Contract Filmmaker / Emerging Director — NYC or LA

Autopilot; New York (NY); On-site; Part time

Job summary

Autopilot is seeking an emerging filmmaker or early-career director for on-site, contract work in New York City or Los Angeles. You will craft original, story-driven shorts and social videos, with support offered in briefs, app footage, and talent.

Bring your storytelling instinct and execution to a flexible, project-based environment. You may pitch concepts, direct and edit, or coordinate productions, collaborating with Autopilot on messaging for compelling content.

Qualifications

• Film students, recent graduates, or early-career filmmakers seeking hands-on storytelling experience.
• Ability to tell stories visually and work with briefs.
• Comfort working independently on project-based assignments.

Responsibilities

• Pitch and produce story-led video concepts.
• Direct, shoot, and edit projects or coordinate production.
• Collaborate with Autopilot on messaging from briefs.
• Create polished videos for social distribution and potential paid promotion.

Skills

Storytelling

Portfolio

Direction & editing

Job description

Employment: Contract / project-based · On-site in New York City or Los Angeles

About Autopilot

About Autopilot

Autopilot makes professional-style investing accessible through an app that lets people follow portfolios or create their own fund for others to follow. Help us tell the stories behind money, investing, and culture.

Role Overview

Autopilot is looking for an ambitious emerging filmmaker, film student, or early-career director to help tell original stories about money, investing, and the people behind them.

We want someone hungry to build a portfolio and capable of producing high-quality, story-driven short films and social videos. You do not need to have run a full production company or owned every part of the process before. We can provide briefs, creative direction, app footage, animation, talent support, and funding. You bring the storytelling instinct and execution.

Example Story Directions

• Portraits of longtime New Yorkers and their relationship with money.
• Unexpected stories behind wealth, work, investing, and culture.
• Documentary-style local stories with a financial angle.
• Original short-form concepts that make Autopilot feel culturally relevant.

What You'll Do

• Pitch and produce story-led video concepts.
• Direct, shoot, and edit projects, or coordinate the production process.
• Work from creative briefs and collaborate with Autopilot on messaging.
• Create polished videos for social distribution and potential paid promotion.

What We're Looking For

• Film students, recent graduates, aspiring directors, or early-career filmmakers.
• A strong portfolio or a clear creative point of view.
• Ability to tell a story visually.
• Comfort working independently on project-based assignments.

Compensation

Project-based. Typical budgets may range from approximately $100 to $1,000+ per project depending on scope. Exceptional concepts and larger productions may have separate budgets.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Autopilot is an equal opportunity employer.