Senior Motion Designer – Create the Signature Animation Style for a New Hip-Hop Franchise

Overview I'm creating a new digital franchise called Rap Rumble. Each episode begins with a completed illustrated poster of two legendary hip-hop artists facing off in a fictional battle. I'm not looking for traditional character animation. Instead, I want to create what I call a "Living Poster." Think of the opening cinematic of a AAA fighting game. The artwork comes alive through subtle camera movement, lighting, atmosphere, HUD graphics, and cinematic sound—not exaggerated character motion. This first project will establish the visual identity for what I hope becomes a long-running series. The Goal Create an 8-second cinematic animation from the attached poster. The viewer should feel like they're watching the intro screen of a premium fighting game. The animation should feel dramatic, polished, and expensive—but restrained. Visual References The style should take inspiration from: Mortal Kombat character select screens Tekken 8 presentation Street Fighter 6 UFC PPV graphics ESPN championship intros Call of Duty operator cinematics Movie trailer title sequences What Should Move The artwork should feel alive through subtle environmental animation. Examples include: Camera Slow push-in Slight orbit 2.5D parallax Depth of field Cinematic framing Environment Smoke Fog Floating particles City lights Atmospheric haze Light rays Lighting Rim lighting Animated highlights Neon flicker Environmental reflections Glow effects HUD Health bars VS graphic KO indicator Round display Player labels Scanlines Digital glitches UI pulses Characters Very subtle motion only. If animated at all, think: Slight breathing Tiny chain movement Minimal clothing movement No dramatic body animation. What Should NOT Move Please avoid: Punching Fighting Dancing Lip syncing Cartoon animation Large body movement Overly exaggerated facial expressions The tension comes from anticipation, not action. Deliverables Please provide: Final 8-second animation (4K) Vertical version (9:16) Horizontal version (16:9) After Effects project (preferred) or DaVinci Resolve/Fusion project Organized compositions Clearly named layers Linked assets Any required plugins listed Budget This is a proof-of-concept project. The goal is to establish the signature visual style of Rap Rumble. If the collaboration is successful, I have plans to produce 50+ episodes, so I'm looking for someone interested in building a long-term creative relationship. To Apply Please include: Portfolio of similar work Examples of motion graphics, title sequences, game intros, sports graphics, or cinematic compositing Which software you recommend (After Effects or DaVinci Resolve/Fusion) A brief explanation of how you would approach animating the attached poster