Role Overview
Upwork is hiring a mid-level 2D Animator Needed for D&D Actual Play Viral Shorts — Paid Pilot + Long-Term. This is a contract remote role, with the team based in Remote. posted 4 days ago. Full responsibilities, required qualifications, and the apply link are listed in the description below.
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Job Description
We are a Dungeons & Dragons actual-play group looking for a 2D animation partner to help turn funny, emotional, and character-driven table moments into short animated clips for social media.
We would like to see your portfolio
We are looking for a style and pacing similar to viral TTRPG/D&D animated clips: expressive characters, strong comedic timing, limited but polished animation, exaggerated reactions, clean lip-sync or mouth-shape timing, quick cuts, simple backgrounds, captions, and meme-friendly moments.
Important: we are not looking to copy another creator’s characters, artwork, or exact designs. We want original character designs and animation for our group, with the reference used only for pacing, energy, humor, and short-form storytelling.
This will begin as a paid test project, with the goal of finding a long-term animation partner for recurring clips.
Initial Paid Pilot
Total runtime: approximately 6 minutes 34 seconds
Priority pilot clips: Mackie Outro, Wake Up, Umbrella Quest — approximately 1 minute 33 seconds total
Style / Creative Direction
We are looking for:
- Expressive 2D character animation
- Strong comedy timing and reaction shots
- Limited animation that still feels lively and intentional
- Character-focused staging rather than complex backgrounds
- Fast social-media pacing
- Captions/subtitles that support the humor
- Occasional simple effects, props, or background gags
- A format suitable for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels, and X/Twitter
We are open to different production methods, including:
- Hand-drawn 2D animation
- Rigged/cutout animation
- Animated animatic style
- Hybrid storyboard/limited animation approach
- After Effects, Toon Boom, Clip Studio, Adobe Animate, Blender Grease Pencil, or similar workflows
Deliverables
For each finished clip, we would like:
- Final rendered video in 9:16 vertical format, 1080x1920
- Version with captions/subtitles
- Clean audio timing matched to the source clip
- Basic sound polish if needed
- Thumbnail/still frame for social posting
- Project/source files preferred, but please state whether they are included
- Optional: 16:9 or 1:1 versions if you offer repurposing
Assets We Can Provide
We can provide:
- Source video/audio with timestamps
- Character descriptions
- Character reference images, if available
- Notes on each character’s personality
- Context for the joke or scene
- Any recurring logos, fonts, or campaign branding
- Review notes during storyboard/animatic stage
Preferred Workflow
Please describe your workflow, but we expect something like:
1. Clip review and timing notes
2. Rough visual concept / character approach
3. Storyboard or animatic
4. Rough animation pass
5. Review round
6. Final animation, captions, and export
Please include how many revision rounds are included in your quote. Upwork recommends defining deliverables, visual style, milestones, revision rounds, and storyboard/animatic approval points clearly in animation jobs, so we want to keep this organized from the beginning.
We are also requesting quotes for the full 8-clip batch. Please include a per-clip quote and a full-batch quote.
We understand cost will vary depending on whether you recommend a simple animated animatic, limited 2D animation, or more polished custom character animation.
Ideal Candidate
You are a good fit if you:
- Have experience with 2D animation, animated shorts, comedy clips, or YouTube/TikTok/Reels content
- Understand tabletop RPG humor, improv, or character-driven comedy
- Can make dialogue-heavy scenes visually interesting
- Are comfortable animating recurring characters over time
- Can help us develop a repeatable visual style for future clips
- Communicate clearly and can price work by clip or by finished minute
Please Include in Your Proposal
Long-Term Potential
If the pilot goes well, we are looking for an ongoing animation partner for recurring clips from our D&D episodes. We would like to build a consistent short-form animation style and potentially release these on a regular schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for the 2D Animator Needed for D&D Actual Play Viral Shorts — Paid Pilot + Long-Term position at Upwork?
Use the Apply button above to submit your application directly to Upwork. Most applications take less than 5 minutes if your resume and contact details are ready, and you'll be routed to the employer's official application system to finish.
Is the 2D Animator Needed for D&D Actual Play Viral Shorts — Paid Pilot + Long-Term role at Upwork remote?
Yes. This is a remote role. The team is based in Remote, but the position itself does not require relocating to that office.
What does a 2D Animator Needed for D&D Actual Play Viral Shorts — Paid Pilot + Long-Term at Upwork earn?
Upwork has not disclosed a salary range in this posting. Many employers share specifics later in the interview process; you can also ask during a recruiter screen if compensation transparency is important to you.
When was the 2D Animator Needed for D&D Actual Play Viral Shorts — Paid Pilot + Long-Term role at Upwork posted?
This role was posted on June 14, 2026 (4 days ago). It's still listed as actively hiring; we re-confirm openings against the source system multiple times per day and remove closed roles.
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