Motion Graphics Designer — Independent Contractor
Scarab Digital | Vancouver-based | Hybrid | Remote-across Canada considered
A contract role for designers who can own work, think in story, and become repeat collaborators as projects move.
The opportunity
We are looking for a Motion Graphics Designer to join Scarab Digital as a freelance independent contractor on active film and television productions. This is project-based contract work with the intention of building ongoing working relationships with people we trust. When the alignment is there, the relationship is meant to continue across projects rather than end after a single engagement.
Most contractor collaborations are primarily remote. Vancouver-based designers are welcome to work hybrid or in studio when useful, but we do not treat physical presence as a substitute for ownership, creative judgment, or clear communication.
What the work is
Scarab Digital builds story-driven on-screen graphics for film and television: phones, text conversations, social interfaces, laptop screens, search results, dashboards, surveillance visuals, broadcast graphics, radar systems, and speculative UI/FUI. The work needs to read instantly on screen, feel native to the world of the story, and help move the narrative forward.
At this level, we need someone who can work independently, make strong creative calls, and contribute more than directed execution. You should be able to interpret a brief, see where the opportunity is, and turn that into work that reads clearly on screen and elevates the scene.
What you will do
- Design and animate UI, FUI, and other on-screen graphics for film and television.
- Create believable systems for phones, messaging, search, social feeds, laptop files, dashboards, broadcast screens, and other story surfaces.
- Interpret scripted creative direction, and production constraints into clear visual solutions.
- Push concepts beyond the obvious when the story benefits from a bolder approach.
- Balance taste, function, speed, and clarity under real production timelines.
- Work independently while staying connected to the team, the brief, and the larger story goal.
You will do your best work here if you…
- move things forward without needing constant supervision.
- understand the difference between something that looks cool and something that works on screen in the story world.
- can take a creative risk without losing readability or breaking the production need.
- care about the whole outcome, not just your assigned task.
- bring a point of view and can explain your choices clearly.
What usually does not work here
- A purely marketing or agency lens with no interest in cinematic storytelling.
- Over-designed work that ignores usability, pacing, or story function.
- Dependency on a high iteration feedback loop.
- A need for slow cycles when the production reality is fast-moving.
- Low-accountability collaboration habits.
Core requirements
- 3–6 years of relevant professional experience; strong contract and studio experience is welcome.
- Expert working ability in After Effects, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Bonus Protopie experience
- Strong design fundamentals across typography, layout, composition, color, and motion.
- A portfolio that shows narrative interface work, on-screen graphics, or highly relevant adjacent work.
- Confidence working independently under deadlines.
Strongly preferred
- Film, television, trailer, title, game, or narrative design experience.
- Experience with screen graphics that feel real-world, functional, and native to a live-action environment.
- UI/FUI system thinking, not just single-shot styling.
- Working knowledge of Figma, Cinema 4D, and ProtoPie.
- Experience giving and receiving concise, useful feedback.
- Evidence of taste: not trend-chasing, but clear judgment.
How we work with contractors
- This is freelance independent-contractor work with scoped deliverables and project-based timelines.
- The work is real and current; we are not just building a speculative roster for someday.
- We value repeat collaboration and tend to keep working with people who reliably make the work better.
- We appreciate people who operate like true partners: clear, accountable, and solutions-oriented.
Our inclusive approach
We want people to do their best work from their strengths, not spend energy pretending to be a different kind of creative just to match an outdated mold. We care about contribution, craft, perspective, and accountability. We welcome designers from different backgrounds and paths, and we encourage candidates to apply even if they are stronger in some areas than others, as long as the core role fit is genuinely there.
What strong candidates usually bring
Category - Motion Designer
Typical level - Typically 3–6 years in relevant motion/design work
Core tools - After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, Protopie, Figma
Strong indicators - Independent execution, strong judgment, UI/FUI thinking, deadline reliability
Application process
Stage
What we’re looking for
Portfolio + short application
Relevance, judgment, communication, and whether the candidate understands the role they are applying for.
Structured questions
Ownership, taste, film/UI/FUI relevance, collaboration style, accountability.
CliftonStrengths Assessment and Interview
Help Identify your personal strengths and see how your skills and strength fits into the team
A note from us
If you are looking for a freelance relationship where the work is real, the standards are high, and your contribution can turn into repeat collaboration, send us work that shows how you think. We are looking for people who make the team sharper.
