Alex Peter maniotis

Senior Gameplay / Cinematic Animatior

WORK

All of my animation reels and tutorials / presentations I made.

*Most of my recent professional work is under NDA and cannot be shared publicly.
This includes co-development and support work, as well as projects that are unreleased or still in development.Please feel free to reach out if you'd like more details.

About

alex maniotis

Hello, I'm Alex Maniotis
I specialize in 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 with deep emphasis on 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘁, 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 and 𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.I 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 in 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗮, 𝗨𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲5 and 3𝗱𝘀𝗠𝗮𝘅 using 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗸𝗲𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
I am proficient in 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 I 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 / 𝗿𝗲-𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 & 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 data, using both 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 and 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀.I proficiently create 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 and 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 in 𝗨𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 and 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 Engines.
I am experienced in analyzing 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 and 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 for crafting animations as needed.
Experienced on creating 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝗻-𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀.Mid level 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 and 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 (Maya, 3dsMax).
Mid level 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 (3dsmax).Gamer as long as I exist.

*Last Update 2026

CLIENTS

Unreal Engine Animation Course

Unreal Animation Unlocked
The Full Production WorkflowMaster real-time animation in Unreal Engine from start to finish. Learn the Sequencer, Control Rigs, Animation Blueprints, gameplay and cinematic workflows used in professional game and film production.

Coaching / Tutoring / Consultancy

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Pose Library

A collection of pose explorations using different rigs.
I use these studies to sharpen body mechanics, improve clarity, and keep my animation instincts active between projects.

-Pasquale Mangano, Creator of ACF Action RPG.-"Alex delivered an incredible work! Fantastic animations! Highly recommend!"

-TJ Leary, Creative Director @ Airship -"Having Alex on the team was a great experience. He brought enthusiasm, technical expertise, and a
strong work ethic to the project. His animations were always polished and met the highest standards. He
was also a great communicator and team player, getting involved in and contributing to solving any
problems we encountered along the way. I'm positive I'II be working with Alex again in the future and
believe he'd make a great asset to any animation team."

-Nicolo' Bacialli
Unreal Engine Cinematic Artist | Tech Art | Animation Production | Dedicated to Exceptional Content Creation | -Alex is one of the most talented animators I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. His attention to detail, sense of motion, and ability to bring characters to life are simply outstanding. Beyond his technical expertise, Alex is also an incredible person—his experience makes him a cornerstone of any team, delivering great feedback that is clearly born out of love and respect for his peers. His positivity is contagious and got me through stressful times.Working closely with him, I saw firsthand how dedicated and passionate he is about his craft. He not only delivers top-tier animation but also supports his teammates, always ready to share knowledge and improve the workflow. I count myself very fortunate to have worked alongside him and I look forward to do so again in the future.

-Cameron Hintz
Senior Cinematic Artist | Unreal Generalist | Unreal Authorized Instructor-Alex is one of those dime-a-dozen individuals who you would want on your team just for the fantastic comradery and sense of cohesion he injects into the team alone. He's the glue guy. The individual who turns every stand-up meeting into a fun adventure for everyone, who's always there trying to put a smile on someone's face, and trying to get to know you as a person. First meeting with - and continuing to work with Alex - were fantastic moments for me - it opened my eyes to what exactly great teamwork looks like and how its embodied on a collaborative team.But he's also one of the most talented animators I've worked with. A fantastic eye for detail and timing, completely willing to collaborate and find the best solution for the story and characters, an unbridled and undiminished passion for his art and craft - and a faithful respect for the vision of the project and the characters he's been asked to bring alive. The turn around time on his tasks were nothing short of surprising, but after working with him for a while you'll quickly come to know that you can reliably depend on him hitting scheduling dates, time and time again.I give my whole-hearted recommendation and support for Alex to any prospective recruiters reading this - he's a fantastic person and an even better artist and any future team would be lucky to have him.

-Dionysis Douliakas
Senior Character & Creature Animator | Games, Cinematics & VFX | Maya, Unreal Engine & MotionBuilder |-Alex is an exceptional talent and the cornerstone of any team fortunate enough to work with him. He possesses a remarkable ability to recognize each team member's unique strengths, ensuring everyone feels valued and acknowledged. His infectious enthusiasm consistently elevates team morale and inspires those around him to perform at their best.His animation expertise is truly outstanding. As a versatile gameplay and cinematics animator, Alex demonstrates mastery in both keyframe and mocap-based animation techniques. His technical proficiency extends to a comprehensive understanding of Unreal Engine, blueprints, and Maya—allowing him not only to create stunning animations but also to seamlessly implement them within game environments.What sets Alex apart is his unwavering reliability and passionate commitment to project excellence. His receptiveness to feedback, combined with an insatiable hunger for knowledge and continuous improvement, makes him an exceptional collaborator.In summary, Alex's rare combination of professional experience, technical and creative capabilities, and exemplary interpersonal skills would make him an invaluable asset to any team seeking to elevate their projects to the highest standard.

-Isa Sadat
Lead Cinematic Artist | Animator | UE5 Real-Time & Mocap Direction | Commercial Pilot (ATPL)-Alex is truly one a kind, He’s an amazing cinematic animator with strong technical skills, and he communicates so well that working together feels effortless. He boosts everyone’s spirits just by being in the room.
Alex is also cinematically driven and has a superb drive to tackle anything Unreal Engine. He brings a creative flair and attention to detail that elevates every project.I adore his extroverted nature and contagious energy—like a bard calling everyone to battle, he rallies and inspires those around him. He’s full of life, encourages creativity, and keeps everyone happy. He’s also reliable and consistently delivers great work. I’m grateful and lucky to be his friend. Any team would be fortunate to have him, Just Saiyan! ;)

Contact

Feel free to reach me anytime via e-mail or at my LinkedIn profile.

How long have you been animating?
I started in 2012 as a game developer. Up until 2023, about 50% of my time was focused on animation as part of indie game development.
The other 50% included rigging, skinning, modeling, in-engine implementation, game and level design.What game genres have you worked on?
3 third-person action games
1 first-person simulation game
2 top-down action games
3 sidescrollers
1 turn-based JRPG templateWhat software do you use?
Unreal 5.6+, Maya & 3ds Max for animation.
Unreal for animation implementation, blend trees, anim graphs, and general game development.How long have you worked with game engines?
I used Unity from 2012 to 2022 and Unreal from 2015 to present.
While I understand animation implementation in both, I only animate directly inside Unreal.Do you work with both keyframe and mocap animation?
Throughout my career, I’ve consistently worked with both, and I enjoy both.
My favorite part is combining them.How long does it take for you to animate a character?
It always depends on the production needs and the character itself.
There’s a big difference between a typical biped and a complex creature.
For a typical human:
~800–1200 frames/day for mocap cleanup
~300–600 frames/day for keyframe animation
This is mainly for blocking and “selling” the idea, and it heavily depends on complexity.
In general, many clients have commented that I work fast.What’s your experience with gameplay systems?
I’ve worked extensively with state machines, anim graphs, motion matching, and general animation implementation.
I can work with Blueprint systems and understand the logic behind them, but I don’t build them from scratch and I don’t have a coding background.Do you work closely with designers and technical animators?
Yes. I got used to working in constant communication with all departments early in my career.
Coming from a game development background, I believe this is essential for both building a strong game and understanding the full production.Have you worked in teams or only solo?
I’ve always worked in teams.Are you comfortable with feedback and iteration?
Feedback is a core part of improving my work. I actively seek it from colleagues and my network, even on personal projects.
When giving feedback, I always try to understand the needs of the production and the strengths of each animator.What’s your remote work model?
When I work full-time, I’m fully dedicated for the full 8 hours. I encourage colleagues to call me anytime, depending on workload.
I always aim to fully replicate and exceed the expectations of an on-site workflow.Are you working remotely or on-site?
I’ve been working remotely since 2015. Due to family constraints since 2018, permanent relocation is very difficult.
That said, I can travel and relocate periodically if production requires it.As a freelancer, do you take on extra professional projects?
Yes, as long as my full-time contract allows it and the extra work doesn’t interfere with my main responsibilities.
That’s why I use a form on this website to better understand client needs, timelines, and availability.Are you teaching?
I do coaching and mentoring at Animworks. I have pre-recorded Course and I upload tutorials on YouTube and LinkedIn.
I also create a lot of teaching material, tutorials, and documentation within my work environment.Why do you work on so many personal projects?
It’s the best way for me to improve in an industry that’s constantly evolving.
Also, many past projects were cancelled or are under NDA, so personal work is the best way to showcase my animation quality and experience.Do you play video games?
I’ve been playing since 1992. I own most major consoles and still play regularly.
I play not only for enjoyment but also to study animation and game design.
Nintendo and PlayStation titles have had a strong influence on me.Daily routine & hobbies?
Family time, personal projects, gaming, anime, movies, and weightlifting.

Interview with Alex Maniotis : Animation begins in the engine