Art Director, Creative Development- Disney & Pixar Games

About the Role & Team
Come and join our talented Creative Team at Disney & Pixar Games.  This unique position requires a highly creative and motivated individual to partner with the best game developers from across the globe to build the next generation of Disney & Pixar Games.

The Art Director, Creative Development will be responsible for providing artistic leadership across our portfolio of licensed games. They will manage a small team of internal artists, partner with our product development and marketing teams, as well as our world-class developers to deliver exceptional and authentic Disney and Pixar experiences for fans and gamers alike.

They will provide visual guidance and brand feedback, as well as concept and design support as needed, to our external development teams to elevate the visual quality of our diverse portfolio of mobile, console, and PC games. This role draws upon your expertise not only as a seasoned artist and game developer, but also as an authority on gaming trends and a passionate Disney enthusiast who can creatively support our external partners.

You will be the point person for visual development submissions and discussions, leveraging best-in-class examples on the target platform and genre, and guiding visual design through the lens of our characters and worlds, to ensure that each game is a compelling, appealing, and authentic Disney & Pixar experience.

This is a full-time role.

You will report to the Sr. Art Director, Creative Development

You must also submit a digital portfolio. Please share or disable any passwords for efficient review of portfolios.

In this role, you will:

Team Leadership:

• Oversees, through the Disney & Pixar Games perspective, the visual art quality & brand integrity of the projects for which they and their artists are responsible.

• Works with the Senior Manager, Creative Development regarding goals, priorities, and individual project progress.

• Manages and mentors internal team members, providing art and visual design guidance. Shares best practices that foster inclusive creativity and elevate visuals and visual storytelling in our products.

• Researches and identifies creative new visual styles; provides appropriate recommendations and suggestions for new games and partners.

• Serves as an internal art critic for all Disney & Pixar Games, focusing on visual design. Works to elevate the quality of all the games across our portfolio.

• Establishes high benchmarks and provides recommendations to improve visual design and execution.

• Participates in creative brainstorm sessions to develop new thought-starters, context, and conceits for games based on Disney & Pixar characters and worlds

• Works with the Senior Manager, Creative Development, regarding goals, priorities, and individual project progress.

Art Direction:

• Represents Visual Design on the highest complexity projects as an authority on the worlds, stories, and characters of Disney & Pixar.

• Drives the visual quality & brand integrity of the projects to which they are assigned.

• Manages a team of Artists to work with external game partners on visual designs and progress throughout the product lifecycle (from ideation to release to live operations) on all projects.

• Provides visual feedback, guidance, and direction to help deliver quality and brand authenticity across all our games in the form of draw-overs, painter-overs, and written notes.

• Problem-solves brand/visual design challenges, always working towards visual improvement of our products, characters, and worlds.

• Communicates and collaborates directly with our Product Development, our Brand Relations, and our Portfolio and Brand Strategy teams.

• Coordinate special internal projects beyond visual development of games, including the creation of team branding, presentation decks and unique executions.

Brand & Franchise Guidance:

• Collaborates with partners to create gameplay experiences that authentically represent our brands and engage gamers and fans alike.

• Exemplifies the role of a creative negotiator, representing and advocating on behalf of our development partners, studio leadership, and key Walt Disney Company stakeholders to deliver against our collective product goals and visual needs.

• Creatively works within existing and upcoming Disney and Pixar IP guidelines to provide guidance to our partners to ensure that the game art direction and visuals within our products are being designed and executed mindfully, authentically, and respectfully.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Ability to create compelling artwork and illustrations.

• Passionate Disney & Pixar enthusiast is a must.

• An avid fan of games and gaming. Stays up to date on new games and is a game player. Clear understanding of various gaming platforms (Mobile, Console, and PC) and various game types and genres.

• Proficient 2D art skills with the ability to draw and illustrate Disney-like characters and worlds.

• Expertise in one of the following art backgrounds: character design, 2D art, 2D animation, 3D art, environmental design, illustration and UI Design. Broad knowledge and ability to execute various art styles.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present feedback and ideas in a clear and concise manner.

• Creatively oversee and guide projects from beginning to end with little assistance while keeping Senior Art Director updated on product progress.

• Balances their time between team management and specific project work.

• Self-starter, reliable, and passionate about their work; committed to their discipline and its challenges.

• Expertise in one of the following art backgrounds: character design, 2D art, 2D animation, 3D art, environmental design, illustration and UI Design. Broad knowledge and ability to execute various art styles.

• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite including Adobe Photoshop.

You Have:

• 7+ years gaming experience on a mobile, console or pc.

• 3+ years of people management experience

• Has shipped mobile, console, and/or PC games with live operations components.

• Experience working on content based on intellectual properties.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience with a 3D package a plus.

• Experience with graphic art including UI, Logo Design, presentation deck graphics and branding elements.

• Experience with large scale, high-profile projects preferred.

Additional Information: 

Disney offers a rewards package to help you live your best life. This includes health and savings benefits, educational opportunities, and special extras that only Disney can provide. Learn more about our benefits and perks at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits. 

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The hiring range for this position in Glendale, CA is $124,900 to $167,500 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.