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Cinematic Lighting Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Steamroller Animation

NY · On-site

$80 - $120/hr

You will be responsible for the final look of cinematic sequences, translating mood, atmosphere ... Significant experience as a Lighting Artist in video games or high-end animation (Senior to Upper ...

AGBO

Sr. Cinematic Layout Artist

Raleigh, NC · On-site

Position Summary: AGBO is seeking a Senior Cinematic Layout Artist to help bring our in-game ... You'll work closely with animation, lighting, and narrative teams to ensure every shot serves the ...

AGBO Films LLC

Sr. Cinematic Layout Artist

Raleigh, NC · On-site

Position Summary: AGBO is seeking a Senior Cinematic Layout Artist to help bring our in-game ... You'll work closely with animation, lighting, and narrative teams to ensure every shot serves the ...

AGBO

Sr. Cinematic Layout Artist

Raleigh, NC · On-site

Position Summary: AGBO is seeking a Senior Cinematic Layout Artist to help bring our in-game ... You'll work closely with animation, lighting, and narrative teams to ensure every shot serves the ...

Swaybox Studios

Unreal Technical Artist

New Orleans, LA · On-site

$122K - $146K/yr

Unreal Technical Artist Location: New Orleans, LA Studio: Swaybox Studios Department: VFX ... lighting, rendering, and optimization of high-quality assets and environments for cinematic ...

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How much do cinematic lighting artist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for cinematic lighting artist in the United States is $129,541.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $127,000.00 and $152,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a cinematic lighting artist?

A Cinematic Lighting Artist is responsible for creating visually compelling lighting in cinematics, cutscenes, or pre-rendered sequences in video games, film, or animation. They use lighting to enhance mood, direct the viewer’s attention, and ensure consistency with the artistic vision. This role requires a strong understanding of color, composition, shadows, and real-time or pre-rendered lighting techniques. Cinematic Lighting Artists work closely with other departments, such as environment artists, animators, and VFX teams, to achieve high-quality visuals.

What are the typical responsibilities and collaborative aspects of a cinematic lighting artist’s role on a production team?

As a Cinematic Lighting Artist, your daily responsibilities typically include designing and implementing lighting setups to create mood, atmosphere, and visual focus in cinematic sequences. You will often work closely with environment artists, animators, and cinematic directors to ensure the lighting complements the narrative and visual style. Collaboration and clear communication are key, as you may need to iterate on feedback from art directors or adjust for technical performance constraints. This role often requires balancing creative vision with the practical aspects of real-time or pre-rendered workflow, making teamwork a central part of the job.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the cinematic lighting artist position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Cinematic Lighting Artist, you need a strong understanding of lighting principles, color theory, and visual storytelling, usually backed by experience or education in digital art or visual effects. Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Autodesk Maya, Unreal Engine, or Unity, as well as a solid grasp of rendering engines and lighting systems, is essential. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective collaboration skills help you translate narrative vision into visually compelling scenes. These abilities are vital for producing high-quality cinematic visuals that enhance narrative impact and meet production standards.

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What states have the most Cinematic Lighting Artist jobs?

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Cinematic Lighting Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Cinematic Lighting Artist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 94% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $129,541 per year, or $62.3 per hour.

Senior Lighting Artist (Contingent)

Naughty Dog

Santa Monica, CA

Full-time

Posted 5 days ago

Job description

This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner, Yoh Enterprise Solutions.  Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position.

This is a hybrid / onsite position.  

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Parts I and II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we're busy at the kennel working onIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we'd love to find talented individuals to join us. 

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

As a Cinematic Lighting Artist, you will collaborate with concept artists, animators, VFX artists and fellow lighters to create visually spectacular and engaging cinematic sequences. You will be using our proprietary lighting tools to achieve captivating lighting schemes for characters and environments. As a part of the Naughty Dog legacy, you'll become a part of continuing the development of extraordinary and enduring experiences for a broad, global range of audiences.

What you will do:

  • Develop lighting schemes for characters and environment working closely with Directors and the Concept Art team.
  • Collaborate with the Level Lighting team to establish smooth integration of in-game cinematics with gameplay.
  • Collaborate with multiple departments to determine that the in-game cinematics run within the memory budget without sacrificing the look.
  • Work with outsource vendors and lighting artists, collaborating on visual looks, tech, training, and workflows both giving and receiving feedback
  • Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed

What skills you will use:

  • A minimum of 7 years' experience in Games or Animation/VFX/Film
  • Has shipped a AAA game or equivalent
  • Excellent understanding of direct/indirect light, color-theory, exposure, contrast
  • Outstanding understanding of shading/materials and the relationship with lighting
  • Excellent artistic skills to interpret concept art and color keys to recreate the mood and atmosphere in a game environment
  • Demonstrated expertise in industry standard software such as Autodesk Maya
  • Excellent understanding of color grading with proficiency in industry standard software such as Nuke, Fusion, Resolve
  • Strong problem-solving skills and a dedicated attention to details
  • Excellent time management and organizational skills
  • Ability to work with minimal direction
  • Ability to work under pressure while completing time-sensitive projects

Bonus Skills: (Optional)

  • Experience with real time engines
  • Experience with generating light-maps, pre-lighting or baked lighting
  • Experience with scripting

As a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates will be expected to provide a portfolio or demo reel of their work and may be asked to complete an art test.

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