AGM runs guerrilla projection campaigns that beam brand messages onto buildings, bridges, and urban surfaces at night. We need experienced projectionists who can set up, operate, and troubleshoot projection equipment in field conditions. If you own your gear, know how to work a dark street in a new city, and can document everything cleanly, keep reading.
This page covers what the role involves, what markets we operate in, what equipment qualifies, and how to get in touch. We hire both traveling projectionists who fly city to city and locals who handle recurring work in their home market.
About American Guerrilla Marketing
AGM has executed field campaigns in 200+ markets across 15 countries. Our client list includes Fortune 500 brands, major record labels, film studios, and consumer product companies that need street-level impact fast. We are not a production house building animations in a studio. We are the team that shows up on location, handles the permits, and gets the projection on the building.
Our field network covers every major U.S. metro and several international cities. We build long-term relationships with projectionists we trust and bring them back campaign after campaign.
About the Role
A projection advertising operator works the actual campaign night. You receive a brief with the target surface, the content file, the approved start window, and the documentation checklist. You show up, find your position, get the projector locked in, dial in the geometry, run the content, and shoot photo and video documentation while it runs. Then you pack up and go.
The job is physical. You are moving equipment in urban environments, often late at night, sometimes in weather, always under time pressure. You need to work without hand-holding. If a surface is wrong, you adapt. If a cop asks what you are doing, you know how to handle it calmly. If the power situation at the location is different from what was planned, you problem-solve on the spot.
Documentation is half the job. Every campaign needs deliverable photos and video that the client can use. You know how to shoot dark environments, capture the projection cleanly, and send files that are actually usable.
Traveling vs. Local Projectionists
We hire two types of operators.
Traveling Projectionists
Based anywhere, fly to the campaign city, handle one or more nights of projection, and return home. You carry your own kit or rent locally. AGM covers flights, hotel, and a per diem. You bill your day rate on top. This works well for operators who want variety, can travel on short notice, and are comfortable working in an unfamiliar city with a quick pre-production call.
Local Projectionists
Based in a specific market. You know the streets, the permit landscape, and the local enforcement patterns. You handle campaigns in your city without travel cost. AGM sends you briefs, you confirm availability, and you execute. Local operators in high-volume markets can build consistent income through repeat bookings.
U.S. Cities We Operate In
We are actively looking for projectionists in the following markets. If you are based in one of these cities and have your own equipment, reach out now.
- Projection Advertising Operators in New York, New York
- Projection Advertising Operators in Los Angeles, California
- Projection Advertising Operators in Chicago, Illinois
- Projection Advertising Operators in Houston, Texas
- Projection Advertising Operators in Phoenix, Arizona
- Projection Advertising Operators in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Projection Advertising Operators in San Antonio, Texas
- Projection Advertising Operators in San Diego, California
- Projection Advertising Operators in Dallas, Texas
- Projection Advertising Operators in Jacksonville, Florida
- Projection Advertising Operators in Austin, Texas
- Projection Advertising Operators in Fort Worth, Texas
- Projection Advertising Operators in San Jose, California
- Projection Advertising Operators in Columbus, Ohio
Not on this list? Still apply. We run campaigns across the country and frequently need operators in secondary markets on short notice.
International Markets
AGM operates globally. Our current international needs include:
- London, United Kingdom: High-demand market with strong client activity. Experience with council permit processes preferred.
- Tokyo, Japan: Campaigns typically require local coordination. Japanese language skills are a strong plus but not required for all projects.
- Mexico City, Mexico: Active market for brand launches and event tie-in projections. Local knowledge of colonias and high-foot-traffic surfaces is valuable.
International operators must be able to work with a remote AGM project coordinator and handle local logistics independently. We will handle content delivery and client approvals from our end.
Equipment Requirements
Equipment ownership is preferred. Operators who own qualifying gear get priority booking. Here is what qualifies:
Lumens
10,000 lumens minimum. Urban projection fights ambient street light, building light spill, and passing car headlights. Underpowered projectors produce documentation that clients cannot use. If you are running less than 10,000 lumens in a lit environment, you are not going to get a second booking.
Throw Distance
Most urban projection positions require 50 to 150 feet of throw to hit a building surface at usable scale. Your projector lens should handle this range. Bring lens specs when you apply.
Rigging and Mounting
You need a stable, adjustable mount. Handheld or improvised setups are not acceptable for client documentation work. A good floor stand or vehicle-mount rig gives you repeatability on angle and position.
Power
Some locations have accessible power. Many do not. A battery inverter or generator that can run your projector for a 90 to 120 minute session is required for locations without confirmed power access. Know your projector’s draw and have the right inverter capacity.
Weatherproofing
Campaigns do not always get rescheduled for mild rain. Your equipment should be protected for light weather operation. Know your gear’s limits and communicate honestly if conditions exceed them.
Operator Requirements
- Equipment ownership preferred. Rental arrangements can work for certain projects if disclosed upfront.
- Rigging experience. You should know how to set up your system in under 20 minutes on an unfamiliar street.
- Comfortable working nights. Most projection campaigns run between 10 PM and 3 AM local time when ambient light is lowest.
- Experience with event or guerrilla permit processes, or willingness to learn. AGM handles most permit coordination but local knowledge helps.
- Able to take direction remotely via phone or text during a campaign. You will have a project contact you can reach if something goes sideways.
- Reliable transport for your equipment. You cannot do this job without a way to move a projector, stand, and power unit.
- Clean communication. Reply to briefs promptly, confirm availability fast, and report documentation delivery when complete.
Scouting and Pre-Production
Good projection work starts before you ever load gear into a vehicle. AGM provides a target address and surface description. From there, you need to verify the setup is actually going to work.
Digital Pre-Scouting
- Use Google Maps Street View to assess the building surface, texture, and color. Light-colored smooth surfaces project well. Dark brick absorbs output. Know what you are working with before you show up.
- Check surrounding light sources. Street lamps, neon signage, and building floodlights all reduce your image contrast. Factor them into your lumen needs.
- Calculate throw distance from your planned operator position to the target surface. Use your projector’s throw ratio to confirm the image will hit the right size.
- Identify power source proximity. Is there a street outlet, a loading dock, a garage? Mark it or flag it as a generator call.
Day-Of Ground Scout
- Check surface condition. Fresh paint, graffiti cover-up, or construction debris can change the read completely from Street View.
- Note security and police presence patterns. What time does the shift change? Is there a security guard who walks the block at 11 PM? Know the rhythm before you set up.
- Run a dry setup if possible. Arrive at the location before campaign time, confirm your position, and time your setup process.
- Confirm your exit route. You should be able to break down and be moving in under five minutes if needed.
Portfolio Requirements
Send examples of real field work. Not renders, not test setups in a parking lot. We want to see projection on actual urban surfaces at night, with real ambient light conditions, documented in a way that shows both the scale and the image quality.
Three to five photos and at least one short video clip is enough to get a conversation started. If you have worked on branded campaigns before, tell us who the client was and what your specific role was. If you have been the go-to projectionist for an agency, say so and list the agency if possible.
No portfolio yet? If you have strong equipment and relevant field experience (event AV, construction rigging, field photography), make a case for yourself. We have brought on first-time projection operators who had the right background and learned fast.
Prior Employment
Backgrounds that typically translate well into this role:
- Event AV technician or live event production crew
- Film or video production with location or gaffer experience
- Theatrical lighting or stage projection operator
- Construction or rigging work with equipment transport experience
- Guerrilla or street-level marketing field work in any capacity
- Freelance projection mapping artist with client campaign experience
We do not require a formal degree or certification. Field experience and results matter more than a resume in this line of work.
Compensation and Travel
Operators are engaged as independent contractors. Pay is per campaign or per night depending on the project scope.
Day rates vary based on market, campaign length, and equipment demands. We discuss rates during the onboarding call and agree on terms before any booking is confirmed. Equipment fees for owned gear are negotiated separately from the operator day rate.
For traveling projectionists, AGM covers flights booked through our travel coordinator, hotel for the campaign duration, and a daily per diem. You do not need to front travel expenses and wait for reimbursement. We handle booking directly.
Payment terms are net 15 from documentation delivery approval. Once you submit your photos and video and we confirm they are usable, you invoice and get paid. Operators who deliver clean documentation on time build faster payment cycles on repeat bookings.
How to Apply
Send an email to [email protected] with the following:
- Your name and location (city, state or city, country)
- Equipment you own, including projector model and lumen output
- Links to or attached samples of your field work
- Markets where you can work locally, and whether you are open to travel
- Brief background on how you got into projection or field production
No formal cover letter needed. A clear, direct email that tells us who you are and what you bring is better than a formatted document that says nothing specific.
FAQ
Do I need to own my projector to apply?
Equipment ownership is preferred and gets you priority consideration. If you do not own a qualifying projector but have access to rental gear and strong field experience, mention that clearly in your email. Some projects allow for rental arrangements.
What is the typical campaign schedule?
Most campaigns run one to three nights in a market. Nights typically start between 10 PM and midnight and wrap before 3 AM. Some campaigns have multiple surfaces or locations across consecutive nights.
Is this W-2 employment or contract work?
All projectionists are engaged as independent contractors. You invoice AGM per campaign. You are responsible for your own taxes and insurance. We do not offer employee benefits through this arrangement.
How much notice will I get before a campaign?
It depends on the client and campaign type. Some bookings come two to three weeks out. Others come in on a shorter window, sometimes five to seven days. If you are available for short-notice work, say so. It makes you more valuable to have in the network.
What happens if a location does not work as planned on the night?
You contact your AGM project coordinator immediately. We have a decision process for location pivots and backup surfaces. Your job is to communicate fast and clearly, not to make unilateral decisions that affect the client deliverable.
Do I need to handle permits?
AGM handles the permit and legal framework for campaigns. You may be asked to carry documentation on-site in certain markets. Local operators with permit experience are valuable, and that knowledge factors into bookings, but you are not solely responsible for the permit side of the project.
Can I apply if I am outside the United States?
Yes. We run campaigns in multiple countries and actively need operators in London, Tokyo, Mexico City, and other international markets. Apply from wherever you are and tell us which markets you can cover.
Ready to Launch Your Campaign?
Talk to the AGM team about your next projection campaign or field staffing need.
Related AGM Services
Livy Phillips
Campaign Architect, American Guerrilla Marketing
Livy Phillips runs field operations at American Guerrilla Marketing, building the installer and field crew networks behind our national campaigns. She has coordinated street-level work across markets from New York to Los Angeles and knows what it takes to get a campaign executed cleanly, on time, and documented right.
Email: [email protected] | Phone: (646) 776-2770
We’ve been running street-level campaigns in this city for years. See what real clients say, browse our work, and get a sense of who we are before you reach out.
