Senior Storyboard Artist

Swaybox Studios

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Job type: Full-time

Required skills

Storyboard Pro
Photoshop

About the role

Why join Swaybox Studios?

Swaybox Studios is rewriting the rulebook of visual storytelling. As we collaborate with DC Studios/Warner Bros Pictures Animation and Matt Reeves’ 6th and Idaho on a revolutionary new project, you’ll help bring bold creative visions to life through hands-on artistry and performance. This is your chance to be a part of a production that’s equal parts innovative and unforgettable.

Job Summary

As a Senior Storyboard Artist, you will be responsible for both originating new storyboard sequences and refining boards coming out of the animatic process. Working with rough boards and reference materials, you will bring polish, clarity, and cinematic energy to sequences, ensuring that every panel communicates clear movement, compelling performance, and strong camera language. This role demands a seasoned artist who can work at a fast pace without sacrificing quality, and who brings deep knowledge of visual storytelling to every sequence they touch.

Key Responsibilities

Take rough storyboards and animatic-stage boards and refine them into clean, polished sequences ready for production — preserving intent while significantly elevating execution.
Originate storyboard sequences from script, director thumbnail, or verbal brief — developing staging, camera, and action from scratch when needed.
Deliver expressive, nuanced character acting with clear emotional reads, strong poses, and fluid movement from panel to panel.
Apply expert knowledge of perspective, staging, and camera language to ensure every sequence is cinematically compelling and spatially coherent.
Interpret and build upon quick sketches and rough gesture drawings, extracting the core idea and elevating it to production quality.
Maintain consistent character appeal and on-model accuracy.
Collaborate closely with the director and art and story team to understand sequence intent and deliver boards that serve the story.
Adapt quickly to feedback and revisions, maintaining a high output pace within the demands of a feature film production schedule.
Mentor and support junior board artists, providing guidance on technique, story sense, and production standards.
Organize and prepare finalized boards for presentation, editorial, and pipeline handoff.

Required Qualifications

Exceptional drawing skills with a commanding sense of gesture, expression, action, perspective, and appeal — evident in both refined work and quick sketches.
Demonstrated ability to develop sequences from scratch — translating a script page, thumbnail, or verbal direction into clear, story-ready boards independently.
Deep understanding of emotional performance and character acting; able to convey nuance, subtlety, and clear story beats through poses and expressions.
Proven ability to sustain high-quality output at a high pace.
Strong command of cinematic principles: camera placement, lens choice, framing, staging, and shot-to-shot continuity.
Expert level of gestural and figurative drawing both with finesse and loose short hand, to apply across various character design proportions, staying on- model with consistency.
Demonstrated ability to interpret rough or gestural input and produce clean, story-ready boards that honor the original intent.
Expert grasp of perspective, spatial reasoning, and environment staging across a range of camera angles.
Fluency with digital tools including Storyboard Pro, Photoshop, or equivalent; comfortable working efficiently in a digital pipeline.
Strong collaborative skills with a professional approach to feedback, revision cycles, and cross-department communication.

Preferred Qualifications

Background in animation (2D or 3D/CG), with a strong understanding of timing, arcs, and movement principles that inform great boarding.
Experience working within or alongside animatic and editorial workflows.
Knowledge of CG/3D production pipelines and how boards interface with layout and animation.
The ability and comfort to draw live in front of a director/ team with ease.

At Swaybox Studios, we believe that great storytelling comes from diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, talents, and identities.

We do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Swaybox Studios also complies with applicable Louisiana laws governing non-discrimination in employment. We are dedicated to fostering a creative, inclusive, and respectful environment for all.

About Swaybox Studios

Produces films using a proprietary blend of puppetry and animation.

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