Freelance FAQ

While it’s bittersweet to see the studio come to a close, we’re all so excited for bright (green!) things ahead and for the characterful spirit of Animade to live on at Duolingo 💚 

A huge thank you for sharing your talent with us over the last 16 years. We couldn’t be prouder of the incredible work we’ve made together and the fun we’ve had making it. Naturally you might have a lot of questions, so here’s a little extra information about our transition.

Why Duolingo?

Fundamentally our shared beliefs, values and personal connection with the green owl made it feel right. Creating character has always been at the heart of what Animade has done, and Duolingo shares the belief in the power of character to engage, inspire, and bring joy into learning everyday. 

What happens to the Animade brand?

This chapter of Animade has concluded, but our client collaborations and studio projects will still be available on the Animade website. We’re so proud of everything we've built together and excited to see the Animade creative spirit live on within Duolingo Design Studio!

So only Duolingo work?

That’s right! We’ll be part of Duolingo’s Design Studio working across a wide variety of design and animation projects. 

Will you still be working with freelancers at Duolingo?

Duolingo regularly hires freelancers each quarter, either for extra support or specialized needs on projects. We hope to continue collaborating with many of the talented people we've worked with over the years.

Do I need to be based in the UK?

Not necessarily. Duolingo prefers co-collaboration and for freelancers to work directly from their London office. However, we expect there will continue to be opportunities to work remotely. Some projects may have location or time zone requirements, but we'll make these clear on a project-by-project basis.

What skills are you likely to be looking for?

It's still early days, but we expect to continue looking for a mix of creative support, including areas such as:

Illustration and design

After Effects animation

Rive animation

Motion design

This list isn’t conclusive and we'll continue to reach out when opportunities are a good match.

Will existing freelancer relationships continue?

We hope so! We'll continue to keep in touch with our brilliant freelance network, although the way we engage freelancers may evolve over time as we settle into our new structure. We'll be sure to reach out when opportunities arise that could be a good fit.

What happens to the studio?

The Good Ship Animade in Old Street will close and our team will move to Duolingo’s London HQ in Soho. So we’ll still be around and you’ll be able to find us at conferences, community events and the animation circuit. 

What about current bookings with Animade? 

Project producers have been in touch with all of the freelancers currently working on projects at Animade. This work will be completed by the end of August, 2026.

I have an outstanding invoice with Animade, when will I be paid? 

If you have submitted an invoice to Animade this will be paid within the normal 30 day payment terms. If you still need to submit an invoice for work completed in July or August 2026, please submit this to your project producer and [email protected] by 28th August and this will be processed and paid within the normal 30 day payment window. 

Can I show Animade work in my portfolio?

We are happy for you to promote work created with Animade provided you seek our permission first and we grant it (however, please be aware we can’t always do this, due to client confidentiality clauses and NDAs). Not sure? Drop Jen a message on LinkedIn to double check: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennjudd/ 

How can we keep in touch? 

Feel free to stay in touch and let us know what you're up to! We’re all on LinkedIn so feel free to connect with us there, or you might bump into us at future industry events.