Blog
Lead Animator Opportunity at Sumo Pune
Animators are a key part of video game development: they take assets from 2D and 3D artists and breathe life into them by making them interactive.
But what exactly does the role of a Lead Animator include? We sat down with Asit Ghadge, our Head of Art, to better understand what a Lead Animator does, and to talk about the current Lead Animator role we have open at Sumo Pune.
Hi Asit – it’s great to chat with you again! Can you tell us what a Lead Animator does day to day?
Asit – Lead Animators are skilled in various ranges of animation styles and can create dynamic and compelling animation for games. They understand game animation production and all its idiosyncrasies. It totally depends on the project whether the animator will work on combat, player movement or environment aspect of the game.
What are some of the responsibilities of a Lead Animator?
Asit – Leads typically create high quality, inspirational animation content and provide leadership for our AAA projects. They work as part of the Animation team and drive the quality and processes at the Pune studio.
Lead Animators also collaborate with the Animation Director in realising the animation style and direction for the project, as well as having some additional responsibilities to strengthen our teams, such as mentoring, scheduling tasks and researching and developing new approaches.
Often, animators maintain a keen interest in industry-wide developments and advancement in technology, mainly to ensure project pipelines stay up to date. Lead animators collaborate directly with discipline leads, making sure the work of the animation team is created in the most efficient and technically responsible manner.
What sort of experience does someone need to apply for a Lead Animator role?
Asit – We’d be looking for candidates to have a total of around 8 years AAA game’s experience and a strong understanding of traditional animation principles and how they can be used to enhance gameplay are required. A thorough understanding of animation fundamentals for human and non-human characters is also required.
For our current open Lead Animator role, candidates must understand the character creation process, right through from concept to modelling and final rigging. We’d also expect them to have a thorough knowledge of at least one major 3D package (i.e. Maya or 3DSMax). I’d suggest candidates also show us a strong demo reel that adequately reflects their experience, too!
Do you recommend any education routes to become an Animator?
Asit – Animators often have a quite varied experience, but a degree in computer graphics, art, animation, or illustration is usually required.
Do you have any final advice for our readers?
Asit – If you’re an experienced animator looking to work on upcoming AAA titles, with some cutting-edge technology, then this is a great opportunity for you to apply and be a part of our amazing team!
Thanks for your time, Asit, and for sharing information on what a Lead Animator does! If you’re interested in applying for our current Lead Animator role at the Sumo Pune studio, you can apply here!
We’ve also spoken to Asit previously about other art roles available at Sumo Pune. If you want to take a look, you can find them on our blog.