Senior Cinematographer, Brand Studio

San Francisco · 6+ years experience · Full-time · Onsite · Posted Sep 11, 2026

At a glance

Perplexity is looking for a Senior Cinematographer to define how the company looks on film and translate its visual identity into a practical cinematographic language.
This is a hands-on role involving prep, testing, lighting, and shooting for content ranging from candid office moments to full brand films.
The role also includes helping build and run the in-house studio, selecting gear, and supporting media management and light editing when turnarounds are tight.

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 including candid office moments, executive interviews, product demos, social, events, and documentary stories.
Lead cinematography on brand films, campaigns, partnerships, and launches.
Operate solo with a minimal kit, lead a small crew, or help build a full camera, lighting, and grip team.
Bring storytelling ideas to the table through moodboards, shot lists, storyboards, and experimentation.
Own camera, lighting, and movement decisions from creative development through capture, including building packages, running tests and tech scouts, and solving constraints.
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 by recommending, purchasing, organizing, and maintaining it with ready-to-shoot packages.
Handle color grading in DaVinci Resolve and support selects, stringouts, and light edits when turnaround is tight.

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 experience 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 to turn 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.
Based in or able to work on-site in San Francisco, with flexibility for travel and long shoot days.

A strong Bay Area and Los Angeles network of camera, lighting, grip, sound, production, and rental partners.
Experience within an in-house brand studio at a technology or consumer company.
Strong documentary instincts and experience working with founders, executives, talent, or people who are not professional performers.
Experience with multi-camera interviews, live events, tabletop or product cinematography, motion-control systems, or virtual production.
Color-grading experience and a strong understanding of how capture decisions carry through finishing and delivery.