Full-Time

Art Director

Motion

Posted on 1/20/2026

Thinkingbox

Thinkingbox

51-200 employees

Global creative agency producing brand videos

No salary listed

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Hybrid

Mondays–Thursdays in office; Fridays remote optional.

Category
Art, Graphics & Animation (1)
Required Skills
Animation
Requirements
  • 7+ years of experience in motion design or animation, with at least 1-2 years in a senior or leadership role
Responsibilities
  • Lead concept development and the realization of creative direction for motion projects.
  • Create styleframes and storyboards that define tone, motion language, and aesthetic.
  • Oversee/guide and participate in the execution of 3D/2D motion graphics, ensuring quality and cohesion.
  • Collaborate with creative directors, producers, and designers to shape campaign narratives.
  • Give thoughtful and actionable feedback that elevates the work.
  • Direct small to mid-size teams of animators and designers across various projects.
  • Contribute to pitch decks, treatments, and new business efforts when needed.
  • Stay ahead of industry trends, tools, and techniques to continuously elevate our creative output.
Desired Qualifications
  • Familiarity with Houdini, XParticles, Marvelous Designer, or Substance Painter is a bonus.

Thinkingbox is a global creative collective that produces high-quality digital content to help brands tell their stories. It offers services in video production, animations, and digital media across North America and other regions through localized content. It partners with brands to develop and execute campaigns from concept through post-production, earning revenue from project-based work and ongoing collaborations. Its approach combines scalable end-to-end storytelling with localized content to help brands build recognition, engagement, and growth.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Vancouver, Canada

Founded

2009

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Chicago office expansion strengthens U.S. presence serving major North American clients like Adobe and Verizon.
  • Alex Panousis as Chief Growth Officer brings 20+ years media experience to accelerate client acquisition.
  • Corey Hankey's COO appointment enhances operational efficiency supporting multi-office growth across North America.

What critics are saying

  • The Mill's shutdown inflated payroll costs through 30+ ex-staff hires, straining margins and integration.
  • Rival agencies deploy AI-driven content tools cutting production costs 40%, eroding Thinkingbox's project revenue.
  • Generative AI platforms automate video and animation production, threatening core craft-based business model viability.

What makes Thinkingbox unique

  • Integrated creative collective spanning digital, experiential, content, and social services across North America.
  • Established client roster including Apple, Adobe, Starbucks, Riot Games, and Nike demonstrates premium market positioning.
  • Craft-focused production model emphasizing timeless experiential design differentiates from AI-driven competitors.

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Benefits

Hybrid Work Options

Flexible Work Hours

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Health Insurance

Company News

PR Newswire
Apr 3rd, 2025
The Heist Expands With Motion And Animation Creative Leaders From The Mill

LOS ANGELES, April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Heist, a Thinkingbox company known for pushing the boundaries of brand storytelling through animation, motion, and live-action, today announced a significant expansion with key creative and production hires from The Mill. The move includes the opening of a new Chicago office to support the continued growth of The Heist and its parent company, Thinkingbox.Leading the expansion is Patrick Coleman, who joins The Heist as Executive Creative Director. Patrick brings an award-winning portfolio and a team of long-time collaborators from The Mill, marking one of the most significant team transitions in the design and animation space in recent years. He will oversee creative operations across North America, with a primary base in Chicago."I'm beyond excited to join the Heist family," said Coleman. "It's an incredible opportunity to bring along so many talented friends to strengthen an already thriving studio and help elevate it even further. The creativity, warmth, and 'can-do' attitude truly resonate with me—I'm thrilled to see what we do together!"Also joining from The Mill are Blake Nickle, now Director of Production, Chicago, and Jason Esser, Creative Director at Thinkingbox

MediaPost
Jul 24th, 2024
Code and Theory Taps LaRose And Clark To Jointly Run Retooled Production Ops

To bring more of an AI-first mindset to the role, Clark joins from Thinkingbox, where she worked for nearly a decade, serving as managing partner, focusing on operations and production.

LBBOnline
Jul 10th, 2024
Thinkingbox Names Corey Hankey as First-Ever Chief Operating Officer

Today, Thinkingbox, the experience agency shaping the future of brands through craft and curiosity, announces Corey Hankey as its first-ever chief operating officer (COO).

Brunico Communications
Nov 28th, 2023
Thinkingbox names Alex Panousis its chief growth officer

Creative experience agency Thinkingbox has tapped Alex Panousis to take on the role of chief growth officer within the collective.

INACTIVE