At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead art direction for projects in film, web, and animation while collaborating with the Creative Director.
- Company: VMI Studio creates innovative visual narratives across film, immersive media, web, and CGI.
- Benefits: Enjoy unlimited PTO, gym membership, personal training budget, and regular team outings.
- Why this job: Join a creative space that values collaboration, imagination, and impactful storytelling.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in art direction or visual design, with skills in Adobe Suite and Figma.
- Other info: Experience in real-time engines and an interest in architecture is a plus.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Contract Type: Permanent, Full-time
Location: Oval London (Minimum 4 days in-studio)
Join us in a beautifully designed creative space that fosters collaboration, imagination, and impact.
About the Company
VMI Studio is dedicated to bringing innovative ideas to life across film, immersive media, web, and CGI. Our mission is to shape compelling visual narratives through strong storytelling and a passion for design in the built environment.
About the Role
We’re looking for a multidisciplinary Art Director to join our team at VMI Studio, working directly with the Creative Director to bring innovative ideas to life across film, immersive media, web, and CGI. You’ll be central to shaping creative concepts and turning them into compelling visual narratives—combining strong storytelling, sharp art direction, UX/UI skills, and a passion for design in the built environment. This role sits at the intersection of film, web, and animation, ideal for someone who’s as comfortable sketching out a UX flow in Figma as they are storyboarding a cinematic sequence or crafting mood boards that capture a client’s vision.
Responsibilities
- Lead art direction for projects across immersive film, web (UX/UI), CGI, and animation, ensuring a cohesive and impactful visual language.
- Collaborate with the Creative Director and Producers to translate narratives and ideas into visual concepts.
- Develop moodboards, styleframes, previsualizations, and visual treatments for pitches and live projects.
- Shape and iterate UI/UX designs in Figma, ensuring they’re intuitive, elegant, and align with the creative narrative.
- Write copy and conceptual language for client presentations and visual deliverables.
- Support editing and assembling rough cuts in Premiere Pro or After Effects to visualize ideas for internal and client review.
- Work closely with clients to understand their brand, vision, and objectives, and reflect these in the creative outputs.
- Participate in client presentations, reviews, and feedback loops during all stages of production.
- Communicate visual direction clearly and efficiently to the production team, managing the creative output from concept to delivery.
- Help identify and resolve creative or design gaps across various media formats.
- Guide teams during reviews, ensuring quality and consistency across all visual outputs.
Qualifications
- 3+ years of experience as an Art Director, Visual Designer, or similar, preferably within a creative studio, agency, or production environment.
- Proven experience across film, animation, and UX/UI design.
- Excellent visual storytelling skills, with the ability to define and evolve visual languages across different formats.
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, especially Premiere Pro and After Effects, and Figma for UI/UX.
- Experience working with animation or live-action projects is a plus.
- A sharp eye for detail, composition, typography, and motion.
- Strong communication and presentation skills—confident working with clients and internal teams.
- Comfortable working across multiple projects in a fast-paced, creative environment.
Nice to Have
- Experience in real-time engines (Unreal Engine).
- Background or interest in architecture, spatial design, or the built environment.
- Familiarity with scriptwriting or narrative development.
Pay range and compensation package
- Unlimited PTO
- Gym Membership
- £400 personal training budget to use for work-related training
- Regular team lunches and evenings out
- Pension scheme
Art Director employer: Journey
Contact Detail:
Journey Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Art Director
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with VMI Studio's previous projects and their unique visual styles. This will not only help you understand their creative direction but also allow you to tailor your discussions during interviews, showcasing how your vision aligns with theirs.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare a portfolio that highlights your multidisciplinary skills, especially in film, UX/UI design, and animation. Make sure to include examples of mood boards, styleframes, and any collaborative projects that demonstrate your ability to work within a team and lead creative concepts.
✨Tip Number 3
Brush up on your communication skills, as you'll need to articulate your ideas clearly to both clients and your team. Practising how to present your visual concepts and storytelling approach can make a significant difference during client presentations and feedback sessions.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on the latest trends in immersive media and CGI. Being knowledgeable about current industry standards and innovations will not only impress during interviews but also show your passion for the field and your commitment to bringing fresh ideas to the table.
We think you need these skills to ace Art Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and qualifications required for the Art Director position at VMI Studio. Tailor your application to highlight relevant experience in film, UX/UI design, and visual storytelling.
Showcase Your Portfolio: Include a link to your portfolio that demonstrates your work across film, animation, and UX/UI design. Make sure it showcases your ability to create compelling visual narratives and includes examples of mood boards, styleframes, and any relevant projects.
Craft a Tailored Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that specifically addresses how your skills and experiences align with VMI Studio's mission and the Art Director role. Mention your passion for design in the built environment and your collaborative approach to creative projects.
Highlight Relevant Skills: In your CV, emphasise your proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Premiere Pro and After Effects, as well as Figma for UI/UX design. Include any experience with real-time engines or architecture if applicable, as these are nice-to-have skills for the role.
How to prepare for a job interview at Journey
✨Showcase Your Portfolio
Make sure to bring a well-curated portfolio that highlights your best work across film, web, and animation. Be prepared to discuss the thought process behind each piece and how it aligns with storytelling and design principles.
✨Understand the Company’s Vision
Research VMI Studio and its projects to understand their creative direction and values. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate how your skills and experiences align with their mission of shaping compelling visual narratives.
✨Prepare for Collaborative Scenarios
Since the role involves working closely with the Creative Director and clients, be ready to discuss your experience in collaboration. Share examples of how you've successfully translated ideas into visual concepts and managed feedback loops.
✨Demonstrate Technical Proficiency
Be prepared to discuss your proficiency in tools like Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and any experience with Premiere Pro or After Effects. Highlight specific projects where you used these tools to create impactful designs or animations.