Hi, I'm Elliott Stiles, a passionate and experienced creative director specializing in games and animation. With over a decade working across AAA games, XR experiences, mobile titles, and VR, I love blending traditional animation principles with modern tools to create emotionally resonant and technically optimized animations. I thrive on leading multidisciplinary teams and aligning animation direction with dynamic gameplay and storytelling. I have a proven track record in delivering compelling character performances, immersive storytelling, and cinematic combat systems across various platforms including Unity, proprietary engines, and VR/XR tech. I'm always driven by innovation, collaboration, and the desire to elevate production quality while maintaining a friendly and approachable team environment.

Elliott Stiles

Hi, I'm Elliott Stiles, a passionate and experienced creative director specializing in games and animation. With over a decade working across AAA games, XR experiences, mobile titles, and VR, I love blending traditional animation principles with modern tools to create emotionally resonant and technically optimized animations. I thrive on leading multidisciplinary teams and aligning animation direction with dynamic gameplay and storytelling. I have a proven track record in delivering compelling character performances, immersive storytelling, and cinematic combat systems across various platforms including Unity, proprietary engines, and VR/XR tech. I'm always driven by innovation, collaboration, and the desire to elevate production quality while maintaining a friendly and approachable team environment.

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Elliott Stiles, a passionate and experienced creative director specializing in games and animation. With over a decade working across AAA games, XR experiences, mobile titles, and VR, I love blending traditional animation principles with modern tools to create emotionally resonant and technically optimized animations. I thrive on leading multidisciplinary teams and aligning animation direction with dynamic gameplay and storytelling.

I have a proven track record in delivering compelling character performances, immersive storytelling, and cinematic combat systems across various platforms including Unity, proprietary engines, and VR/XR tech. I’m always driven by innovation, collaboration, and the desire to elevate production quality while maintaining a friendly and approachable team environment.

See more

Experience Level

Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
See more

Work Experience

Animation Director at Short Fuse Games
January 1, 2025 - Present
Lead end-to-end animation pipeline for Unity-based mobile game, combining creative direction with technical execution to deliver engaging player experiences. Produced, rigged, and animated assets using Blender and MotionBuilder, maintaining cohesive retro aesthetic. Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align animation with gameplay and visual style. Innovated within retro stylization, choreographed combat animations, and directed full marketing content increasing subscribers and views by 60%.
Animator & Creative Director at Freelance
January 1, 2014 - Present
Delivered high-quality animation and art direction across mobile, VR, and XR platforms. Managed production pipelines, motion capture, and animations. Led animations for several projects like SOBA (Chunky Friends), NCAA Final Four Fan Experience, Ironwing Valiant, and Eram Games applying Agile workflows and innovative storytelling to optimize productivity and unify project vision.
Animation Director & Lead Animator at Gala Studios
January 1, 2025 - July 31, 2025
Developed and refined animation assets for the "VOXverse" and "VEXI Villages" projects to enhance responsiveness and player immersion. Led animation direction and execution, drove production efficiency by collaborating with technical artists and engineers for custom rigs and tool development. Balanced creative vision with technical precision to optimize motion and expression.
Associate Creative Producer at Electric Monster
December 31, 2022 - July 31, 2025
Guided creative direction across four content channels, managing projects from concept through pre-production. Built and maintained a network of freelance talent and vendors. Streamlined communication, enhanced production efficiency, and implemented innovative program management practices.
Senior Animator at Brain Zoo Studios
January 1, 2022 - July 31, 2025
Created full-body and facial animations focused on emotional depth and realism for WWE2k23. Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align artistic vision with client expectations, directed character movements enhancing gameplay and cinematic quality, and produced cinematic sequences by integrating live-action cinematography techniques.
Lead Animator & Animation Director at DMAI
January 1, 2021 - July 31, 2025
Promoted collaboration between engineering and creative teams to develop hardware-optimized solutions. Integrated animation into game architecture balancing performance and visual fidelity. Directed creation and implementation of animation assets for interactive learning experiences and developed animation technology blending art and tech.
Animator at Naughty Dog
January 1, 2020 - July 31, 2025
Created cycle and loop animations refining motion capture data with detailed keyframing and polishing for The Last of Us II. Collaborated cross-functionally ensuring narrative consistency and emotional depth. Enhanced emotional impact with subtle character motions and managed timely completion of animation sequences.

Education

Character Animation & Game Design at Gnomon School of Animation & Visual Effects
January 1, 0000 - January 1, 0000
Acting & Script Breakdown at Stella Adler School of Dramatic Arts
January 1, 0000 - January 1, 0000

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Gaming, Media & Entertainment, Software & Internet, Education