Cinematics & Lighting Artist - Talent Pool (MEA)

About Side

Side is a global video game development and services provider, offering technical and creative solutions to many of the largest developers and studios around the world. Founded in 2009 and drawing on 30+ years' experience from our parent company in Japan, Side has since grown to become a global force with 15+ studios in over a dozen countries across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.

Our industry-leading services include game development, art production, audio production, quality assurance, localization, localization QA, player support, community management, and datasets.

About This Opportunity

Please note, this listing is not for an immediate open position but for our Talent Pool for Co-Development Roles. By applying, you express interest in being considered for future project-based opportunities that align with your skills and experience.

These opportunities are contingent on client needs and project availability. As projects are initiated or client proposals are developed, we will review candidates from this pool and contact those who most closely align with the specific requirements of the co-development opportunity.

How We Keep You Engaged

We maintain strong relationships with our talent pool by providing regular updates, industry insights, and information on upcoming opportunities. We will check in to confirm your availability and interest.

Our hiring teams carefully vet and select top candidates who best meet project needs, ensuring that you are matched with the right opportunity when it becomes available.

Next Steps

If you are passionate about contributing to cutting-edge projects and want to be considered for future co-development opportunities, we encourage you to apply to this listing. While there may not be an immediate opening, your application ensures that you will be part of our ongoing talent review for upcoming roles.

Only resumes submitted in English will be considered.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement cinematic sequences that drive storytelling and enhance emotional engagement.
• Create dynamic and realistic lighting setups to elevate the visual quality and mood of game environments and cinematics.
• Collaborate closely with directors, animators, and environment artists to ensure consistency in artistic vision and technical execution.
• Optimize lighting for performance while maintaining artistic quality across platforms.
• Use game engines like Unreal Engine or Unity to integrate cinematics and lighting into the gameplay experience seamlessly.
• Debug and troubleshoot lighting and cinematic-related issues throughout the development pipeline.
• Stay updated on industry trends and technologies to push the boundaries of cinematic and lighting techniques in games.

Experience:

• 3+ years of professional experience in cinematics or lighting for video games, film, or animation.

• Demonstrated contribution to at least one shipped title on PC, console, mobile, or VR/AR.

• Technical Skills:

• Proficiency with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity, including tools for cinematic and lighting implementation.

• Strong understanding of lighting techniques, color theory, and composition.

• Familiarity with post-processing effects and rendering pipelines.

• Experience with tools like Maya, Blender, or other 3D applications for scene setup.

• Artistic Skills:

• Strong sense of mood, atmosphere, and storytelling through lighting and camera work.

• Ability to balance technical constraints with artistic vision.

• Collaboration Skills:

• Effective communication and teamwork abilities, with experience integrating feedback into iterative processes.

• Ability to work closely with cross-disciplinary teams to achieve cohesive results.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with real-time ray tracing and global illumination technologies.
• Familiarity with visual scripting systems like Unreal Engine’s Sequencer.
• Background in film or animation cinematography.
• Knowledge of procedural lighting workflows or volumetric effects.

Note: Specific requirements may vary depending on project needs.

Requirements

Experience:

• 3+ years of professional experience in cinematics or lighting for video games, film, or animation.
• Demonstrated contribution to at least one shipped title on PC, console, mobile, or VR/AR.

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity, including tools for cinematic and lighting implementation.
• Strong understanding of lighting techniques, color theory, and composition.
• Familiarity with post-processing effects and rendering pipelines.
• Experience with tools like Maya, Blender, or other 3D applications for scene setup.

Artistic Skills:

• Strong sense of mood, atmosphere, and storytelling through lighting and camera work.
• Ability to balance technical constraints with artistic vision.

Collaboration Skills:

• Effective communication and teamwork abilities, with experience integrating feedback into iterative processes.
• Ability to work closely with cross-disciplinary teams to achieve cohesive results.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with real-time ray tracing and global illumination technologies.
• Familiarity with visual scripting systems like Unreal Engine’s Sequencer.
• Background in film or animation cinematography.
• Knowledge of procedural lighting workflows or volumetric effects.

Note: Specific requirements may vary depending on project needs.