The Associate Creative Director, Film will help define Panthalassa’s film standards and drive video storytelling across brand, documentary, science education, and vlog-adjacent content. This role leads projects end-to-end, from story development through production, editing, and delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Set Panthalassa’s film standards across brand videos, documentary storytelling, science education, and vlog-adjacent pieces.
- Partner with engineering and other teams to understand active initiatives, surface stories worth capturing, and develop concepts from initial idea to final deliverable.
- Work closely with leadership to present creative ideas and ensure video output aligns with shared business goals.
- Shoot and edit a meaningful portion of projects personally, while directing larger productions and specialist collaborators as needed.
- Build and maintain a roster of directors, DPs, drone operators, editors, animators, colorists, and other creative partners.
- Shape production workflows and a footage pipeline covering capture and organization, post-production, archiving, and final delivery.
- Own production planning, including budgets, schedules, crew, locations, and external partners, in partnership with Creative Operations to keep projects on track.
- Manage and mentor the in-house Multimedia Storyteller, providing creative direction and feedback to freelance collaborators.
- Support team growth by identifying needed people, capabilities, and systems as the work scales.
Required Qualifications
- 5+ years of professional experience in a comparable role.
- A portfolio demonstrating human storytelling within a technology space.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to be self-directed, collaborative, and comfortable delivering and receiving direct, constructive critique.
- Advanced command of scripting, budgeting, production planning, cinematography, editing, color, sound, and animation.
- Experience mentoring, leading, or reviewing the work of other artists.
- Genuine interest in ocean technology and climate solutions.
Compensation and Benefits
- Cash compensation: $125,000 - $180,000 per year.
- Equity: equity in the company.
- Paid time off: flexible paid time off.
- Health insurance: the company pays 100% of a gold-level PPO plan for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents.
- Dental insurance: the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents.
- Vision insurance: the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents.
- Disability insurance: the company pays 100% for a policy to provide long-term financial support if you become disabled.
- Tax-advantaged accounts: ability to contribute to 401(k), health FSA, and dependent care FSA.
- Relocation assistance: available to help facilitate a move to Portland (if needed).
Work Location
This is an on-site position based in Portland, Oregon, with offices, lab, and shop located in the city.
About the Role
The work emphasizes story-first craft, including the ability to find the balance between documentary and brand film by producing content that is real, visually strong, and helps audiences understand the world Panthalassa is building.
The role involves translating complex science, technology, and engineering into accessible concepts, with a strong focus on execution quality. You will contribute across planning, direction, and hands-on production, including problem-solving during changing plans while protecting the original creative intent.
Collaboration is a core part of the position, both internally by connecting the creative team with the broader organization and technical leadership, and externally by working with a trusted network of directors, DPs, editors, producers, and other creatives. As part of a small team, you will help maintain a maker mindset while building the right paths for each project, whether that means directing a small crew, developing with an external director, or joining the timeline and production process directly.
