Samantha Litman
Staff production peaks with contract producers, coordinators and post staff brought in per project, and keep only the roles you use every month on a standing basis. As of October 2026, KORE1 contractors start a median 3 days after an offer (n=1,997 offer-to-start records, all roles), and a quarter of ended assignments finish within 44 … Read more
An interim marketing leader should keep campaigns shipping, keep the team steady, and make the decisions that can’t wait, then hand the seat to the permanent hire. Repositioning and budget shifts belong to the permanent leader. In my recent searches, a new role often closes in 2 to 3 weeks, and one that already failed … Read more
Start the contract backfill before the leave begins so the handoff happens in person, write down what the contractor owns and what simply pauses, and plan the return before day one. As of October 2026, KORE1’s median ended contract assignment ran 116 days, and a quarter of them ended by day 44 (n=1,887, all roles). … Read more
As of October 2026, a contract graphic designer typically bills about $45 to $48 an hour through a staffing firm and an art director about $83 to $88, modeled from federal wage data plus a 24% employer burden. KORE1 has no observed creative bill rates, so every figure here is a BLS-modeled estimate (OEWS May … Read more
Judge a contract-to-hire creative on fit, pace, and how they take feedback, not the portfolio you already saw. Score it at days 30, 60, and 90. KORE1 converts 37.5% of contract-to-hire placements across all roles (207 of 552), and a KORE1 contractor can convert at no fee after 1,040 hours. By Samantha Litman, Executive Search, … Read more
Staff a launch in three waves: a creative project manager and art director first, then designers, copywriters, and producers for the build, then motion designers and video editors for the final stretch. Keep brand ownership in-house. KORE1 contract assignments run a median 116 days (n=1,887), about one launch window. By Samantha Litman, Executive Search, Marketing, … Read more
Entertainment marketing is the work of selling films, series, music, and live events to audiences, and selling those audiences to brands. Studios and streamers now run more of that second job themselves, so they’re hiring agency-trained people, from brand partnerships leads and branded content producers to creative directors and account leaders who know how to … Read more
A salary offer is competitive when it beats what your best candidate earns today and pays for everything else the job asks of them, from the level and the scope to the office days and the risk of moving. Most offers that feel low aren’t low against the title. They’re low against the ask. By … Read more
A motion designer salary in 2026 runs $75,000 to $150,000 depending on level, and federal data backs it up, putting the middle half of the occupation at $75,490 to $139,130 with a $102,030 median. By Samantha Litman, Executive Search, Marketing, Creative & Media, KORE1 Seventy-five to one-fifty. When I give a client that range for … Read more
A recruitment agency is worth it when the seat costs more sitting empty than the fee costs to fill. On an $85,000 marketing seat, a 20 percent fee works out to about seven weeks of that seat staying open. By Samantha Litman, Executive Search, Marketing, Creative & Media, KORE1 “Honestly? You’re too expensive.” I have … Read more
