Freelance Image Annotation Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Placement Type:
Temporary
Salary:
$400 Daily
+ Benefits and 401k
Start Date:
Aug 31, 2026
Aquent is partnering with a leading global brand that stands at the forefront of digital innovation, where creativity meets cutting-edge technology to shape the future of content. This is an unparalleled opportunity to make a profound impact, driving the evolution of creative capabilities and establishing new benchmarks for excellence in a rapidly advancing field.
Are you a visionary leader ready to pioneer the next generation of digital content? We are seeking a dynamic individual to lead our most technically complex and forward-looking digital production work. This role is for a builder by instinct - someone who thrives in ambiguity, designs workflows where none exist, and transforms ambitious technical visions into repeatable, scalable realities. Your expertise will directly influence our ability to innovate, ensuring that our creative outputs are not only stunning but also delivered with unparalleled operational rigor and efficiency. You will be at the forefront of shaping how cutting-edge technologies are integrated into creative pipelines, directly impacting the quality and efficiency of digital content creation for a brand recognized worldwide.
As a pivotal member of the post-production team, you will drive the evolution of creative capabilities, establishing new benchmarks for excellence in a rapidly advancing field. You will lead our most technically complex and forward-looking digital production work, spearheading projects that leverage Generative AI and advanced Computer Graphics (CG). This role offers the unique opportunity to design and implement innovative workflows, turning ambitious technical visions into scalable realities. Your leadership will directly influence the innovation trajectory, ensuring creative outputs are not only stunning but also delivered with unparalleled operational rigor and efficiency. You will collaborate closely with Creative Directors, CG Supervisors, VFX Supervisors, Lead Artists, and Project Management teams, owning the development of production tracking systems, review pipelines, and workflow documentation for AI, complex CG, and generative digital production workstreams.
What You'll Do

• Serve as the lead producer on Generative AI and complex Computer Graphics (CG) digital productions, managing bidding, scheduling, resource planning, budget, and daily operations from brief through final delivery, even as workflows evolve in real time.
• Produce AI and Generative AI productions end-to-end, overseeing prompt-to-delivery pipelines across image, video, and 3D generation workflows using various advanced generation platforms, coordinating artists and engineers, and ensuring creative outputs align with brand standards and legal compliance.
• Manage complex CG productions in close partnership with the CG Supervisor, translating creative briefs into technically grounded production plans, scheduling render and iteration cycles, managing 3D asset pipelines, and coordinating internal artists and external vendors to maintain quality and delivery momentum.
• Apply expert judgment to assess when non-standard technical or creative approaches best serve a project, confidently making those calls, clearly communicating rationale to stakeholders, and adjusting course without disrupting the broader post pipeline.
• Design and build project tracking systems purpose-built for digital productions, architecting databases, dashboards, and automations that provide real-time visibility into shot status, iteration cycles, asset readiness, vendor milestones, and delivery timelines across AI and CG workstreams.
• Build and own the studio's review pipeline for AI and CG content, establishing structured review cadences, integrating equivalent review platforms into emerging tech workflows, designing annotation and version-labeling standards, and ensuring productive iteration.
• Document every new workflow as it is built, capturing process maps, technical handoff specifications, naming conventions, approval gates, and vendor interface protocols in clear, accessible written form to strengthen infrastructure with each emerging technology production.
• Partner with the Executive Producer of Post Production to develop bidding frameworks, rate cards, and cost benchmarks for AI and CG digital project types, building the financial data infrastructure for accurate bidding and ROI tracking.
• Identify, evaluate, and manage specialist vendors and freelancers across AI pipeline engineering, CG, generative design, and real-time rendering disciplines, building a curated network of technical partners.
• Manage project financials and actualization across all emerging technology productions, tracking spend, managing vendor purchase orders, processing contractor payments, and proactively flagging financial risks.
• Oversee material and asset logistics specific to digital productions, including 3D scan data, digital twin assets, AI model inputs and outputs, generated image and video libraries, and technical handoff packages, ensuring organization, versioning, and accessibility.
• Serve as the translator between creative teams and technical specialists, making emerging technology approachable to creative directors while ensuring artists and engineers receive technically clear and actionable creative direction.
• Stay actively current on the emerging technology landscape, evaluating new tools, platforms, and workflows, and providing informed, practical recommendations on future investments.
• Collaborate with the broader Post Production team to share workflow knowledge, extend emerging technology learnings, and contribute to a studio culture that values technical innovation as a creative asset.

What You'll Bring
Must-Have Qualifications:

• 5-8 years of experience producing post production with demonstrated hands-on involvement in either Generative AI creative pipelines or complex CG productions, gained at a commercial post facility, VFX studio, production company, or in-house brand.
• Minimum 10 years in post production roles across technically complex work, with both commercial post facility or VFX studio and in-house brand or studio experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience building production tracking systems and review pipelines from scratch, designing structure, logic, and workflow for non-standard productions.
• Advanced proficiency in Airtable, including relational base architecture, formula and automation logic, linked records, and dashboard configuration, with proven ability to build bespoke tracking systems.
• Strong technical literacy across post production disciplines, sufficient to engage in substantive conversations with CG supervisors, AI pipeline developers, generative design leads, and artists.
• Experience bidding and financially managing technically complex productions, with analytical skills to develop accurate cost models for novel project types and rigorously track actuals.
• Experience building and managing review pipelines using equivalent platforms, including version management, annotation workflows, approval gating, and integration with production tracking systems.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills, capable of managing multiple concurrent emerging technology productions, maintaining accurate documentation, and aligning diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency in production management and collaboration tools including Airtable, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word), Google Slides and PowerPoint, Slack, and Teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Film, Technology, Computer Science, Communications, or a related field preferred.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience producing AI image or video generation workflows, having personally operated or closely supervised work in advanced generation platforms at a production level.
• Working knowledge of Unreal Engine as it applies to real-time rendering and interactive digital production, sufficient to understand asset prep requirements, scene organization, and technical implications.
• Basic scripting or API familiarity (Python, JavaScript, or no-code equivalents such as Make or Zapier), sufficient to automate workflow steps, connect production tools, or extend platform functionality without requiring engineering support for routine tasks.
• Experience with AI/ML ethics, intellectual property, and usage rights considerations as they apply to commercially produced AI-generated content, and working knowledge of how major platforms and networks treat AI-originated assets legally.

About Aquent Talent:
Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands.
Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits !
Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.
Other Requirements
#LI-SJ1