Cinematographer

What You'll Do7

• Define standards for optics, sensor response, camera motion, lighting motivation and exposure, then critique current evaluations against those standards.
• Build a taxonomy that names the specific ways generated footage breaks down.
• Source, generate and curate benchmark clips, including genuinely difficult camera and lighting setups, and run early model versions against them.
• Review generated footage shot by shot and write notes on lensing, movement, lighting and exposure that a model team can act on.
• Shape how human reviewers get vetted and calibrated before they judge footage.
• Audit captioning guidelines so optical and lighting detail gets described with accuracy.
• Work with other subject experts to keep evaluation judgement consistent across the pool.

Requirements8

• 7+ years of professional work in film, television or virtual production.
• Credits on at least 2 professional films.
• A background in one of these tracks: director of photography or cinematographer across film, TV or commercials; gaffer or chief lighting technician; camera operator, 1st AC or digital imaging technician; virtual production or CG lighting and camera layout supervision.
• A sharp eye for lens optics, sensor behavior, motivated lighting, exposure and color spaces.
• Hands-on time with generative image and video tools such as Runway, Midjourney, Sora or Kling, used to build your own comparison samples.
• A calibrated 4K display for pixel-level review (nice to have).
• Availability for about 40 hours a week on weekdays.
• Strong written communication and the ability to turn optical and lighting detail into precise caption and template language.

Who Should Apply

A cinematographer, gaffer, DIT or VP lighting supervisor with 7+ years and two film credits who already experiments with Runway, Sora or Kling. You write clearly about optics and exposure, and you can commit roughly 40 weekday hours.

Salary Insight