Director of Photography / Cinematographer

Director of Photography / CinematographerMonitoring the Situation (MTS) is hiring a Director of Photography / Cinematographer to lead the visual direction and execution of its video and live content. This role is for an experienced, highly technical visual storyteller who can create a polished, cinematic look while operating at the fast pace of MTS. This person will help establish and maintain the visual identity of MTS Live, translating creative ideas into strong camera, lighting, composition, and production choices.MTS Live aims to be a calm place of reason for conversations around technology, culture, current events, and other evolving topics. The right person will be comfortable working with a range of viewpoints, approach politically charged topics with professionalism, and contribute to content without allowing personal political opinions to interfere with the work.ResponsibilitiesOwn the overall visual direction and cinematography for MTS Live and other MTS video productions.Establish a consistent, professional, cinematic visual style across live and recorded content.Lead camera placement, framing, composition, lens selection, lighting, and overall image quality.Design and execute lighting setups appropriate for studio, live, and recorded productions.Collaborate closely with production and creative teams to translate concepts into effective visual execution.Make fast creative and technical decisions during live and time-sensitive productions.Maintain visual consistency across different formats, sets, and production environments.Identify and troubleshoot visual, camera, and lighting issues before and during production.Help continuously improve the visual quality and production value of MTS content.Operate effectively in a highly technical, fast-moving production environment.QualificationsProfessional experience as a Director of Photography, Cinematographer, or in a comparable senior camera/visual production role.Strong knowledge of professional cameras, lenses, lighting, composition, exposure, and cinematography techniques.Experience creating high-quality visual setups for studio, live, or digital video production.Strong creative instincts with the technical expertise to execute ideas effectively.Comfortable making decisions quickly and adapting in a fast-paced production environment.Able to collaborate effectively with technical, production, and creative teams.Strong attention to detail and a high standard for image quality.Comfortable working on content involving technology, culture, current events, and differing political perspectives.Comfortable working in an environment that actively explores emerging technologies, including AI.

Location: San Francisco, California (On-site)Salary: $130-165kApply now and you will be contacted ASAP.