2D Animator Needed for History YouTube Channel

I’m looking for a 2D animator to help create story-driven animated videos for a new history-focused YouTube channel. The videos will be educational, entertaining, and visually engaging. The tone will include a mix of historical storytelling, light humor, expressive character moments, and visual choices that support the pacing, emotion, and story. Scripts and voiceovers will be provided. Your job is to bring the story to life visually. This is not just a “move characters around on screen” role. I’m looking for someone who understands pacing, facial expressions, comedic timing, visual storytelling, and how to keep a viewer engaged on YouTube. ========= The style: ========= The animation should be simple enough to produce consistently and to keep costs low, but polished enough to feel professional on YouTube. I do not need highly complex animation or frame-by-frame work. I’m more interested in strong posing, natural movement, expressive reactions, good scene composition, and smart visual storytelling. Characters should not feel like flat puppets sliding around the screen. Even if the animation is limited, the movements should feel intentional, scene-specific, and natural. =================== Originality and AI tools: =================== I’m open to using AI-assisted tools to improve workflow and efficiency, but I do not want generic AI-generated visuals or a style that feels easily replicated by prompting software. The characters, environments, and overall aesthetic should feel intentionally designed and visually distinct. I’m looking for someone who can make creative decisions, build a consistent visual world, and bring a human sense of taste, humor, and storytelling to the animation. AI can be part of the workflow, but it should not replace the creative direction. The final result should feel custom, cohesive, and unique to the channel. ============= Project details: ============= - Videos will likely be 4-8min in length. - Scripts and voiceovers will be provided - The channel is focused on history storytelling - I’m looking for someone who can eventually work on full episodes, but we’ll start with a paid trial ============== Paid trial project: ============== Before jumping into a full episode, I think it would be best to start with a short section of script and voiceover, likely 30–60 seconds. I’ll ask you to animate that section so I can evaluate your work and see if we're a good fit. Please include the word “history” at the top of your proposal so I know you read this carefully. =================== To apply, please share: =================== - 2–3 examples of your best 2D animation work that would be applicable to this job. - A short note about why this project sounds like a good fit - Your cost per minute of animation - Your typical turnaround time for both the 30-60 second trial AND an 8 min episode. If you have any questions, just let me know. Thanks, Charlie