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Contract Film Concept Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Manage multiple concurrent concept projects of varying scope and complexity You should have the following * 5+ years as concept artist in games, film or entertainment * Expert knowledge in 2D ...

Concept Artist

Torrance, CA · On-site

$103K - $144K/yr

Manage multiple concurrent concept projects of varying scope and complexity You should have the following * 5+ years as concept artist in games, film or entertainment * Expert knowledge in 2D ...

Senior Brand Designer

Costa Mesa, CA · On-site

$109K - $116K/yr

ABOUT THE TEAM The Design Team leads Anduril's brand identity, visual communication, film, concept ... The ideal candidate is not only an impeccable artist, but passionate about elevating creative ...

Film Producer

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$50 - $100/hr

Before shooting starts, Jenni works on budgets, timelines, and contracts--often collaborating with ... and concept development. On shooting days, she coordinates call times, handles unforeseen ...

The Design Team leads Anduril's brand identity, visual communication, film, concept art, and ... The ideal candidate is not only an impeccable artist, but also has outstanding knowledge of form ...

$95 - $118/hr

As a Cinematic Lighting Artist , you will collaborate with concept artists, animators, VFX artists ... A minimum of 7 years' experience in Games or Animation/VFX/Film * Has shipped a AAA game or ...

This role will help create, concept, design and produce compelling 3D graphics, that will live on ... Bachelor's Degree in 3D Animation, Visual Communication, Film, Illustration, Motion Design or other ...

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Contract Film Concept Artist information

See salary details

$120K

$132.8K

$146.5K

How much do contract film concept artist jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for contract film concept artist in the United States is $132,826.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $127,000.00 and $146,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a contract film concept artist?

Contract film concept artists are creative professionals hired on a temporary or project basis to develop visual ideas for movies. They create illustrations, sketches, and digital artwork that help filmmakers visualize characters, environments, props, and overall aesthetics before production begins. Their work is essential during the pre-production stage, shaping the look and feel of a film and ensuring everyone on the creative team shares the same vision. Contract roles mean they typically work for a specific project or timeframe rather than as permanent staff. This flexibility allows studios to bring in specialized talent as needed.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a contract film concept artist?

To thrive as a Contract Film Concept Artist, you need strong artistic ability, a deep understanding of visual storytelling, and proficiency in digital painting, often supported by a portfolio and a degree in art or design. Familiarity with industry-standard tools like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, and sometimes 3D modeling software such as Blender or ZBrush is typically required. Creativity, adaptability, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with directors and production teams to bring visions to life. These skills ensure that concepts are visually compelling, align with project goals, and can be efficiently translated into production-ready assets.

What are some common challenges faced by contract film concept artists, and how can they be addressed?

Contract film concept artists often work under tight deadlines and may need to quickly adapt their style to fit a director's vision or production requirements. Balancing multiple projects or feedback from various stakeholders can be demanding, but strong communication skills and effective time management can help. Building a robust portfolio and maintaining flexibility in creative approaches are key to overcoming these challenges and succeeding in a dynamic film environment.

What is the difference between Contract Film Concept Artist vs Concept Artist?

AspectContract Film Concept ArtistConcept Artist
CredentialsPortfolio, artistic skills, industry experiencePortfolio, artistic skills, industry experience
Work EnvironmentFreelance or project-based, often remote or studioStudio or freelance, often collaborative
Industry UsageFilm, animation, gaming projectsFilm, animation, gaming projects
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding freelance vs full-time rolesClarifying role scope and responsibilities

The Contract Film Concept Artist typically works on a project basis, often freelance, creating visual concepts for films or animations. A Concept Artist may work full-time or freelance, focusing on developing visual ideas for various media. Both roles require strong artistic skills and industry experience, but the contract nature distinguishes the Contract Film Concept Artist as a temporary, project-specific role.

More about Contract Film Concept Artist jobs

What cities are hiring for Contract Film Concept Artist jobs?

Cities with the most Contract Film Concept Artist job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Film Concept Artist jobs?

The most popular types of Film Concept Artist jobs are:

What states have the most Contract Film Concept Artist jobs?

States with the most job openings for Contract Film Concept Artist jobs include:

Infographic showing various Contract Film Concept Artist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $132,826 per year, or $63.9 per hour.

$103K - $144K/yr

Full-time

Posted 12 days ago


Job description

Who we are

Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America's drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale. Our team culture is fast, hands-on, and obsessed with closing the gap between design and deployment.

As drones transform the character of warfare, Neros is delivering the systems America and its allies needs to compete on the modern battlefield and deter future conflicts, or else win them. We're building a lean Marketing organization of creatives and operators who want to move fast, take extreme ownership, build a brand from the ground up, and tell the Neros story.

What you will be doing

We're looking for a Concept Artist to lead the visual imagination of the company - you'll own the art direction, concepting, and illustration of how our systems are deployed, and build creative that resonates across military end users, government procurement, and the public at large.

You'll define our illustration styles spanning marketing, technical guides, and concept of operations presentations. You'll get deeply immersed in our current and future products, as well as the battlefield realities that American and allied warfighters encounter.

This role straddles visual development, art direction, technical illustration, and storytelling.

Responsibilities

  • Own 2D and 3D art direction for product concepts and illustrations spanning our Marketing channels, customer presentations, and technical guides
  • Define how Neros visually depicts current and future product capabilities, as well as the warfighter scenarios where they're employed
  • Define our concept of operations illustration style, rendering how our systems are employed across mission profiles, operational scenarios, deployment sequences, and battlefield constraints
  • Evolve our visual design language across illustration surfaces: cutaways, callouts, sequences, diagrams, TTP, hero illustrations, etc
  • Translate technically complex product specs and features into intuitive visuals
  • Work collaboratively with brand marketing to art direct and execute artworks for customer-facing content like social media, motion graphics, merchandising and large scale trade shows and events
  • Manage multiple concurrent concept projects of varying scope and complexity

You should have the following

  • 5+ years as concept artist in games, film or entertainment
  • Expert knowledge in 2D illustration and conceptual storytelling with 3D tooling experience like ZBrush, Blender, Rhino, Unreal Engine or Keyshot
  • Enthusiasm to join a low-structure, high velocity startup where you'll lean on your judgment and creative instincts more than pre-defined process
  • Demonstrated experience in executing 2D concept design, storyboarding and visual storytelling
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • High attention to detail and ability to document work processes and establish systems
  • A portfolio showcasing a range of design styles in 2D and 3D. Projects that clearly delineates where you were sole creative owner versus shared responsibility, and what specific deliverables you owned in group efforts

Nice to have

  • Experience working in defense, aerospace, robotics, frontier technology or hardware development is preferred
  • Experience illustrating for physical events, print, and team wear
  • Experience with technical visualization specifically for defense tech or military hardware
  • Experience working cross functionally with other teams like marketing or brand design
  • 3D modeling or technical animation experience

US Salary Range

$103,500 - $144,500 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Neros' total compensation package.

We're an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.