Cinematographer for GenAI Video – 40h/Week

Mercor; United States; Remote; USD 96,000 - 152,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Access to calibrated 4K display

Job summary

Cincinnatus LLC is seeking a senior cinematographer/camera lighting expert for a full-time engagement with a leading AI lab to shape camera and lighting standards for generative video models. The role requires a deep background in film/TV or virtual production and credits on multiple projects.

Responsibilities include defining optics/lighting guidelines, curating benchmarking samples, and critiquing outputs with precise notes.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in film, television or virtual production.
• Credits on 2+ professional films.
• Background in at least one of: Director of Photography / Cinematographer; Gaffer / Chief Lighting Technician; Camera Operator, 1st AC or DIT; Virtual Production / CG Lighting & Camera Layout Supervisor.
• Meticulous eye for lens optics, sensor behavior, motivated lighting, exposure and color spaces.
• Hands‑on use of generative image and video tools (Runway, Midjourney, Sora, Kling) to create samples for testing and comparison.
• Nice to have: access to a calibrated 4K display for pixel-level review.
• Ability to engage reliably for approximately 40 hours/week during weekdays.
• Strong written communication and the ability to turn optical and lighting detail into precise language for captions and evaluation templates.

Responsibilities

• Set the quality bar: Define clear standards for optics, sensor behavior, camera motion, lighting motivation and exposure, critique current evaluations, and build a taxonomy of how generated footage fails.
• Curate benchmarks: Identify, generate and curate strong examples of excellent and challenging camera and lighting setups; test model capabilities against them.
• Critique model outputs: Review generated footage shot by shot and write precise, actionable notes on lensing, movement, lighting and exposure.
• Shape the reviewer pool and captions: Help define how reviewers are vetted and calibrated; review captioning guidelines for accurate optical and lighting detail.
• Collaborate with other experts to keep evaluations consistent and accurate.

Skills

Film/TV production

Lens optics expertise

Strong written communication

Tools

Runway

Midjourney

Sora

Kling

Job description

Cincinnatus LLC is seeking a senior cinematographer/camera lighting expert for a full-time engagement with a leading AI lab to shape camera and lighting standards for generative video models. The role requires a deep background in film/TV or virtual production and credits on multiple projects.

Responsibilities include defining optics/lighting guidelines, curating benchmarking samples, and critiquing outputs with precise notes.