Next Level Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd. We\xe2\x80\x99ve been passionate about video game development for 20 years now, shipping award-winning games for fans across the world and still going strong. Some of our titles include Super Mario Strikers, Mario Strikers Charged, Punch-Out!!, Luigi\xe2\x80\x99s Mansion: Dark Moon, Metroid Prime Federation Force, Luigi\xe2\x80\x99s Mansion 3 and most recently Mario Strikers\xe2\x84\xa2: Battle League. At NLG, we believe that a project finds success when we all work together in harmony. Therefore, we place careful consideration to building and nurturing an environment where everyone feels welcome and has fun in the process of achieving our shared goals.

LEAD CINEMATIC ANIMATOR

We are looking for a Lead Cinematic Animator to join our team. NLG\xe2\x80\x99s award-winning team is known for its dedication to creating beautiful, high-quality animation. We welcome candidates who can lead an experienced crew and share our commitment to creativity, communication, and compassion.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The ideal candidate is someone who can empower our team in the creation of captivating, story-driven moments. This includes working with the Animation Director and Art Leads to support the artistic vision and set high-quality benchmarks for the Presentation Animation team.
The ideal candidate will also:

• Demonstrate an enthusiasm and passion for creative collaboration.
• Be highly motivated and organized.
• Provide meaningful and timely feedback to animators.
• Work hands on with animators to push their craft and skill development.
• Nurture the team through creative and technical support.
• Help set and manage goals with the Production team.
• Be a point of contact for the Presentation Animation team, both internally and with our external partners.
• Continue to grow their own skills with the support of the studio.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have shipped a minimum of one game in the role of Lead Animator, or 5+ years lead experience in film/television.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and aptitude for problem-solving.
• Proven ability to create high quality, hand keyed animation.
• An understanding of filmmaking and cinematography techniques.
• Proficient in Maya.
• Solid understanding of 3D pipelines and best practices.

YOU SET YOURSELF ABOVE WITH:

• Strong 2D drawing skills.
• Rigging experience.
• A love for games.
• A positive attitude and a great sense of humour!

Please include a link to your demo reel in either the cover letter or your resume. Applications without a demo reel will not be considered. We wish to thank all applicants in advance; however, only those under consideration will be contacted. We are currently only considering applicants who already have work eligibility in Canada.