Visual Production Designer (Remote | $50–$105/hr)

Synthires; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 69,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Synthires is seeking an experienced Set and Production Design Expert for a fully remote, worldwide contractor role. You will evaluate set designs, production concepts, and spatial layouts to ensure they support storytelling, camera needs, and budgets.

Ideal candidates have hands-on production design experience across film, TV, theatre, events, or photography, and fluency with design tools like SketchUp, AutoCAD, Vectorworks, Rhino, or Photoshop.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience working on real productions with scripts, briefs, budgets and shoots.
• Strong understanding of spatial design, set construction, layouts and materials.
• Experience collaborating with production departments and creative teams.
• Familiarity with design tools (SketchUp, AutoCAD, Vectorworks, Rhino, Photoshop) or strong hand-drafting skills.
• Ability to evaluate concepts and explain why a design works better.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate set designs, room setups and production concepts against scripts and budgets.
• Assess spatial layouts, scale, sightlines, colors and materials for visual quality.
• Review how designs support actors, camera positioning and production requirements.
• Identify potential issues with materials, period accuracy and camera compatibility.
• Ensure designs align with story, setting, direction and available budget.
• Compare concepts and determine the best option to meet objectives.
• Provide written explanations and feedback supporting each evaluation.

Skills

Set design

Production design

Spatial design

Budget management

Collaboration

SketchUp

AutoCAD

Vectorworks

Rhino

Photoshop

Tools

SketchUp

AutoCAD

Vectorworks

Rhino

Photoshop

Job description

Set and Production Design Expert (Remote | $50–$105/hr)

Position: Set and Production Design Expert

Type: Contractor

Compensation: $50–$105 per hour

Location: Fully Remote (Worldwide)

About the Opportunity

micro1 is seeking experienced Set and Production Design Experts to evaluate set designs, production concepts, and spatial arrangements for quality, functionality, and alignment with creative briefs.

In this role, you will review set designs, room setups, and production concepts to assess how effectively they support a story, script, production environment, and camera requirements. You will evaluate design elements such as scale, layout, sightlines, colors, materials, and overall practicality.

This opportunity is ideal for professionals with backgrounds in production design, set design, art direction, set decoration, or theatre design who have hands‑on experience working on real productions across film, television, theatre, events, commercials, or photography.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate set designs, room setups, and production concepts against scripts, creative briefs, and budget requirements.
• Assess spatial layouts, scale, sightlines, color schemes, materials, and overall visual composition.
• Review how effectively a set supports actors, camera positioning, and production requirements.
• Identify potential production issues, including unsuitable materials, inaccurate period details, and designs that do not work for specific camera shots.
• Ensure set designs align with the story, setting, creative direction, and available budget.
• Compare different production design concepts and determine which best meets the intended objectives.
• Provide clear written explanations and constructive feedback supporting each design evaluation.

Required Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience working on real productions involving scripts or creative briefs, budgets, set builds, shoot days, or installations.
• Strong understanding of spatial design, set construction, materials, layouts, visual composition, and production requirements.
• Experience collaborating with different production departments and creative teams.
• Familiarity with design tools such as SketchUp, AutoCAD, Vectorworks, Rhino, or Photoshop, or strong hand‑drafting skills.
• Ability to evaluate design concepts and explain why one approach works better than another.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in film, television, theatre, commercial production, live events, or photography set design.
• Background in production art direction, scenic design, interior styling, or set decoration.
• Experience managing production budgets, sourcing materials, and coordinating set construction or installation.
• Understanding of camera angles, visual storytelling, lighting considerations, and practical production constraints.
• Strong analytical thinking, creative judgment, and attention to detail.

Compensation & Engagement

• Hourly Pay: $50–$105 per hour.
• Work Arrangement: Fully Remote.
• Location: Worldwide.

Application & Selection Process

• Application: Submit your updated resume and a short professional profile highlighting your relevant production and design experience.
• Curation Interview: Complete a short conversation about your professional background and expertise.
• Experience Review: The team will evaluate your qualifications and experience against the project's requirements.
• Onboarding: Selected candidates will receive project guidelines and complete an initial task, which will be reviewed before proceeding with further assignments.