Background Artist jobs

As a Cinematic Screenshot Specialist, you will craft best-in-class AAA-quality cinematic stills used across marketing and promotional campaigns for Madden NFL and College Football. You will be responsible for shot composition, character posing/animation, lighting, rendering, and post-production, delivering compelling visuals that align with the creative direction provided by your Lead. Candidates may come from backgrounds in Animation, Design, Film/TV, Photography, Videography, or related fields. Experience with game engines and a passion for sports video games is a strong advantage.

Key Criteria

• Strong understanding of cinematic language, visual storytelling, and camera direction.

• Proficiency in 3D content creation or real-time engine workflows (e.g., Unreal Engine), including scene setup, lighting, posing, camera operation, and polish.
• Experience lighting scenes in-engine or within 3D software (UE4/UE5, Unity, Frostbite, Maya, 3ds Max, etc.).
• Expert knowledge of American Football, staying current with teams, players, and major storylines.
• Effective both independently and as part of a collaborative team; comfortable receiving and acting on feedback.
• Demonstrated passion for crafting high-end visual content. Ability to take a shot from previsualisation through final rendering on time and on brief.

• Solution-focused mindset with the ability to dive into technical details while staying aware of deadlines.

Technical Skills

• Deep understanding of 3D software (Maya, 3ds Max, etc.) and/or real-time engines (Unreal, Frostbite), including lighting tools, post-processing, cinematic camera systems, sequencing, and scene optimization.

• Strong experience with Adobe Creative Suite, especially Photoshop and Lightroom for color grading, retouching, and final polish.
• Understanding of DSLR photography and cinematography fundamentals, including lensing, exposure, depth of field, framing, and composition, and how to translate these principles to virtual cameras.
• Excellent eye for lighting direction, composition, visual clarity, and brand-aligned aesthetics.
• Experience posing characters using control rigs or sequencer animation tools.

• Strong grasp of dynamic lighting, global illumination, shaders, materials, and achieving high-quality results in real-time or 3D-rendered environments.

Communication Skills

• Meticulous attention to detail across visual, written, and verbal communication.
  Able to interpret feedback constructively and proactively solve issues impacting quality or workflow.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with peers, leads, and cross-functional partners.

• Capable of balancing multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining strong communication with leads and producers.

Problem-Solving & Workflow Skills

• Strong technical aptitude and ability to quickly learn new tools, software, and pipelines.

• Ability to set clear priorities and use broad strokes to validate ideas before refining details.
  Proven experience working under deadlines in a fast-paced creative environment.
• Motivated self-starter with a desire to contribute, collaborate, and continuously improve.

• Excited to explore new workflows and techniques that enhance quality and efficiency.

Preferred Qualifications

• Interest in sports video games and familiarity with EA SPORTS franchises.

• Degree in Photography, Film, Art, Design, or a related discipline (preferred but not required).

• Experience in sports photography or cinematography is a bonus.

• A collaborative, driven mindset with the ability to perform well under pressure during critical production periods.