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Senior Cinematographer, Brand Studio

Perplexity· Design
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San Francisco$150k - $180kFull-timePosted 1mo ago

About the role

Senior Cinematographer to define Perplexity’s visual language and lead on-camera storytelling across brand content, from day-to-day shoots to brand films. Hands-on role building and running in-house studio, collaborating with Creative Director, Video Lead, and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

  • Partner with the Creative Director and Video Lead to define and evolve Perplexity’s cinematographic language, and turn it into repeatable approaches for lighting, lensing, composition, movement, and color.
  • Shoot and light a steady mix of day-to-day content: candid office moments, executive interviews, product demos, social, events, and documentary stories.
  • Lead cinematography on brand films, campaigns, partnerships, and launches.
  • Scale to the work: operate solo with a minimal kit, lead a small crew, or help build a full camera, lighting, grip, team (with help from producers).
  • Bring storytelling ideas to the table through moodboards, shot lists, storyboards, and experimentation.
  • Own camera, lighting, and movement decisions from creative development through capture: build packages, run tests and tech scouts, and solve constraints before the shoot.
  • Recommend crew and equipment for each production and lead the camera and lighting departments on set.
  • Help design, build, and run the in-house studio, including lighting, audio, grip, and monitoring.
  • Own the team’s gear: recommend, purchase, organize, and maintain it, with ready-to-shoot packages so no setup gets rebuilt from scratch.
  • Handle color grading in DaVinci Resolve, and support selects, stringouts, and light edits when turnaround is tight.
  • Keep the visual standard high across formats and crew sizes without overbuilding.

Qualifications

  • 6+ years as a cinematographer or DP across branded, commercial, documentary, and interview work.
  • A standout reel showing visual authorship, lighting craft, camera movement, and an eye for honest, unscripted moments.
  • A strong point of view, paired with the sensitivity to work within and strengthen an existing brand.
  • Deep command of camera systems, lenses, exposure, color pipelines, lighting, grip, and on-set monitoring.
  • Genuinely hands-on: equally comfortable building a camera, shaping light, operating, troubleshooting, and leading a crew.
  • The judgment to make premium images under real constraints, solo with a small kit or leading a full production.
  • Strong pre-production instincts: turning a creative idea into a technically sound, right-sized plan.
  • Experience briefing and leading freelance crews and vendors on set, and managing professional production equipment.
  • Working proficiency in DaVinci Resolve for color grading, selects, and light edits.
  • Collaborative and low-ego. You bring a strong opinion, take direction, and solve problems with partners.
  • Comfortable moving fast in an ambiguous, high-output environment without compromising craft, safety, or footage.
  • Based in or able to work on-site in San Francisco, with flexibility for travel and long shoot days.

Skills

Required:CinematographyColor grading (DaVinci Resolve)LightingLeadership / Crew management

Benefits

  • Full-time U.S. employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits program including equity, health, dental, vision, retirement, fitness, commuter and dependent care accounts, and more.
  • International Benefits tailored to region of residence.
Last updated Sep 16, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Perplexity

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