Principal Cinematic Animator

Hasbro; Montreal; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness

Time Off to Recharge

Financial Well-being

Life & Family Support

Learning & Development

Exclusive Perks

Job summary

Skeleton Key, building a new studio in Montreal, is seeking a Principal Cinematic Animator to join the team and help bring our first AAA game to life. Reporting to the Animation Director, you will create high-quality cinematic sequences that integrate with gameplay, collaborating with cinematics, design, and engineering teams to deliver narrative experiences.

You will lead blending motion capture with keyframe work, optimize pipelines, and mentor junior animators.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in cinematic animation for games or film.
• Strong understanding of cinematic principles, pacing, camera movement, shot selection, and character performance.
• High-level experience cleaning and polishing performance capture data.
• Excellent keyframe animation skills.
• Experience with Unreal Engine, Maya, MotionBuilder or comparable software.
• Ability to work independently and manage tasks with minimal oversight.
• Strong collaboration skills across disciplines.
• Passion for games, storytelling, and cinematic animation.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality cinematic animation using motion capture and keyframe techniques.
• Collaborate with Cinematic Director on staging, camera work and shot composition.
• Previsualize cinematic sequences to support motion capture shoots.
• Clean up and polish motion capture performances to high fidelity.
• Refine facial animation including expressions, eyelines, and hand-keyed acting beats.
• Craft interactive cinematic moments with Design team.
• Build and maintain an animation library for systemic narrative content.
• Support implementation and debugging of cinematic animation systems and pipelines.

Skills

Cinematic animation

Mocap cleanup

Keyframe animation

Unreal Engine

Maya

MotionBuilder

Collaboration

Independent work

Storytelling

Tools

Unreal Engine

Maya

MotionBuilder

Job description

We take play seriously. We’re looking for curious adventurers ready to find their party, fueled by imagination and drive to build what’s never been built before. At Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, you’ll collaborate with passionate teams to reimagine our iconic brands and create experiences that spark joy, connection, and community through the magic of play. This is your chance to shape legendary play that lasts a lifetime.

Step Into the Multiverse: Your Next Adventure Starts Here

At Wizards of the Coast, we harness the power of imagination and connection to create unforgettable experiences. We create entertainment that inspires creativity, sparks passion, forges friendships, and fosters communities around the globe. In every pursuit our mission is to inspire a lifetime love of games. Whether it's through the strategic depth of Magic: The Gathering® , the rich storytelling of Dungeons & Dragons® , or our AAA digital game studios, we build worlds that bring people together, spark creativity, and fuel adventure. As we continue to grow and explore new realms, we're seeking passionate, curious, and innovative minds to join the adventur e.

Skeleton Key is headquartered in Austin, TX, and we’re building out a new, growing studio in Montreal, QC. We’re looking for a passionate and dedicated Principal Cinematic Animator to join the Montreal team and help bring our first AAA game to life.

Reporting to the Animation Director, you will be a key contributor as we enter pre-production, focused on creating high-quality cinematic animation that integrates seamlessly with gameplay. This role focuses on interactive cinematic moments, working closely with cinematics, design, and engineering teams to deliver compelling narrative experiences both systemically and through bespoke content.

What you’ll do:

• Create high-quality cinematic animation using both motion capture and keyframe animation techniques.
• Collaborate with the Cinematic Director to define staging, camera work, and shot composition for cinematic sequences.
• Previsualize cinematic sequences to support motion capture shoots.
• Clean up and polish motion capture performances to a high level of fidelity.
• Refine facial animation, including expressions, eyelines, and hand-keyed acting beats.
• Craft interactive cinematic moments in collaboration with the Design team.
• Contribute to building and maintaining an animation library for systemic narrative content.
• Support implementation, maintenance, and debugging of cinematic animation systems, and help improve related pipelines and tools.

What you’ll bring to the team:

• 5+ years of professional experience in cinematic animation for games or film.
• Strong understanding of cinematic principles, including pacing, camera movement, shot selection, and character performance.
• High-level experience cleaning and polishing performance capture data.
• Excellent keyframe animation skills.
• Experience working with tools such as Unreal Engine, Maya, MotionBuilder, or comparable software.
• Ability to work independently and manage tasks with minimal oversight.
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively across disciplines.
• Passion for games, storytelling, and cinematic animation.

Nice to have:

• Experience using Unreal Engine Sequencer.
• Experience authoring cinematics for video games.
• Familiarity with rigging, skinning, or other technical animation workflows.
• Experience with 3D cinematography and camera work.
• Experience working with actors in motion capture or performance capture environments.

At Wizards, we believe in the magic of diversity- great ideas come from unique perspectives. We are committed to building an inclusive, welcoming workplace where everyone belongs. Wizards is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

Wizards will provide reasonable accommodations with the application process, upon your request, as required to comply with applicable laws. If you have a disability and require assistance in this application process, please contact your recruiter or coordinator.

Employees may be eligible for annual and long-term incentives as part of their overall compensation package, depending on role, location, and eligibility. Benefits and programs may include:

• Health & Wellness
• Time Off to Recharge
• Financial Well-being
• Life & Family Support
• Volunteer and Community Initiatives
• Learning & Development
• Exclusive Perks

Please review our Applicant Privacy Notice to learn how we collect, use, and protect your personal information in connection with the application process.