Design Lead

About the Studio - Squint/Opera: 

Squint/Opera is a leading creative studio that bridges the worlds of architecture, design, media, and technology to create compelling, narrative-driven experiences. As experts in blending digital media with physical reality, we help our clients craft digital content to immerse their audiences and communicate big ideas.

Squint was founded in London in 2001 by four young friends who wanted to help visionary thinkers and institutions make the radical a reality. For more than 20 years, we have delivered projects in every corner of the globe and for a wide range of clients across architecture, government, real estate, museums, and attractions.

Squint/Opera is part of a larger team at Journey, which was formed to help companies envision the next chapter of their customer’s journey and craft a compelling experience across all touchpoints, both reimagined and newly created.

Squint/Opera is now part of Journey, a leading innovation and design agency that specializes in crafting compelling experiences across the physical and digital realms. Together, Squint/Opera and Journey create the first agency with proven expertise in blending the physical and virtual worlds at a global scale.

About the Role:

As Creative Director, you are experienced in your craft with great imagination and leadership qualities. Storytelling and good design skills are essential components of creating beautiful and engaging work. Working alongside the Project Director, interfacing with clients and production teams means interpreting and translating briefs into creative visions that fulfill our internal creative ambitions, meet our client’s objectives, and inspire audiences.

Main Responsibilities

• Developing creative treatments
• Developing Storyboards 
• Defining and resolving creative ideas before communicating to the production team to ensure efficiency of production resource
• Ability to translate briefs into high quality and achievable creative visions with the budget
• Ensuring that all the clients’ objectives are met or exceeded
• Oversee the execution of the approved creative direction throughout the production process and working with the production teams to bring this vision to life
• Jointly responsible (alongside the Producer) to ensure internal and external deadlines & reviews are met, attending all project reviews
• Responsible for art directing film and still shoots where necessary or working with an Art Director 
• Attending client meetings and involved in client correspondence during production
• Provide ideas and brief references to our music provider

Outcomes

• Creative overview of all projects in charge of ensuring that the S/O creativity is at the heart of every project and true to the ECDs vision
• Communicating the developing creative vision to the client and getting them on board with Squint/Opera’s preferred concept 
• Improved team skills, participating in regular creative team meeting
• Communicating the creative vision clearly to the production team 
• Accurate estimation of time required for projects 

 About You:

Qualifications/Experience

• Demonstrable senior experience with a creative agency or production environment
• Previous experience of leading teams, both directly and indirectly
• Expert knowledge of Adobe Creative suite, with a focus on moving image, including editing
• Experience directing CG & animation
• Adaptable to different creative approaches and styles
• Experience with film and photography shoots
• Knowledge of standard software and workflows to achieve creative goals and express vision to the production team

Character Traits

• Demonstrates intellectual and creative rigor, with a passion for developing in the role
• Ability to communicate ideas clearly to clients
• Flexible can-do attitude. Adapts well to changing priorities 
• Ability to have a positive impact on others and communicate openly and directly to individuals or groups at all levels
• Sets standards of behavior and acts as a leader and role model 
• Takes decisions which have a substantial impact on the achievement of production and quality objectives 
• In-depth knowledge of technical and creative aspects of the work and ability to reconcile these
• Ability to understand conflicting viewpoints and resolve issues
• Ability to manage time effectively
• Confident and decisive, a problem-solver
• Ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively 
• Strong attention to detail, high-quality standards
• Enthusiastic about learning and sharing with team-mates 
• Help to foster an atmosphere in which creative innovation can take place