With 19 years of animation and 13 years of AAA game development experience, I specialize in cinematic animation and layout, crafting story-driven sequences that truly captivate players. My passion for interactive storytelling, combined with a deep love for RPGs, drives me to create compelling scenes with precise pacing, acting, and cinematography. I am proficient in Unreal Engine, MotionBuilder, and Maya, excelling in animation, scene layout, blocking, and motion capture. As a collaborative team player, I thrive in dynamic environments, bringing people together to achieve our goals, celebrating victories, and learning from challenges. I aim to make an immediate positive impact on any team I'm part of.

Will H. Hardin

With 19 years of animation and 13 years of AAA game development experience, I specialize in cinematic animation and layout, crafting story-driven sequences that truly captivate players. My passion for interactive storytelling, combined with a deep love for RPGs, drives me to create compelling scenes with precise pacing, acting, and cinematography. I am proficient in Unreal Engine, MotionBuilder, and Maya, excelling in animation, scene layout, blocking, and motion capture. As a collaborative team player, I thrive in dynamic environments, bringing people together to achieve our goals, celebrating victories, and learning from challenges. I aim to make an immediate positive impact on any team I'm part of.

Available to hire

With 19 years of animation and 13 years of AAA game development experience, I specialize in cinematic animation and layout, crafting story-driven sequences that truly captivate players. My passion for interactive storytelling, combined with a deep love for RPGs, drives me to create compelling scenes with precise pacing, acting, and cinematography.
I am proficient in Unreal Engine, MotionBuilder, and Maya, excelling in animation, scene layout, blocking, and motion capture. As a collaborative team player, I thrive in dynamic environments, bringing people together to achieve our goals, celebrating victories, and learning from challenges. I aim to make an immediate positive impact on any team I’m part of.

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Work Experience

Animator and Cinematic Artist at Electronic Arts (EA) – EA Create
August 1, 2025 - August 27, 2025
Produced cinematic animation for cinematic sequences in 'Battlefield 6' and game animations for 'Mass Effect 4' using hand-key and motion capture animation for body, face, and cameras. Worked with Maya, MotionBuilder, and Unreal Engine 5 for cinematic and gameplay animations.
Senior Animator at Highwire Games
January 1, 2025 - August 27, 2025
Delivered hand-key and motion capture animation for gameplay and cinematics on 'Six Days in Fallujah'. Managed cinematic sequence setup, scene layout, and blocking within Unreal Engine 4. Also responsible for weapon rigging using Maya.
Cinematic Artist at Amazon Game Studios
February 1, 2020 - August 27, 2025
Handled hand key animation and motion graphics for game cinematics and marketing videos for 'Crucible'.
Storyboard Artist / Illustrator / Motion Designer at Microsoft (Aquent; Allovus)
December 1, 2018 - August 27, 2025
Created storyboards, illustrations, and motion designs for research projects and videos across Bing marketing and Cortana teams.
Senior Animator at Fishy Tale Digital
May 1, 2017 - August 27, 2025
Performed hand-keyed story-driven 3D animation for gameplay and cinematics of 'Lyle Little', including scene layout and blocking with implementation into Unity.
Animator at Indigo Slate
April 1, 2016 - August 27, 2025
Created motion graphics and animations of 3D and 2D elements for diverse web and broadcast videos.
Cinematic Animator at 343 Industries, Microsoft
August 1, 2015 - August 27, 2025
Developed narrative-driven cinematic sequences including animatics, previsualization, scene layout, blocking, and final polish for 'Halo 4 & Halo 5'. Designed interactive hologram screens and motion graphics for in-engine cinematics and gameplay, collaborated with cross-functional teams to produce high-quality video content for major events.
Art Lead at Run Studios
May 1, 2012 - August 27, 2025
Designed, built, rigged, and animated 3D and 2D characters and elements for broadcast, web, and large-scale event graphics. Oversaw full production stages and bridged creative and technical teams to deliver high-quality projects.
Key Grip/Teleprompter Operator/Cameras/Floor Director at KLEW TV 3; Dan Walker Productions
January 1, 2000 - August 27, 2025
Operated teleprompter for live news, managed key grip & camera operations for video and commercial shoots, floor direction, studio lighting, video editing, and equipment logistics.

Education

A.A. in Design, Art and Animation at Art Institute of Seattle
January 1, 2003 - January 1, 2006

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Gaming, Media & Entertainment, Software & Internet