Camera Layout Artist

This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner, DZConnex. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position.  

Candidates must be available to work in our Santa Monica studio on a hybrid basis. 

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Parts I and II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we’d love to find talented individuals to join us.  

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.  

Naughty Dog is looking for a talented Camera Layout Artist to join our team in creating the next generation of award-winning story telling! You’ll create previs for shoots, turn the shoot data into cinematic sequences, and then work alongside animation and design to bring the cameras to final polish. 

What you will do: 

• Create sequences that clearly depict staging, blocking, camera motion, and character performance for cinematics, from rough layout to final camera polish 
• Hand animate cameras for interactive and cinematic sequences 
• Manipulate performance capture data when necessary to best tell the story 
• Previs sequences based on narrative script, figuring out pacing, blocking prior to shoot 
• Support animation and design teams for in-game cameras 
• Provide solutions to creative problems, and be capable of pitching ideas verbally 
• Communicate clearly with production staff and manage production tasks 
• Oversee the technical aspects of camera implementation across the game 

What skills you will use:  

• 5+ years of experience as a Camera Layout or Previs artist in the game or film industry 
• Maya experience is required: generalist level skill at animating, modeling, rigging, shading, lighting, etc. 
• Experience working with motion capture data 
• Ability to tell compelling stories through cinematography and editing 
• Work ethic and follow-through 
• Openness to criticism and ideas 
• Clear and kind communication within the team and across disciplines 
• Artistic and technical skills 
• Teamwork 
• Excellent attention to detail 
• Creativity and innovation in visual storytelling 
• Efficiency and organization in workflow 
• Proven ability to work autonomously and take initiative 

Bonus Skills 

• Comfortability with scripting languages 
• Comfortability with 2d artistic tools such as Photoshop, After Effects and Premiere Pro is a plus 
• Experience working on a motion capture set  
• Experience hand-operating a virtual camera  

If this sounds like you, please submit your resume and reel! 

As a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates may be asked to complete a cinematic test. 

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