Freelance Animator & Motion Graphics Artist
Join one of Canada's leading content production studios and collaborate on award-winning work.
- Competitive freelance rate: $30–$45/hour (based on experience and portfolio)
- Work with an experienced, collaborative creative team
- Edit content for leading brands, organizations, and agencies across North America
- Flexible freelance opportunities based on project workload
About Memory Tree
For nearly 30 years, Memory Tree has been helping organizations tell stories that inform, inspire, and drive action.
We're an award-winning creative production studio specializing in video production, animation, photography, graphic design, podcasts, and digital content. Since 1996, we've produced more than 12,000 stories in over 30 languages for clients across Canada and around the world.
Our team includes Producers, Directors, Editors, Animators, Designers, Cinematographers, Strategists, and Project Managers, but at our core, we're all storytellers.
We believe the best creative work happens when talented people collaborate, challenge one another, and continually learn.
To learn more about Memory Tree, visit memorytree.ca.
About the Opportunity
Memory Tree is looking to expand our roster of talented Freelance Animator & Motion Graphics Artist.
We're seeking experienced Animators & Motion Graphics Artists who can transform ideas, scripts, storyboards, and creative concepts into polished, engaging visual stories.
You'll collaborate with our producers, creative directors, designers, editors, and clients on a wide variety of corporate, commercial, explainer, social media, event, and branded content.
This is a freelance position with flexible scheduling based on project demand. While much of the work can be completed remotely, preference will be given to artists located in Ontario who can occasionally collaborate with our Waterloo production team when needed.
What You'll Do
- Create compelling 2D animation and motion graphics that align with creative briefs, scripts, storyboards, and client objectives
- Develop animated explainers, branded content, kinetic typography, infographics, title sequences, logo animations, and social media content
- Animate characters, icons, illustrations, charts, data visualizations, and other graphic elements
- Translate complex ideas and information into clear, engaging visual storytelling
- Take projects from storyboard and style-frame stages through animation, revisions, and final delivery
- Integrate motion graphics and animation into live-action video productions
- Collaborate with Producers, Creative Directors, Graphic Designers, Editors, and Project Managers throughout the creative process
- Incorporate internal and client feedback while maintaining consistency with the approved creative direction
- Ensure animation follows established brand guidelines, visual systems, and accessibility considerations
- Prepare, organize, and optimize project files for efficient collaboration and revisions
- Deliver projects according to technical specifications, platform requirements, and production deadlines
- Contribute creative ideas that elevate storytelling, design, animation, and overall production quality
Qualifications
- 3+ years of professional animation or motion graphics experience in an agency, production company, studio, broadcast, or in-house creative environment
- Strong portfolio or demo reel demonstrating a variety of animation and motion graphics styles
- Advanced proficiency in Adobe After Effects
- Strong working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
- Strong understanding of animation principles, timing, pacing, composition, typography, and visual hierarchy
- Experience creating 2D motion graphics, explainer videos, animated infographics, kinetic typography, and branded content
- Ability to interpret scripts, storyboards, style frames, and creative direction and translate them into finished animation
- Experience designing or preparing assets specifically for animation
- Strong understanding of video formats, resolutions, frame rates, codecs, and delivery specifications
- Ability to manage multiple projects and meet tight production deadlines
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Comfortable working independently while collaborating with a larger creative team
- Experience working within established brand guidelines and design systems
- Familiarity with cloud-based collaboration tools such as Google Workspace, Frame.io, Dropbox, or similar platforms
Bonus Skills
- 3D animation and motion design
- Cinema 4D, Blender, or similar 3D software
- Character animation and rigging
- Illustration and graphic design
- Storyboarding and style-frame development
- Data visualization and infographic animation
- Adobe Premiere Pro and video editing
- Compositing, visual effects, and screen replacement
- UI/UX and interface animation
- AI-assisted animation and creative workflows
- Expressions, scripting, or automation within After Effects
- Sound design and audio synchronization
Why Work With Memory Tree?
- Work on projects for nationally and internationally recognized brands
- Collaborate with an experienced team of creative professionals
- Opportunity to build long-term relationships with a studio that's been creating award-winning work for nearly three decades
- Diverse projects spanning corporate storytelling, technology, education, healthcare, recruitment, events, explainers, social campaigns, and branded content
- Opportunities to work across both fully animated projects and motion graphics integrated into live-action productions
- A culture that values creativity, collaboration, craftsmanship, and great visual storytelling
How to Apply
If you're passionate about editing compelling stories and want to work with one of Canada's leading creative production studios, we'd love to hear from you.
Please submit:
- Your resume
- Portfolio or demo reel
Job Type: Freelance
Pay: $30.00-$45.00 per hour
Benefits:
Experience:
- cinematography and editing: 3 years (required)
Language:
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Waterloo, ON N2V 1K8
