Gameplay Capture Artist (Contingent)

This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner DZConneX. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position.
Ability to work hybrid from our Santa Monica, CA based studio is required.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of interactive gameplay and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well for the PS5 . We're also proud to say that both games are now available for the first time on PC. We’re currently busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and we'd love to find talented individuals to join us. Naughty Dog is looking for a talented and enthusiastic storyteller to join our Editorial team as a Gameplay Capture Artist. The capture artist will be responsible for creating fresh, unique, and exciting video and still-image assets for use in public-facing campaigns by capturing them directly from Naughty Dog’s entire catalogue of games. In addition, this position will occasionally oversee the creation of original gameplay-focused marketing materials, taking them from ideation, through capture, editorial, and publishing. Our ideal candidate is a passionate and collaborative storyteller with exemplary gameplay skills and a sharp eye for artistic shot composition.

The Gameplay Capture Artist works with our video editing team to produce outstanding videos and captivating screenshots from all Naughty Dog games. In addition, this role will work closely with the Design and Programming departments to script complex shots to allow for faster iteration. You will collaborate closely with our communications, animation, cinematography, and other teams as needed. You will utilize our custom internal tools to capture unique and captivating shots. This role will occasionally be responsible for editing captures into complete video assets for internal use and external release.

What you will do:

• Identify and capture cinematic and gameplay content from within a  game, creating imagery that conveys narrative tone and highlights core game features
• Rapidly understand the narrative themes, tone, and aesthetics of games in active development and gain mastery of gameplay
• Utilize debug functions as well as new and evolving in-game tools to create unique and stylish video and still captures
• Work with varying levels of supervision and creative direction, ranging from high levels of autonomy to working directly with a director to capture specific requests
• Work on multiple projects simultaneously, maintaining a fast pace to ensure deadlines are met and deliverables are up to our industry-leading quality standards
• Problem-solve to achieve the best possible results while working within the confines of unfinished technology
• Occasionally edit gameplay reels for internal and external use

What skills you will use:

• Exceptional gameplay and combat skills for current platform (PS5, PS4, PC) video game titles. Able to plan and execute extended/complicated gameplay sequences while concurrently
  utilizing the in-game camera to convey tone and tell a captivating story
• A master of shot composition and visual storytelling
• Experience creating visual content in digital or standard media (video, photography, gaming, etc.)
• Thorough understanding of and passion for Naughty Dog’s games
• Creative, collaborative, and adaptable. A team-player who is comfortable with giving feedback and receiving critique
• Excellent communication, organization, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to perform at a high level whether working as part of a team or independently
• Self-driven and strong work-ethic
• Adaptable. Willing to learn new skills and try new things
• Creative, out of the box thinker, able to see angles or shots that others don’t

Bonus Skills:

• Please note that these are desirable skills and are not required to apply for the position
• Programming experience
• Non-linear editing experience
• Proficiency using the Adobe Creative Suite (Premiere, Media Encoder)

As a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates will be asked to complete a gameplay capture test. 

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