2D Character Animator

We’re working with a creative technologist who’s leading a unique animated storytelling project, supported by a major WPP agency. The goal is to create personalised bedtime stories for the children of long-haul truck drivers. These stories are designed to help explain a parent’s absence in a magical and comforting way, through a browser-based Unity WebGL experience.The work is emotionally driven and has backing from senior stakeholders. The aim is to deliver something both beautiful and scalable that could go on to win industry awards, including potential Cannes Lion recognition.About the roleWe’re looking for a hands-on character artist who can handle a 2D sprite-based animation for Unity. You’ll be responsible for creating characters that are simple, charming, and emotionally expressive, suitable for children aged two to six.Supporting a stylised, emotional storytelling experience using provided or lightweight 2D assets. Must deliver animation that expresses subtle emotional beats in a child-friendly visual tone.Key Skills & Responsibilities:Animate using provided sprite sheets or build 2D rigs from scratch.Use tools like Unity\’s Animator, Spine, or Blender (Grease Pencil) to create expressive 2D animations.Strong understanding of timing, squash/stretch, anticipation, and emotional storytelling.Set up and control animation via Unity runtime – e.g., sprite swaps, animation controllers, and possibly Blend Trees.Experience with 2D rigging, hierarchy control, and facial expressions.Build simple storyboard-style sequences or animatics where needed.Must optimise for WebGL/lightweight deployment.Ideal Background:Experience in children’s media or emotionally resonant storytelling.Portfolio showcasing subtle emotional cues (smiles, eyebrow raises, eye blinks, etc.).Experience working within Unity with 2D animation pipelines.Comfort collaborating with creative technologists or developers.