Cinematic Designer/Artist

We are seeking a creative and independent Cinematic Artist to work as part of our Stronghold 4 team, handling the creation and implementation of in-game cinematic content. You will assist in bringing the cinematic campaign content to life with exciting in-game cutscenes.

You will use and develop skills associated with all aspects of cinematic development, including script analysis, blocking, editing and presentation. All to support the delivery and impact of a story-rich strategy campaign.

You will use our proprietary in-game cinematic creation tool to create exciting in-game cutscenes, helping the programming team with feedback and analysis to help improve the tool for Stronghold 4 and future projects.

Reporting directly to the Video and Cinematics Director, as well as working closely with the rest of the Stronghold 4 team, it will be your responsibility to plan and execute the in-game cutscenes., Your ultimate goal will be to assist in the development, review and implementation of all in-game cutscenes for Stronghold 4’s campaigns. However, there may be opportunities to work on pre-rendered content as well.

As this is a mid level position, our successful candidate will be self-driven and expected to manage assigned tasks through to completion independently

Key Responsibilities

Cutscene Assembly

Build, iterate, and polish in-game cinematic sequences from script/storyboard to final execution within Unreal Engine 5.

Tool Utilization

Utilize our specialized in-engine cinematic tools alongside standard UE5 features to streamline animation, layout, and scene setup.

Camera Composition & Framing

Apply strong cinematic principles (camera placement, focal lengths, movement, pacing, and staging) to maximize narrative impact within the engine.

Integration & Layout

Assemble character animations, environmental assets, props, and visual effects within either our special in-gamer cutscene tool or Unreal’s Sequencer to create seamless narrative moments.

Technical Troubleshooting

Work within established technical budgets, optimize cinematic performance, and resolve layout or technical animation bugs as they arise.

Collaboration

Coordinate with the cinematic and art teams to ensure assets integrate smoothly and visual quality remains consistent, Your contact for this role will be our Video & Cinematics Director, Aaron Hayden. To apply please fill out the form below with the following:

• Resume / CV
• Covering Letter
• Cinematics Portfolio

This role is ideal for a mid-level candidate with experience of Unreal Engine 5 and a great visual portfolio. With a willingness to work independently on a variety of tasks that fall under the umbrella of cinematic production., A cinematic-focused portfolio showing Unreal Engine 5 experience

Experience with Unreal Engine 5

Experience with video editing

Experience with camera systems (both IRL and virtual!)

Proactive nature and a positive attitude

Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

A professional manner and experience working in a team

Be happy to turn your hand to any cinematic task needed

Strong organisational skills and experience working to deadlines

Be a quick learner who isn’t afraid to fail, learn and ask for guidance

What Sets You Apart

Experience with SVN or similar server sharing systems

Knowledge of and interest in cinematics across the video game industry

Experience working on offline / pre-rendered cinematic content made in Unreal Engine 5

This is an mid level position, contracted for 3 months. We will consider applications from candidates with industry or marketing experience, however this is not a prerequisite.

Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply, with all suitable applications considered equally regardless of age, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression. We believe firmly in the value of varied life experiences, backgrounds and cultures.

This role is fully remote, with regular virtual meetings via Google Meets and Slack for check-ins and reviews.

3-month contract salary of £12,500 (Paid in Monthly Installments)

Based on candidate preference, this role can either be served as a fixed term contract, or as freelance contract.

Firefly Studios

Creators of the BAFTA nominated Stronghold series, Firefly Studios is a Devolver Digital strategy game developer with 25 years of experience publishing games on PC and mobile. Enjoyed worldwide by a community of millions, our games have a dedicated international following and rich legacy in strategy gaming.

As a company we are a growing, close-knit interdisciplinary group of around 40 people from across the world. All staff across programming, art, production, business, marketing and QA are talented, self-driven individuals who help us punch well above our weight as a studio.

At Firefly we value and benefit from individual expression and passion, which we do our best to nurture, support and channel into our games. We believe this, combined with a flexible working environment and room to grow at the company, makes Firefly a great place to work whether you’re starting out in games or looking for an empowering next step.