Art Director, Motion - The Heist at Thinkingbox

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Thinkingbox Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Animation, AdvertisingIndustries

Requirements

  • A stunning portfolio demonstrating strong art direction in motion across multiple styles and platforms
  • 7+ years of experience in motion design or animation, with at least 1-2 years in a senior or leadership role
  • Strong background in visual storytelling, typography, color theory, and design principles
  • Expertise in Cinema 4D, Redshift, and Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere)
  • Familiarity with Houdini, XParticles, Marvelous Designer, or Substance Painter is a bonus
  • Excellent communication skills – both visual and verbal
  • Ability to manage timelines, provide mentorship, and balance hands-on work with strategic thinking
  • A deep passion for craft and a desire to push what’s possible in motion

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

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

StoryboardingStyleframesMotion DesignMotion Graphics3D Animation2D AnimationCreative Direction

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the salary for this Art Director, Motion position?

This information is not specified in the job description.

Is this a remote or hybrid role, and where are the offices located?

This is a hybrid hands-on and leadership role, with the company maintaining five offices that support a vibrant collaborative culture, though specific locations are not detailed.

What skills and experience are required for this role?

Candidates need 7+ years in motion design or animation with 1-2 years in leadership, expertise in Cinema 4D, Redshift, and Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere), plus strong visual storytelling, typography, color theory, and design principles.

What is the company culture like at The Heist?

The culture is vibrant and collaborative across five offices, featuring dog parties, happy hour Fridays, team trips to Whistler, and a monthly opportunity to work from other offices or places like Mexico's beaches, fostering curiosity, big thinking, and continuous learning.

What makes a strong candidate for this Art Director role?

A strong candidate will have a stunning portfolio showing art direction in motion across styles and platforms, leadership experience directing teams, and the ability to mentor juniors while staying ahead of industry trends.

Thinkingbox

Creative agency for digital storytelling

About Thinkingbox

Thinkingbox specializes in creating high-quality digital content and storytelling to help brands connect with their audiences. The company produces videos, animations, and other digital media that highlight the unique features of their clients' products and services. For example, they created videos for QuickBooks that demonstrated the software's simplicity and benefits for small business owners. Thinkingbox differentiates itself from competitors by focusing on localized content and building long-term partnerships with clients, starting from specific projects and evolving into ongoing collaborations. The goal of Thinkingbox is to shape the future of brands through compelling narratives and visual content.

Vancouver, CanadaHeadquarters
2009Year Founded
VENTURE_UNKNOWNCompany Stage
Consumer Software, EntertainmentIndustries
51-200Employees

Benefits

Hybrid Work Options
Flexible Work Hours
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Health Insurance

Risks

Departure of long-term partner Clark may disrupt operations and knowledge retention.
New COO Corey Hankey might introduce misaligned strategic shifts.
Aggressive growth strategies by new CGO Alex Panousis could strain resources.

Differentiation

Thinkingbox excels in innovative storytelling and high-quality digital content creation.
The company specializes in interactive and immersive content like AR and VR experiences.
Thinkingbox has a global reach with localized content for diverse client needs.

Upsides

Growing demand for AR and VR content boosts Thinkingbox's market opportunities.
Brands' focus on sustainability offers new storytelling avenues for Thinkingbox.
Rise of short-form video content aligns with Thinkingbox's creative capabilities.

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