adobe After Effects.
- Secondary competencies in storyboarding, 3D title creation, or pre-visualization.
About the Organization
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., a division of Activision Blizzard and a member of the Microsoft family, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Over the past 30 years, Blizzard has created some of the gaming industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining titles, engaging tens of millions of monthly active users across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.
We operate an inclusive workplace built on creative ambition, diversity, and the pursuit of epic entertainment. We strongly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds and under-represented demographics to apply.
Application and Accommodations
Interested applicants should submit an updated resume alongside a digital portfolio link or showreel demonstrating professional animation editorial work.
1. Reasonable Accommodations: Blizzard Entertainment is dedicated to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. Candidates requiring physical or technical accommodations during the application or interviewing phase may submit requests directly to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com.
2. Equal Opportunity Employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
