Cinematographer

Job description

Please submit your application through this posting only. We’re unable to review applications or follow-ups sent via email, direct message, or website inquiry. About Nen Creative Nen Creative partners with tech startups to launch bold ideas into the world, creating the brands, products, and stories that fuel their growth. Since 2022, we’ve partnered with some of the world’s top founders and institutions, including Amazon, Pear VC, Crosby, Andreessen Horowitz, Wispr Flow, Rogo, Mercor, Rox, Netic, Listen Labs, Tech Week, Paraform, Spur, Flora, and more. We’re growing fast and looking for great people to join us. About the Opportunity We’re looking for a strong, technically sharp cinematographer to join our team in the Bay Area. This role is for someone who deeply cares about the craft of cinematography, not just making an image “look good,” but understanding why it works. You should be comfortable owning camera, lighting, and grip setups across a wide range of productions, from scrappy founder interviews to polished commercials and brand films. You’ll work closely with our directors, producers, and creative team to shape the visual approach for each project, execute on set, and help manage footage through post-production, including DaVinci Resolve project setup, color grading, and final exports when needed. This is a hands-on role in a fast-moving agency environment. We need someone who is highly capable on set, adaptable, detail-obsessed, and willing to push the image as far as possible within real-world constraints. What you'll do - Collaborate with directors and producers to develop the visual approach for each project and execute it on set - Own / capable of owning camera, lighting, and grip setup across a range of productions: commercials, brand films, talking heads, interviews, and more - Work within real-world budget constraints, get creative with what’s available, know where to spend and where to save, and deliver results that punch above their weight - Offload footage, build DaVinci Resolve projects with correct settings, and keep projects organized from shoot through post - Color grade projects and handle final exports from raw footage as needed - Adapt to our workflow and pipeline, while helping improve it over time - Wear different hats from project to project, depending on the needs of the production What We’re Looking For - Based in the Bay Area, ideally close to San Francisco. You should expect to be on set in the SF area 3–4 days per week - Strong technical foundation in camera systems, lighting, and grip. You understand the tools deeply, not just how to use them - Genuine passion for the craft of cinematography. You care about the things most people don’t notice: how exposure index shifts dynamic range latitude, why one lens renders bokeh differently than another, how different coatings change the character of an image, and what gives a particular set of glass its falloff - Bring relentless attention to detail and never settle. If there’s time and room to improve a setup, you improve it, whether that means adding an edge light, using a flag to clean up a background, or making a subtle tweak to the key. - A make-work mentality. We often operate within real constraints and need someone who can innovate, problem-solve, and deliver premium results without relying on unlimited budget - Equal care for a talking head and a commercial. You bring the same level of taste, attention, and standard to every shoot, regardless of format or budget - Willingness to adopt and adapt to our creative taste, quality standard, and production workflow - Color grading and editing experience in DaVinci Resolve - Prior cinematography experience required. We can help sharpen your skills, but we need a strong technical baseline and someone who learns quickly - Comfortable working in an agency environment where timelines can shift, and projects sometimes require after-hours responsiveness. - Must have a car Why Join Nen - Be part of a small, fast-growing creative studio trusted by world-class startups and investors - Work directly with partners and creative leadership on high-impact, visible projects - Help define and scale the post-production quality bar at Nen - Medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k), PTO, and company holidays - Salary range: $70,000 to $120,000, depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.