Thumbnail Concept Artist (Freelance)

About the role

Airrack, a team behind ambitious, innovative YouTube videos, is looking for a freelance Thumbnail Concept Artist. The role turns a video title or raw idea into a concept that stops the scroll, with a complete production blueprint including lighting, camera angles, facial expressions, wardrobe, props and colour direction, then hands it off to the designer.

Key responsibilities

• Concept and sketch multiple thumbnail ideas per video from a title or brief alone
• Generate high volumes of variations quickly and discard weak ideas fast
• Provide full production direction to photographers and designers
• Collaborate with the creative director and editors to grasp the emotional core of each video before concepting
• Study top-performing thumbnails regularly to understand what drives CTR
• Accept direct feedback without ego and deliver revisions quickly
• Bring new ideas proactively and advance the team's creative vision

Required profile

• Portfolio showing the concepting process: sketches, wireframes, mood boards and variations, not just final designs
• Deep knowledge of what performs on YouTube and why
• Experience concepting thumbnails for high-performing channels, ideally in lifestyle, challenge, prank or viral content
• Ability to generate many ideas fast and cut to the best ones
• Thick skin for direct feedback and obsessive passion for YouTube and creator culture
• Background in art direction, photography or storyboarding is a strong plus; experience concepting for high-performing channels is preferred

What we offer

• Project-based position paid by a base fee per project plus performance bonuses
• The chance to join a team creating content viewed by millions