Narrative Director

Description

Hybrid Work Model

Job Summary:

As an individual contributor, the Narrative Director will assume an active role in collaborating with the narrative team (at SEGA Japan HQ and/or with an external Western developer) to shape the characters, story, dialogue, and VO for select SEGA games, ensuring the overall narrative experience is cohesive and engaging.  The ideal candidate will have familiarity with Japanese game narrative techniques and tropes and how those differ from Western game narrative characteristics and audience preferences; the Narrative Director will work tirelessly to bridge those gaps so that the characters and story resonate with the Western audiences. The individual will also be sensitive to the needs of an existing fan base while introducing fresh ideas to draw in new fans.

Duties and Responsibilities:

(Note: responsibilities will vary based on individual project needs, team structures, and workflows. The Narrative Director is expected to contribute to 1-3 projects in parallel with different levels of involvement, as well as field smaller narrative-related ad hoc requests such as concept evaluation)

• Character & Story Development
  • Collaborate with writers, designers, and other creatives to establish the narrative framework, develop the story, themes, and characters via story maps and other visualizations (character bios, storyboards, relationship matrices, etc.)
  • Write immersive scenes to create compelling, memorable characters and events
  • Ensure narrative elements align with the overall vision and objectives of the project
  • Ensure narrative elements integrate seamlessly with gameplay
• Coordination and Management
  • Ensure narrative related materials (ie character bios, story maps, story boards, scripts, VO files, etc) are delivered on time according to agreed specifications
  • Articulate issues clearly, both verbally and in writing, and offer concrete solutions and examples
  • Communicate progress and challenges to stakeholders and adjust plans as necessary
  • Assist in recruiting, vetting, and managing contract-based western writing talent; help integrate those resources with existing narrative team through effective feedback and guidance
• Ensure High Quality Narrative Deliverables
  • Review and provide detailed feedback on narrative content to ensure consistency and maintain high standards of storytelling and emotional engagement
  • Carefully consider player feedback from playtests to refine narrative elements
• VO Recording & Mocap
  • Prepare, review, and revise VO scripts to ensure high-quality dialogue
  • Assist in casting and direction in studio to elicit moving performances
• Storytelling Techniques
  • Stay updated on industry trends and technologies to push narrative boundaries, utilizing innovative storytelling techniques to enhance the experience
  • Reconcile cultural and stylistic differences in storytelling techniques amongst contributors to tailor content for the intended audiences 
• Working in-office is an essential function of this position.  This requirement of face-to-face interaction is in place to ensure effective supervision, collaboration, and teamwork.  In-office attendance is required for the following reasons:
  • For effective supervision of employees and our work product, which includes ensuring all employees have necessary oversight of their work and access to supervisory assistance, which includes meetings to review work product, deadlines, and status.
  • To foster communication and collaboration among team members, which includes the following: allowing for spontaneous brainstorming sessions and exchanges of ideas, quick access to team members to enable collaborative problem-solving, and stronger cohesion among co-workers and within teams.
  • To enhance the sharing of information necessary to effective job performance and product creation. 
  • To enhance understanding of our stakeholders’ work and business needs, facilitate a more seamless and organic workflow, and ultimately increase efficiency and successful outcomes.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Qualifications and Skills:

• A degree in Creative Writing, Film, Game Design, or a related field
• Extensive experience in narrative development for video games as a professional writer, narrative designer, or similar
• Proven track record of narrative contributions to one or more notable games receiving critical praise
• A veteran in script preparation, casting, and VO direction (mocap work a plus)
• Experience vetting and managing contract writers or a team of internal writers; familiar with the top writer agencies and industry standards, as well as customary contractual terms
• A keen understanding of storytelling principles, audience engagement, narrative structure, character development, and world-building
• Ability to effectively communicate the narrative vision to various project stakeholders
• Skilled at creating and integrating narrative planning materials into development to establish a framework, unify the work of the team, and align on goals
• In-depth knowledge of end-to-end narrative workflows and pipelines.  Ability to document best practices and frameworks
• Strong storytelling, writing, and editing skills, including a good ear for natural-sounding dialogue
• Excellent listener who thrives in a collaborative environment and is capable of communicating clearly and concisely with diverse team members (experience working with Japanese counterparts a plus)
• Demonstrates exceptional organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail
• A commitment to holding the line on quality for important issues but wisdom to compromise where needed to resolve creative differences that arise between stakeholders  

Application Materials:

• Portfolio and/or writing samples required

Travel Requirements

• Periodic travel to SEGA headquarters in Japan and/or external development studios, as well as travel to VO and Mocap studios as needed

Salary : $180,000 - $240,000