Welcome back to the second installment in a three-part series of blog posts speaking to the Animation Leadership Team at Dambuster Studios. This series will introduce you to three members of the Animation Leadership Team. It will give you an insight into their chosen specialisms, an understanding of their days and weeks at Dambuster, and some of the reasons behind why they entered their field.
In the first part, we spoke to Lead Technical Animator, Daniele Cattaneo.
If you haven’t read part one, you can catch up here.
In this post, we’ll be talking to Stuart.
[Stu came to the Dead Island 2 launch party cosplaying as stoner Blue Crab Grill resident, Trent]
An Introduction from Stuart Owen
I’m Stu, the Lead Gameplay Animator for Dead Island 2. I have been at Dambuster for six and a half years, which meant I saw the project at its inception and helped take it to the game you see now. As well as overseeing player animation that is on screen at all times, I have focused primarily on our zombies. My role is to ensure we get their attacks and behaviour just right to give an engaging experience, as well as a gory one.
This involves getting into our zombies’ heads to figure out what drives them (spoiler: it’s more than just being hungry for brains), as well as getting into a zombie’s skin, by hopping into a suit in the mocap studio. This helps us decide which actions work best visually, so I can guide our talented actors to give the right performance.
What Does a Typical Day/Week Look Like for You?
A typical week involves a daily catch-up with all the animators to get an update on progress and identify if any problems need resolving. It is also an opportunity to give feedback on current work -- whether it’s clear of gameplay issues or how to make our animations more interesting and dynamic. A usual day often involves liaising with other departments, to ensure we are on the same page about different features and how we can provide animations that play well with gameplay and don’t compromise visual fidelity.
I also work closely with the Animation Director and Production Team to keep them up to date on any issues that may push schedules off-track and receive more detailed feedback to pass on to the animators for further passes.
[Stu and former Animation Director, Joe working with an actor in the Performance Capture Studio]
What Motivated You to Pursue a Career in Animation and Ultimately Lead a Team in the Games Industry?
I’ve always been interested in animation; originally, I wanted to do claymation. But as technology has advanced over time, 3D animation became more appealing, and I found that the logic of gameanim -- multiple smaller animations are wired all together for a non-linear experience -- resonated well with me far more than one long sequence you get in film or cinematics.
However, I’m just one man, and having a team working together to achieve the lofty ambitions of multiple branching animations gives everyone a great shared accomplishment.
What Qualities Do You Believe Are Essential to Be a Successful Leader in Your Role?
Communication and planning. Everyone needs to know what they and everyone else are doing, so there are no nasty surprises down the line, and we can remain consistent without compromising on quality.
[Stu and Senior Technical Enemies Designer, Aiden working together in the Performance Capture Studio]
How Do You Collaborate with Other Departments to Ensure a Cohesive and Immersive Player Experience?
A good rapport is essential, so nobody is seen as unapproachable. We are all working toward the same goal. Put ego aside, hear people out, and listen to solutions. Providing your area of expertise keeps those solutions feasible, never write anything off immediately as often something you think is impossible is actually achievable with the right support.
How Do You Keep Your Team Motivated?
Cater to each animator’s skills and champion their strengths. But also help build on existing skills with new challenges and provide achievable feedback in reviews. We have a really fun job, and it’s important not to lose sight of that.
What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Role?
Being able to see the vision of a feature, no matter how straightforward, come to life and be part of that creation.
What Do You Enjoy Most About Dambuster?
The work-life balance is always considered. We work hard, but we’re just humans with families and lives, which is respected.
Fancy Joining Us?
We hope that you enjoyed learning a little bit more about the life of a Lead Gameplay Animator at Dambuster Studios.
We’re always on the lookout for talented people to join us. If you are searching for a fresh challenge in the games industry, we have a number of open roles available on our website, take a look here.
Be sure to keep your eye on the blog section of our website for the final part of this series. You can access part one here.