Layout Lead, Cinema & Cinematics Dept

The Gearbox Entertainment Company is an award-winning creator and distributor of entertainment for people around the world. Gearbox Entertainment develops and publishes products through its subsidiaries, Gearbox Software and Gearbox Publishing. Gearbox Entertainment has become widely known for successful game franchises including Brothers in Arms and Borderlands, as well as acquired properties Duke Nukem and Homeworld. Gearbox’s ambition is to entertain the world and its key driving objectives include the pursuit of happiness for our talent, partners and customers, the prioritization of entertainment and creativity and a measured respect for profitability. For more information, visit www.Gearbox.com.

Gearbox Entertainment is growing our top-tier Cinema & Cinematics Department, dedicated to providing high-quality visual storytelling and narrative performance. A true "transmedia" team, we're dedicated to expanding our IPs and Properties through a great number of storytelling channels including cinematics, short films, and other engaging content for our vast audience. We have some incredible projects on our slate and plenty of room for professional growth.

Our Layout Lead is an experienced leader and camera connoisseur, exuding a passion for visual storytelling, composition, and editing - able to own and steer scenes as they are pitched, planned, and executed via the foundational anatomy of a scene; camera, blocking, staging, and composition -- helping to create strong crafted narrative moments.
A cinematographer at heart, a generalist in craft, able to roll up their sleeves to demonstrate and inspire the team.

This leadership position is local, in-person hybrid at our Frisco, TX Studio. Relocation support offered.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead the efforts of the Cinema & Cinematics Layout Team through strong collaboration with the Lead Cinematic Animator to bring to life signature narrative moments within Gearbox projects and properties.
Using scripts, storyboards, raw mocap performance, and/or rough animation to drive pre-visualization, shot design, and/or layout of scenes and sequences, creating camerawork and initial editing of scenes using compositional techniques, lensing, and initial editorial layout.
Execute revisions and quality improvements as edits and shots are refined in order to strengthen the edit and overall scene story.
When needed, steer, manage, and organize the process of creating low-res and representational assets in support of the creation of layout files prepared for the cinematic animation team. This includes files provided and shared by other partnering teams like audio, fx, and other assets that require updating and upkeep.
Help to transfer and sometimes edit performance capture data into layout scenes in preparation for shot design, then continuing to update and revise until ready for animation.
Drive polish work supporting final camerawork, set design, lighting, VFX and animation, while having a strong understanding of each and the ability to complement their application.
Working closely with the Cinematics Director and Cinematics Producer, establish and advocate scope and schedules in order to hit deadlines and manage priorities.
Troubleshoot pipeline processes and work to improve them for the team.

REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum 4 years of experience working in cinematics on AAA video game titles or minimum 3 years of experience working in the Film/VFX/Animation industry.
Strong communicator with problem-solving skills, able to provide, receive, and guide direction and feedback.
Leadership experience owning a part of a pipeline, technique, or process where collaboration, documentation and instruction were paramount in team success.
A deep love for storytelling experiences in film, animation, and video games.
A strong understanding of cinematography and editing techniques of storytelling performances in all mediums.
A strong sense of composition and color, with an intuitive understanding of the line of action.
Experience with CG lighting techniques and pipelines.
Animation knowledge in both motion capture and hand-keyed disciplines.
Familiar with multiple pipelines of scene layout production.
Experience and understanding of game engine workflows like UE4, Unity, or equivalent post-production rendering techniques.
Advanced hands-on experience with Autodesk Maya.

NICE-TO-HAVES:

Experience with Autodesk MotionBuilder.
Experience using tasking platforms such as Shotgrid and Jira.
Familiar with the processes of visual storytelling within digital and practical mediums.
Experience and knowledge using practical cameras and lenses for photography and/or cinematography.

Gearbox Entertainment believes that all team members should be able to enjoy a work environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. We are committed to reflecting the diversity of the world we strive to entertain. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we provide fair and equal treatment to all team members and applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy or maternity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable national, federal, state or local law.