Freelance: Digital Matte Painting – USA

Job Position(s): Freelance: Digital Matte Painting - USA

Framestore is building its freelance roster for Digital Matte Painting roles across its US-based offices, including Chicago. Digital Matte Painters at Framestore work within the VFX pipeline to create photorealistic environments, textures, and elements that either composite seamlessly into live action plates or serve as standalone DMP plates for advertising productions. This role suits an experienced VFX artist who has worked across high-end commercial or post-production workflows and understands how matte painting intersects with modeling, shading, and compositing departments.

About the Role

This is a freelance position within Framestore Integrated Advertising, a division focused on commercial and advertising work rather than feature film or episodic television. Digital Matte Painters here operate across both 2D and 3D contexts, with paintings frequently mapped onto 3D geometry as part of a broader VFX pipeline. A typical day involves working closely with Modeling and Shading teams, matching real-world lighting conditions, and delivering assets that hold up under close scrutiny in a final deliverable.

Key Responsibilities

• Paint photorealistic environments and surfaces that integrate with live action plates captured on production.
• Create texture and material work that reflects an accurate understanding of real-world lighting behavior across varied environments.
• Deliver DMP assets designed for 3D projection, including paintings prepared for mapping onto modeled geometry within the VFX pipeline.
• Collaborate directly with the Shading department to ensure material consistency between painted and rendered elements.
• Work with Modeling artists to align painted environments with scene geometry during post-production.
• Produce standalone DMP plates where no live action element is present, requiring full environment construction from reference.

What You Bring

• A demonstrable portfolio of photorealistic digital matte painting work from commercial, advertising, or post-production projects.
• Proficiency in industry-standard tools including Photoshop and relevant compositing or 3D software used in VFX production.
• Working knowledge of shading and modeling practices sufficient to communicate effectively with those departments.
• A strong eye for real-world materials, light behavior, and atmospheric conditions across a range of environments.
• Experience delivering assets within a structured VFX pipeline under production deadlines.

Why This Role

Framestore has a long track record in high-profile advertising and commercial VFX, and being on their freelance roster means you are among the first contacted when projects come through. The company is explicit that registered freelancers are their first point of contact when needs arise, which makes this a practical long-term move for working matte painters based in the US.

Submit your details now for the Freelance Digital Matte Painting role at Framestore and get on their radar for upcoming projects.