What are the responsibilities and job description for the Cinematographer position at San Francisco General Intelligence Laboratory?
About SFGIL
The San Francisco General Intelligence Laboratory is an Applied AGI research lab currently building tools and infrastructure for civic engagement. Our portfolio company PartnrX is a registered public benefit corporation (PBC) focused on providing infrastructure for the community builders reshaping San Francisco.
We’re now producing a short documentary that profiles the people rebuilding San Francisco’s social fabric in the aftermath of the pandemic. Confirmed interview subjects include Mayor Daniel Lurie and several of San Francisco’s most visible community builders. The production targets a festival-quality release with a late 2026 premiere.
About the Opportunity
We’re looking for students and early-career filmmakers to join the production team as credited, stipend-supported crew members. Student crew will work as real members of the production team under the direct supervision of department heads. You will be working on an independent documentary that shoots on location across San Francisco — one structured for meaningful student participation at every stage of production.
Areas of Responsibility/Roles
Videographer / Camera Operator — B-camera and B-roll capture on scene-documentation shoots. Event coverage across San Francisco locations. Multi-camera support on sit-down interviews. Crew in this area operate alongside the A-camera operator and should be prepared to make independent framing decisions in observational environments.
Sound Recordist / Boom Operator — Sound operation for civic and operator interviews. Wild-track room tone recording at every location. Sound support on observational scene work where the conversations are happening in real time.
Production Assistant — Location scouting support, scheduling coordination, and on-set logistics. Research and contextual interview preparation. Release and permit coordination. Day-of production support across all departments. This area provides broad exposure to the full lifecycle of documentary production.
Post-Production Assistant (Editor / Colorist) — Assembly and rough-cut editorial support. Footage logging, metadata management, and project organization. Sound design support during the mix phase. Working knowledge of DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, or equivalent editing software preferred.
What We’re Looking For
- Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a film, media, journalism, or communications program
- Based in or able to work on location in San Francisco for the summer 2026 production window
- Interest in documentary storytelling, community narratives, or civic-minded work.
- For camera and sound roles: comfortable operating your own equipment on location. Some supplementary gear may be available from the production on a case-by-case basis
- For post-production: working knowledge of DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere.
- Prior student film, news, or documentary experience is a plus but not required. What matters most is your effort, commitment, and showing up
What You’ll Get
- Stipend for your work on the production
- On-screen credit in the final film, consistent with your role
- Portfolio-quality footage
- Invitation to the San Francisco premiere screening
- Acknowledgment in festival materials where the film is selected for exhibition
- A meaningful credit on a festival-targeted documentary featuring civic leaders