Chris Magovern
Chris Magovern
Principal Animator @ Sanzaru/Meta/Oculus
Bay Area, CA, United States

About

* Available for Full Time or Freelance after March 20, 2026. *

Principal Animator with 20+ years of experience shipping AAA and VR titles. Expert in defining animation vision, mentoring teams, and integrating expressive character motion with gameplay and cinematic goals. Collaborative leader with deep Unreal experience and a strong performance background.

Resume PDF

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Skills

3D AnimationMotion CaptureCinematicsCharacter AnimationDanceGameplay AnimationCombat AnimationPerformance and ActingAnimation Feedback and MentorshipBoss Fight Animation

Software proficiency

3ds Max
3ds Max
After Effects
After Effects
Maya
Maya
Photoshop
Photoshop
Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine
Premiere
Premiere
Xsens
Xsens

Reel

Experience

  • Principal Animator at Sanzaru Games / Meta / Oculus
    San Mateo, CA, US
    October 2016 - January 2026

    Asgard’s Wrath 2 (Meta Quest 2/3/Pro, Shipped 2023)

    + Principal character animator on enemies, bosses, and cinematics

    + Defined animation style and personality across a large cast

    + Provided regular animation feedback & mentorship to a team of 15+ animators

    + Collaborated closely w/ combat designers on enemy & boss encounters

    + Motion capture acting and cleanup for the majority of characters

    + Created internal training videos for animation tools and workflows

    Asgard’s Wrath (Oculus Rift, Shipped 2019) - Senior Animator

    + Character animation for gameplay and cinematics

    + Collaborated with design and engineering on boss fights and mechanics

    + Motion capture acting & cleanup for key story characters including Loki & Freyja

    Marvel Powers United VR (Oculus Rift, Shipped 2018)

    + Gameplay and cinematic animation for multiple Marvel characters

    + Created animations featured in marketing trailers

    Unannounced/Cancelled Title (Quest 3, 2024 - 2026)

    + Continued with everything listed under Asgard’s Wrath 2

  • Senior Animator at Artillery Games
    Palo Alto, CA, US
    June 2014 - September 2016

    Guardians of Atlas (PC / Mac, Shipped 2016)

    + Sole animator responsible for all character animation

    + Rigged and animated 100+ characters and creatures

    + Collaborated with design and concept to define character abilities & personality

    + Built and maintained text-based animation graphs

  • Character Animator at Dynamighty
    San Francisco, CA, US
    January 2012 - May 2014

    CounterSpy (PS4, PS3, PS Vita, iOS, Android, Shipped 2014)

    + Sole animator responsible for all character animation

    + Worked closely with designers and gameplay programmers on movesets

    + Implemented animations, interactables, cameras, and settings in Unity

    + Contributed to control scheme design for console and mobile

  • Character Animator at Sanzaru Games
    Foster City, CA, US
    April 2011 - December 2012

    Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3, PS Vita, Shipped 2013)

    + Character animation across the Sly Cooper universe

    + Gameplay and cinematic animation for a full chapter

    + Collaborated with programmers on mechanics and boss fights

  • Senior (Cinematic) Animator at Spicy Horse
    Shanghai, CN
    May 2010 - March 2011

    Alice: Madness Returns (PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Shipped 2012)

    + Created 40+ in-game cinematics using Unreal Engine 3 (Matinee)

    + Animated characters, cameras, and scripted sequences

    + Motion capture acting, cleanup, and implementation

    + Facial animation using FaceFX

  • Animator at Luxoflux / Activision Blizzard
    Santa Monica, CA, US
    October 2006 - November 2009

    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Shipped 2009)

    + Animated 20+ robots across gameplay, cinematics, and multiplayer

    + Created transformation animations

    + Worked closely with programmers on animation systems

    Kung Fu Panda (PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii, Shipped 2008)

    + Character animation for gameplay and multiplayer

    + Cinematics and QTE fight choreography

  • Animator at Electronic Arts
    Redwood Shores, CA, US
    January 2006 - June 2006

    The Sims 2: Pets (PS2, Shipped 2006)

    + Character animation for animals and Sims

    + Collaborated with programmers on implementation

  • Animator at Double Fine Productions
    San Francisco, CA, US
    October 2004 - January 2005

    Psychonauts (Xbox, PC, PS2, Shipped 2005)

    + Animated pre-rendered cinematics

    + Responsible for all in-game facial animation

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