Design Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Director
Company: Wild Card Creative Group
Location: Culver City, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Management & Leadership
Date Posted: 2026-05-12T23:04:15
Experience Level: 10+ Years
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end visual execution of high-impact theatrical and streaming marketing campaigns.
• Drive creative excellence and ensure technical proficiency in motion design and animation for trailers.
• Oversee and mentor a team of animators, fostering a collaborative and high-performing design environment.
• Maintain rigorous quality control and consistency across all graphic assets from concept to final delivery.
• Actively contribute hands-on design and animation expertise in After Effects and Cinema 4D, setting the visual standard for projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is explicitly described as "on-the-box leadership," signifying a blend of hands-on creative contribution and team management. The focus on theatrical and streaming trailers indicates a specialized niche within motion design, requiring a deep understanding of campaign storytelling and fast-paced production workflows.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and animate high-level motion graphics and visual effects for theatrical and streaming trailers using After Effects and Cinema 4D.
• Provide expert on-the-box execution, ensuring technical excellence and creative polish in all delivered assets.
• Oversee the visual development of campaign graphics from initial concept to final release, in close partnership with the Creative Director and Producers.
• Lead, mentor, and review the work of junior and senior animators, ensuring alignment with the overall campaign vision and quality standards.
• Conduct thorough reviews and approvals of all graphic elements to guarantee visual consistency, technical integrity, and adherence to client specifications before delivery to editorial teams.
• Offer hands-on design leadership across multiple concurrent campaigns, managing priorities and ensuring efficient workflow.
• Actively refine and elevate creative output through constructive feedback and iterative design processes.
• Collaborate with Producers to optimize workflows, manage project timelines, and ensure efficient delivery.
• Proactively identify and troubleshoot creative and technical challenges during high-pressure finishing stages.
• Contribute to accurate project scoping, scheduling, and resource allocation from a design and animation perspective.
• Stay abreast of the latest industry trends, competitive campaign strategies, and evolving motion graphics techniques to inform creative direction.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a dual role: active design/animation contribution ("on-the-box") and leadership oversight. The need to "Refine and elevate work through active feedback" highlights a crucial aspect of creative direction and quality assurance in a demanding production environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent experience and mastery of design principles is paramount. Experience: 10+ years of dedicated motion design experience, with a substantial focus on theatrical and/or streaming trailer campaigns.

Required Skills:

• 10+ years of professional motion design experience, with a significant portion dedicated to theatrical and/or streaming trailer production.
• Proven expertise in logo design specifically for theatrical and streaming trailers.
• Exceptional proficiency and hands-on design/animation skills in Adobe After Effects and Maxon Cinema 4D.
• Expert-level 3D design capabilities in Cinema 4D, including advanced command of lighting, materials, and rendering with Redshift.
• Advanced animation skills are essential for creating dynamic and engaging motion graphics.
• Strong understanding of trailer production workflows, including editorial collaboration and delivery pipelines.
• Demonstrated ability to balance intensive hands-on creative execution with effective team oversight and leadership.
• Collaborative leadership style with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Comfort and proven success working in fast-paced, deadline-driven production environments.
• A demonstrable passion for creative craft, compelling storytelling, and elevating the visual quality of projects.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with other 3D rendering engines or compositing software.
• Familiarity with project management or asset management tools relevant to creative production.
• Understanding of brand guidelines and their application in trailer creative.
• Experience providing creative direction for live-action footage integration within motion graphics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "10+ years" and specific trailer/logo design experience suggests a senior-level role requiring deep industry knowledge. The "on-the-box" requirement means candidates must be able to demonstrate not just leadership but also current, high-level technical execution skills.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a strong body of work in theatrical and streaming trailer motion graphics and animation.
• Specific examples of logo design and branding treatments created for film and television marketing campaigns.
• Demonstrations of expert-level skills in After Effects and Cinema 4D, highlighting complex animations, lighting, and material application (Redshift).
• Case studies or project breakdowns illustrating a deep understanding of trailer workflows, from concept to final delivery.
• Evidence of hands-on design leadership, including examples where you guided a team or oversaw the visual execution of a campaign.
• Visuals that exemplify creative problem-solving, storytelling impact, and technical polish.

Process Documentation:

• Examples that illustrate your approach to campaign concept development and visual strategy for trailers.
• Showcases of your workflow for refining and elevating motion graphic assets based on feedback.
• Demonstrations of how you ensure visual consistency and technical excellence across multiple campaign assets.
• Insights into your collaboration process with Creative Directors, Producers, and editorial teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "on-the-box" nature of the role and the specific industry focus, the portfolio is critical. It needs to showcase not only creative talent but also the ability to execute at a high level and understand the unique demands of trailer production pipelines.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $150,000 - $170,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision).
• Paid time off (vacation, sick leave, holidays).
• Potential for performance-based bonuses or project completion incentives.
• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning in motion graphics and industry trends.
• Collaborative work environment with exposure to high-profile entertainment marketing campaigns.
• Access to cutting-edge creative tools and technology.

Working Hours: Standard 40-hour work week, with the expectation of flexibility and potential overtime during peak production periods to meet demanding trailer release schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to the US market and reflects a senior leadership role in a specialized creative field. The benefits listed are standard for full-time positions in creative agencies, with a focus on professional development relevant to the role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Entertainment Marketing / Advertising / Creative Services, with a specialization in theatrical and streaming campaign creation. Company Size: The provided data does not specify company size, but Greenhouse as an ATS suggests a structured organization, likely mid-sized to large within the creative agency space. Founded: Wild Card Creative Group was "Born in Hollywood," implying a history rooted in the entertainment industry, likely with a focus on storytelling and audience engagement since its inception.

Team Structure:

• The Design Director will be part of the creative department, working closely with a Creative Director and Producers.
• The team includes animators who will report to or be led by the Design Director.
• Close collaboration is expected with editorial, client services, and potentially external clients.
• The structure emphasizes a blend of hands-on creative contribution and collaborative team leadership.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Creativity: While creative in nature, the company connects brands with global markets and emphasizes "crafting high-impact experiences," suggesting a strategic approach that may leverage insights alongside creative intuition.
• Storytelling Focus: "We know what stories move audiences" highlights a core methodology centered on narrative and emotional connection.
• Workflow Efficiency: The role's responsibilities include partnering with producers to ensure efficient workflows and meet deadlines, indicating a process-oriented approach to production.

Company Website: wildcardcreativegroup.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's origin in Hollywood and its focus on connecting brands with global markets through "high-impact experiences" positions it as a specialized agency within the entertainment sector. The "on-the-box" leadership style implies a culture that values both individual craft and collaborative execution.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior-level position within the creative and design spectrum, specifically in motion graphics and animation leadership for entertainment marketing. It requires a blend of expert-level technical craft and proven leadership capabilities.

Reporting Structure: The Design Director will likely report to a Creative Director or Head of Creative, and will directly lead a team of motion designers and animators. They will collaborate closely with Producers and potentially account management.

Operations Impact: The Design Director's impact is crucial for the success of marketing campaigns. Their work directly influences the visual appeal, emotional resonance, and overall effectiveness of trailers, which are key drivers for audience engagement and box office/streaming performance. They are responsible for setting and maintaining the visual quality bar that represents the brand and the project.

Growth Opportunities:

• Creative Leadership Progression: Potential to advance to Creative Director roles, overseeing larger creative teams and broader campaign strategies.
• Specialization Deepening: Opportunity to become a recognized expert in specific areas of motion design or trailer production techniques.
• Mentorship and Team Building: Developing strong leadership and team management skills, contributing to the growth of emerging talent within the company.
• Exposure to High-Profile Projects: Continued work on major theatrical releases and streaming series offers significant portfolio enhancement and industry visibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Design Director" title, coupled with 10+ years of experience and leadership responsibilities, places this role firmly in a senior/lead category. Growth opportunities likely involve expanding creative and strategic oversight rather than transitioning into traditional "operations" roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, suggesting a physical studio or office space designed for creative collaboration and production. Office Location(s): Culver City, California. This location is a hub for the entertainment industry, offering proximity to studios and related businesses.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is expected to be collaborative, with active interaction between designers, animators, editors, and producers.
• Access to industry-standard hardware and software, including high-performance workstations for demanding 3D rendering and animation tasks.
• A fast-paced, deadline-driven atmosphere characteristic of trailer production houses.
• Opportunities for informal and formal creative critiques and brainstorming sessions.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is implied, the demands of trailer production often require flexibility and the ability to work extended hours or weekends during critical project phases to meet release deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement and Culver City location are significant for candidates seeking to immerse themselves in the Los Angeles entertainment production ecosystem. The description points to a dynamic, collaborative, and high-pressure creative studio environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of resume and portfolio by a recruiter or HR to assess basic qualifications and experience alignment.
• Portfolio Review & Creative Assessment: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio with Creative Directors and potentially other senior designers. This will focus on the quality of work, technical execution, creative problem-solving, and relevance to trailer campaigns.
• Hands-on Design/Animation Test (Potential): Candidates might be asked to complete a small design or animation task, or discuss how they would approach a specific creative challenge.
• Leadership & Collaboration Interview: Interviews with hiring managers and team members to assess leadership style, communication skills, ability to mentor, and fit within the team culture. Discussions will focus on managing creative teams and workflows.
• Client/Project Scenario Discussion: Evaluating the candidate's ability to discuss complex projects, handle client feedback, and contribute to strategic discussions related to campaign visuals.
• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior executive to discuss overall vision and long-term contribution.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Ruthlessly: Showcase your strongest, most relevant work, emphasizing theatrical and streaming trailer projects and logo designs.
• Highlight "On-the-Box" Execution: Include examples that clearly demonstrate your personal design and animation skills in After Effects and Cinema 4D, especially with Redshift.
• Showcase Leadership: If possible, include case studies or project breakdowns that illustrate your role in leading a team, overseeing visual execution, or mentoring other designers.
• Tell the Story: For each project, briefly explain the brief, your role, the creative process, challenges faced, and the successful outcome. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "contributed to a campaign that achieved X viewership").
• Technical Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio clearly demonstrates expertise in lighting, materials, and advanced animation techniques within C4D.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be Ready to Discuss Workflow: Prepare to articulate your process for designing and animating trailer graphics, from initial concept to final delivery.
• Scenario-Based Questions: Anticipate questions about how you would handle specific creative disagreements, tight deadlines, or technical issues.
• Articulate Your Leadership Philosophy: Be ready to discuss your approach to mentoring, providing feedback, and fostering a collaborative design team.
• Stay Current: Be knowledgeable about recent successful trailer campaigns and emerging motion design trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize both technical execution and leadership capabilities. A strong portfolio that unequivocally demonstrates "on-the-box" expertise in the specified software and industry context is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe After Effects: Essential for motion graphics, animation, compositing, and overall visual execution.
• Maxon Cinema 4D: Critical for 3D design, modeling, animation, and scene creation.
• Redshift: A key requirement for advanced 3D rendering, specifically for photorealistic lighting and materials.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly mentioned as a tool for this role, understanding campaign performance metrics and how design impacts engagement could be beneficial. Familiarity with tools that provide such insights might be a plus.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this creative role, but understanding how creative assets are managed and deployed within broader marketing campaigns could be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Redshift is non-negotiable and forms the core technical requirement for this role. The emphasis on these specific tools highlights the technical demands of high-end trailer graphics production.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Craftsmanship & Excellence: A deep commitment to producing visually stunning and technically perfect work, as evidenced by the "technical excellence" and "polish" requirements.
• Storytelling & Impact: A core value of creating emotionally resonant and effective campaigns that connect with audiences.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Emphasizing partnership with Creative Directors, Producers, and animators to achieve shared goals.
• Innovation & Adaptability: A drive to stay current with industry trends and evolving motion techniques to push creative boundaries.
• Efficiency & Deadline-Driven: A pragmatic approach to managing projects and delivering high-quality work within demanding timelines.

Collaboration Style:

• Hands-on Leadership: A style that blends active contribution with guidance and mentorship.
• Cross-functional Integration: Working seamlessly with Creative Directors, Producers, and editorial teams to ensure cohesive campaign execution.
• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that encourages constructive critique and iterative refinement of creative work.
• Problem-Solving Focus: A collective approach to tackling technical and creative challenges to ensure project success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to value both individual artistic talent and the ability to function effectively within a collaborative, fast-paced production environment. The emphasis on storytelling and impact suggests a passion for the entertainment industry.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Managing Multiple High-Profile Campaigns: Juggling the demands of several simultaneous trailer productions, each with unique creative needs and tight deadlines.
• Balancing Hands-on Work with Leadership: Effectively allocating time between personal design/animation tasks and team oversight, mentorship, and quality control.
• Maintaining Creative Consistency Across Diverse Projects: Ensuring a high standard of visual quality and brand alignment across varied client briefs and project styles.
• Troubleshooting Complex Technical Issues Under Pressure: Resolving intricate animation or rendering problems during critical finishing stages to avoid delays.
• Staying Ahead of Evolving Creative Trends: Continuously adapting to new motion graphics techniques and competitive campaign strategies in a rapidly changing industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Motion Graphics Techniques: Deepening expertise in specialized animation, VFX, or 3D rendering techniques.
• Creative Direction Masterclasses: Developing skills in strategic creative leadership, client communication, and conceptual development for major campaigns.
• Mentorship Programs: Formal or informal opportunities to mentor junior designers and animators, honing leadership and teaching abilities.
• Industry Conferences & Workshops: Attending events focused on motion design, VFX, and entertainment marketing to stay current and network.
• Exposure to New Technologies: Potential to experiment with emerging software and hardware relevant to 3D animation and visual effects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a senior role in a high-demand creative field like entertainment marketing. Growth opportunities are geared towards deepening creative expertise and expanding leadership influence within the agency.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing the visual concept and motion graphics for a major theatrical trailer campaign."
• "How do you balance your own hands-on design work with the responsibility of leading and mentoring a team of animators?"
• "Walk us through a challenging technical problem you encountered during trailer production and how you resolved it."
• "How do you ensure creative consistency and maintain high visual quality across multiple assets and projects simultaneously?"
• "What's your approach to receiving and incorporating feedback from Creative Directors, Producers, and clients?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on our website and your understanding of our work, what do you see as Wild Card's unique strengths in the entertainment marketing space?"
• "How do you foster a collaborative and innovative environment within a design team, especially under pressure?"
• "Describe a time you had to push back creatively or technically on a client's direction. How did you handle it?"
• "What are your favorite recent trailer campaigns, and what about their motion design stands out to you?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each key project, clearly articulate the brief, your specific role (emphasizing hands-on contribution and leadership), the creative process, technical execution details (software, techniques), challenges, and the final impactful result.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use high-quality video examples for animation and motion graphics. For 3D work, highlight lighting, materials, and animation complexity.
• Quantify Impact: Where possible, mention the success of the campaign or film the trailer was for.
• Be Prepared for Technical Deep Dives: Expect questions about your specific techniques in After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Redshift.
• Highlight Leadership Examples: If you have case studies demonstrating team oversight or mentorship, present them clearly.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on showcasing both expert-level technical skills in the required software and a strategic, leadership-oriented approach to creative campaign execution within the trailer industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Director position:

• Submit your application through the Greenhouse application portal.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 10+ years of motion design experience, specifically emphasizing theatrical and streaming trailer work, logo design, and your expertise in After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Redshift. Use keywords from the job description.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features your strongest, most relevant work, with clear examples of your hands-on design/animation skills and any leadership experience. Include project breakdowns that demonstrate your process and problem-solving abilities.
• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your creative process, leadership style, and technical expertise during interviews. Practice explaining specific projects from your portfolio, focusing on impact and challenges.
• Research Wild Card Creative Group: Understand their clients, recent campaigns, and overall brand identity to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural fit.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with Wild Card Creative Group before making application decisions.