Cinematic Designer

Archetype Entertainment is a new game studio in Austin, Texas, focused on creating story-driven roleplaying games. As a division of Wizards of the Coast, they aim to build a development team with world-class talent to create a new science fiction universe for their first multiplatform roleplaying video game. They believe in empowering top developers and challenging them with ambitious projects that are shaped by a strong creative vision. They are currently seeking a Cinematic Designer to join their team and contribute to the creation of in-game cinematics with a branching narrative. The ideal candidate should have proficiency in non-linear editing, cinematic principles, and shot composition, as well as experience in the video games or film industry.

• Create runtime cinematics from branching dialogue trees directly in Unreal Engine 5 using a growing animation library.
• Contribute to planning and resourcing discussions for any cinematics under your purview.
• Evaluate scripts to assess potential animation requirements and review existing PCAP data to help grow the animation library.
• Collaborate with Animators, Artists, and Audio team members to assist with the in-engine assembly and presentation of cinematics authored in Maya.
• Work closely with Level and Narrative Designers to handle the flow between interactive cinematic story beats and gameplay.
• Validate cinematics in game to ensure quality and runtime performance.
• Balance creative ambition with efficiency while adhering to production schedules.
• Iterate and improve on your work through feedback from the team.
• Ability to interpret scripts into engaging cinematic moments.
• Problem solver with proven experience adapting to creative and technical issues.
• Intimate knowledge of cinematic principles and shot composition.
• Outstanding sense of character motivations and emotions.
• Comfortable working autonomously.
• Capable of clear and concise communication.
• Excellent time management and interpersonal skills.
• Strong grasp of Unreal Engine or comparable tools, with an emphasis on timelines, visual scripting interfaces, and node-based graphs.
• Familiarity with Autodesk Maya or comparable software.
• Portfolio or reel demonstrating understanding of scene composition, staging, camera fundamentals, and pacing.
• College Diploma/Degree in cinema, animation, video game development, or equivalent is preferred.
• 2+ years of experience working in the video games or film industry.

• Proficiency with non-linear editing for in-game cinematics featuring a branching narrative
• Ability to create runtime cinematics from branching dialogue trees directly in Unreal Engine 5 using a growing animation library
• Contribution to planning and resourcing discussions for cinematics
• Evaluation of scripts to assess potential animation requirements and review existing PCAP data to help grow the animation library
• Collaboration with Animators, Artists, and Audio team members for in-engine assembly and presentation of cinematics authored in Maya
• Working closely with Level and Narrative Designers to handle the flow between interactive cinematic story beats and gameplay
• Validation of cinematics in game to ensure quality and runtime performance
• Balancing creative ambition with efficiency while adhering to production schedules
• Iteration and improvement of work through feedback from the team
• Ability to interpret scripts into engaging cinematic moments
• Problem-solving skills and experience adapting to creative and technical issues
• Intimate knowledge of cinematic principles and shot composition
• Outstanding sense of character motivations and emotions
• Comfortable working autonomously
• Clear and concise communication skills
• Excellent time management and interpersonal skills
• Strong grasp of Unreal Engine or comparable tools, with an emphasis on timelines, visual scripting interfaces, and node-based graphs
• Familiarity with Autodesk Maya or comparable software
• Portfolio or reel demonstrating understanding of scene composition, staging, camera fundamentals, and pacing
• College Diploma/Degree in cinema, animation, video game development, or equivalent is preferred
• 2+ years of experience working in the video games or film industry

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Paid Vacation Time & Holidays
• Generous 401(k) match
• Paid Parental Leave
• Volunteer Program
• Employee Giving & Matching Gifts Programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Product Discounts
• Compensation Range: $83,440-$140,280 USD