AI Cinematography R&D Engineer

📋 Description

• • Katapult Labs is embarking on a groundbreaking mission to redefine the future of filmmaking by exploring the potential of Artificial Intelligence to create fully immersive, live-action feature films. This is not about animation or gimmicks; it's about pioneering a new era of AI-native cinema. As an AI Cinematography R&D Engineer, you will be at the forefront of this ambitious endeavor, working directly with our Creative Director and leadership team to research, prototype, and push the boundaries of what's technically possible.
• • Your role will be pivotal in evaluating cutting-edge AI tools, automating complex workflows, and operating at the absolute zenith of creative technology. This position demands a unique blend of skills, requiring you to be a systems builder, an AI researcher, and an individual with a profound understanding of cinematic craft. We are seeking a rare talent who embodies all three of these critical facets.
• • You will dive deep into the full spectrum of the AI filmmaking stack. This includes extensive research and prototyping in areas such as advanced video synthesis, sophisticated image generation techniques, realistic voice cloning, precise motion control, intricate LoRA fine-tuning, and the development of robust ComfyUI workflows. Your work will directly contribute to building the foundational technologies for AI-driven cinematic production.
• • A significant part of your responsibility will involve rigorously testing and evaluating the capabilities of state-of-the-art AI models and platforms, including but not limited to Runway Gen-4, Sora, Kling, Veo 3, and Luma Ray3. You will meticulously document your findings, identifying what works exceptionally well, what challenges remain, and where future development is most needed.
• • You will act as a crucial bridge between creative vision and technical execution. This involves translating the Creative Director's artistic concepts and cinematic briefs into tangible technical experiments. You will be instrumental in designing end-to-end pipelines that can bring these creative visions to life using AI, from individual shot compositions to the overarching narrative structure.
• • Where current tooling falls short, you will be expected to innovate. This includes building practical workarounds for identified gaps in the AI filmmaking ecosystem or proactively identifying and communicating the need for changes or advancements in upstream technologies. Your problem-solving skills will be essential in overcoming technical hurdles.
• • Beyond the technical execution, you will partner closely with Katapult's leadership team on shaping our AI strategy. This involves contributing to the development of our AI platform, exploring opportunities for automation across various organizational functions, and continuously evaluating emerging frontier tools that could enhance our capabilities.
• • Maintaining a position at the vanguard of AI research is paramount. This means staying abreast not only of major flagship releases from leading AI labs but also actively monitoring the more nascent developments emerging from GitHub repositories and specialized Discord communities, which often foreshadow future industry trends by several months.
• • You will be instrumental in defining the technical feasibility and artistic potential of AI in filmmaking, contributing directly to the creation of a truly novel form of cinematic expression. This role offers an unparalleled opportunity to shape the future of an industry and to work on projects that have never been attempted before.
• • The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in building generative AI pipelines, demonstrating a deep technical understanding of the underlying stack. Experience with tools and concepts such as ComfyUI, ControlNet, IP-Adapter, and LoRA is highly valued, as is a genuine passion for and understanding of cinematic principles, including framing, lighting, pacing, and visual language. Strong Python programming skills, coupled with comfort in working with APIs, model inference, and video processing workflows, are essential for success in this role. Furthermore, we seek individuals who are highly self-directed, possess a strong research orientation, and thrive in ambiguous environments where they can define their own questions and pursue innovative solutions.
• • This role is based in Latin America, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to a globally impactful project from a vibrant and dynamic region. Your contributions will directly influence the direction of AI in creative industries and establish new benchmarks for AI-powered content creation.