Lead Animator

About Big Shot Pictures Big Shot Pictures is a next generation animation company founded by Brian Robbins that produces the franchises of tomorrow. With a distinctive digital-first approach, the company builds global animation franchises across all platforms – from digital to theatrical, gaming to streaming, and consumer products to experiences. Big Shot has a first-look theatrical distribution deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment and is backed by strategic investment from Greycroft, Sony Pictures, MarcyPen Capital Partners, ValueAct Capital, and CAA.About the Role We are seeking a Lead Animator to help shape and execute high-quality animation within an Unreal Engine–first, real-time pipeline for episodic content. This is a hands-on, creative leadership role that combines strong animation fundamentals with technical fluency in Unreal Engine. The ideal candidate is comfortable leading by example, collaborating closely with a small, focused team, and contributing directly to animation quality and performance on screen.This role will support the development of stylized, high-quality content for kids and family audiences, requiring a strong sense of performance, appeal, and character storytelling.ResponsibilitiesLead and execute character animation for episodic productions from layout through final deliveryAnimate directly in Unreal Engine, utilizing Sequencer, Control Rig, and MetaHuman Animator workflowsCollaborate closely with directors, designers, technical artists, and production partners to maintain a consistent visual and performance styleProvide animation direction, feedback, and mentorship to other animators as neededHelp define, refine, and document animation workflows and best practices for small-team, real-time productionSupport asset optimization, iteration, and performance polish within a real-time pipelineRequired QualificationsStrong professional experience animating in Unreal Engine (Sequencer, Control Rig, MetaHuman Animator), or strong foundational animation skills with a demonstrated ability and willingness to transition to real-time workflows Proven ability to animate across a wide range of styles, with an emphasis on stylized and appealing performance for kids and family contentComfortable working in small, fast-moving teamsExperience animating episodic, serialized, or narrative-driven contentPlusesCreature and non-human animation experienceStoryboarding and/or layout experienceExperience with mocap pipelinesExperience working Unreal Engine Blueprint scriptingInterest in leveraging emerging tools, including AI-assisted workflows, as an extension of the creative process to improve efficiency and iteration