Senior Cinematic Designer

Company Description

To create revolutionary, story-driven RPGs which go straight to the hearts of gamers — this is our mission. Want to dive deeper into our company’s culture? Explore our social media and check out our YouTube channel and Beyond the Game Blog where we share behind-the-scenes insights and stories direct from our team members!

Job Description

CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Cinematic Designer to join our Boston team and help shape the cinematic storytelling in Cyberpunk 2, the follow-up to Cyberpunk 2077.

As part of the Cinematics Team, you will craft highly interactive, gameplay-integrated scenes that seamlessly blend narrative, performance, and player agency. Your eye for composition, pacing, and visual rhythm will help transform gameplay moments into powerful storytelling experiences that feel grounded, reactive, and cinematic.

If your passion for cinema matches your love of real-time storytelling, and you thrive at the intersection of art direction, gameplay, and narrative design, this role is for you.

Daily Responsibilities:

• Create dynamic, in-game cinematic sequences that merge storytelling with gameplay, maintaining player immersion and agency.
• Implement scenes with a focus on character staging, lighting, and composition that enhance the emotional and visual impact of each moment.
• Use Unreal Engine’s Sequencer and proprietary visual scripting tools to build and iterate on non-linear cinematic scenes.
• Craft expressive facial performances by combining facial animation libraries with custom animation work to deliver believable, emotionally resonant interactions.
• Collaborate closely with writers, cinematic designers, animators, quest, and gameplay teams to ensure seamless integration between narrative and interactive elements.
• Participate in motion capture sessions, assisting with shot design, framing, and performance guidance.
• Balance artistic vision with technical performance, ensuring all cinematic content meets quality and optimization standards for real-time execution.
• Maintain the visual and narrative consistency of the project through close cooperation with art direction and cinematic leadership.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in cinematic development or related industries, including film, animation, or game development.
• Strong hands-on experience with real-time game engines, such as Unreal Engine or equivalent.
• Thorough understanding of cinematography, composition, and camera language within a real-time engine.
• Deep knowledge of editing, timing, and pacing for both linear and interactive storytelling.
• Proven experience implementing cinematics in a gameplay context, using Unreal Sequencer or similar tools.
• Solid grasp of acting and posing for character-driven scenes.
• Experience with visual scripting systems such as Unreal Blueprints or proprietary equivalents.
• Familiarity with motion capture workflows and directing talent for cinematic performance.
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative mindset.
• Strong problem-solving ability and adaptability to proprietary pipelines.

Nice to haves:

(Please note that these skills are not required to apply for the position)

• Background in film, photography, or lighting.
• Interest in narrative-driven RPGs and interactive storytelling.
• Experience with MotionBuilder/Maya.
• Experience working with animation

Additional Information

The application window for this position will close by 05/01/2027.

This job requires working in Boston, US.
Working mode: in-office in a hybrid or full-time capacity. 
As part of our pre-employment process, candidates selected for this position will be required to complete a background check in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Health & Well-Being

• Company-paid medical healthcare (dental, vision, and mental).
• Free mental health support, including access to counseling, psychiatric care, and a variety of well-being webinars.
• Paid leave — 26 days of vacation, 10 sick days, & 12 calendar holidays per year.
• 401K with employer matching.
• Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) – $100 per month to use towards fitness, wellness, internet, home office equipment, learning, streaming services, and more.
• Menstrual leave — employees who menstruate can take one extra day off when experiencing period pain.
• RED Parents Network — support for working parents, including childcare benefits, and family-friendly events.

Perks & Professional Growth

• Flexible working hours.
• Trainings, lectures, and courses — internal workshops, knowledge-sharing initiatives, online tutorials, and e-learning classes are all available.
• A welcome pack filled with goodies — to help you feel right at home once you join the team.

Life in the Office

• Dog-friendly office — bring your pooch with you and look after them while working! There’s always a furry friend or two to meet.
• Truly international working environment — a chance to meet and work with a diverse selection of people from all around the world.
• No dress-code — we like to keep it casual.

This position is a new role.

Estimated pay range for this position: $118,800 - $196,000 USD annually

At CD PROJEKT RED compensation for our roles in North America are determined based on competitive market data, geographic location, and individual factors tied to business needs. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. Final offers are dependent on job-related factors like experience, qualifications, and location.

If you've observed any irregularities (i.e. legal or ethical violations) in our recruitment process, please click here to report them anonymously.

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