Wolcen Studio hiring Senior Cinematic Animator

The digital storytelling landscape is evolving, and Wolcen Studio is at the forefront of this journey. We are seeking a visionary Senior Cinematic Animator to help architect the narrative experience of our next ambitious project. This role is designed for an artist who possesses not only the technical rigor to master Unreal Engine 5 but also the soulful intuition required to bring digital characters to life through nuanced performance and cinematic flair.

Job Overview

• Company Name: Wolcen Studio
• Job Title: Senior Cinematic Animator
• Job Type: Full-Time
• Location: Remote (Europe-wide)
• Seniority Level: Senior
• Required Experience: Strong experience in PC / Console Cinematic Animation
• Salary Range: Competitive (Based on experience)
• Core Technology: Unreal Engine 5 (Sequencer), MetaHumans, Autodesk Maya
• Reporting Structure: Reports to the Animation Director
• Industry: AAA Game Development

Company Overview: The Wolcen Journey

Wolcen Studio is a multicultural collective of developers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of the Action RPG genre and beyond. Our studio thrives on passion, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of high-quality standards. We are currently embarking on a new journey, leveraging the power of Unreal Engine 5 to create immersive, narrative-driven experiences. As a fully remote studio within Europe, we offer a modern, flexible work environment that prioritizes talent and creativity over geographical boundaries.

Role Overview

As a Senior Cinematic Animator, you will be a cornerstone of our narrative pipeline. Your mission is to bridge the gap between static scripts and living, breathing cutscenes. You are not just moving joints; you are crafting emotions, staging drama, and ensuring that every dialogue-driven moment resonates with the player.

You will work at the heart of a collaborative ecosystem, interfacing daily with Cinematic Artists, the Narrative team, and the Animation Director. The ideal candidate is someone who is highly organized, self-motivated, and possesses a deep-seated passion for the cinematic arts within the gaming medium.

Key Responsibilities

High-Fidelity Character Animation

• Performance Crafting: Create believable, high-quality character animations by expertly blending motion capture data with meticulous hand-key animation techniques.
• Narrative Impact: Animate complex cutscenes and dialogue-heavy sequences, ensuring that every performance maintains stylistic consistency and hits the intended emotional beats.
• Facial Performance: Utilize MetaHuman workflows to deliver industry-leading facial animation that captures the subtleties of human expression.

Technical Integration & Staging

• Unreal Engine 5 Sequencer: Work directly within the UE5 Sequencer to stage, implement, and polish cinematic content, ensuring a seamless transition from animation to engine.
• Cinematographic Alignment: Collaborate hand-in-hand with Cinematic Artists to align character performances with camera work, lighting, and overall storytelling objectives.
• Pipeline Optimization: Maintain and polish animations throughout the production cycle, resolving bugs efficiently and ensuring technical performance requirements are met.

Collaborative Excellence

• Cross-Disciplinary Synergy: Partner with narrative, design, art, audio, and production teams to ensure a cohesive and holistic cinematic experience.
• Communication: Clearly communicate project progress, potential blockers, and resource needs to leads and production stakeholders.
• Workflow Organization: Stay organized and manage time effectively to consistently meet high-stakes production deadlines while working in a fully remote capacity.

Qualifications & Technical Skills

Professional Requirements

• Proven Track Record: Significant experience as a Cinematic Animator specifically within the PC or Console gaming sectors.
• Animation Foundations: A rock-solid foundation in core animation principles, including acting, posing, timing, and weight.
• Cinematography Knowledge: A strong compositional sense and an understanding of cinematic language and camera theory.

Technical Proficiencies

• Unreal Engine 5: Mastery of the UE5 Sequencer is considered an essential requirement for this role.
• DCC Tools: Expert-level proficiency in Maya (or equivalent animation software).
• Advanced Workflows: Hands-on experience with MetaHumans for both body and facial performance animation.
• Communication: Excellent written and spoken English skills are required to facilitate clear communication within our multicultural team.

Preferred “Nice-to-Have” Skills

• MoCap Expertise: Exposure to Xsens or MoveAI technology.
• Cleanup Skills: Experience in Motion Capture (MoCap) cleanup and high-end performance capture facial animation.
• Software Versatility: Proficiency with MotionBuilder or other specialized MoCap tools.
• Industry Passion: A genuine passion for storytelling and the evolving landscape of real-time cinematic pipelines.

Remote Culture & Benefits

At Wolcen Studio, we embrace the future of work. This position is 100% remote, allowing you to work from anywhere within Europe. We provide:

• Cultural Diversity: Join a team that values different perspectives and international backgrounds.
• Cutting-Edge Tech: Work with the latest features of Unreal Engine 5 and MetaHuman technology.
• Autonomy: A work environment that trusts its seniors to manage their time and deliver excellence.
• Narrative Focus: A project where cinematics and storytelling are prioritized as core pillars of the player experience.

Application Process

To join our journey, please submit the following:

1. Professional Resume: Detailing your experience with shipped PC/Console titles.

2. Cinematic Showreel: Highlighting your best work in character performance, dialogue animation, and UE5 implementation.

3. Technical Breakdown: A brief explanation of your workflow regarding MoCap integration and hand-keying.