Videographer / Content Creator / Editor - YouTube-First

Videographer / Content Creator / Editor - YouTube-First

Part-Time | Must Be Local to San Diego | U.S. Travel Required

Compensation: $1,000-$2,500 per month

Who We Are

Cali BBQ Media is the media company for business storytellers in hospitality. We started in 2008 with a barbecue restaurant in Spring Valley and an iPhone. Today we run Cali BBQ's three San Diego locations and produce shows watched by restaurant operators and technology leaders around the world.

Our shows include Restaurant Influencers , presented by Entrepreneur, Pepsi, and Toast, with over 71 million views. We also produce the Digital Hospitality podcast, which has published every week since 2017, and Rising Tides Live .

We make content for our own channels and for restaurant technology brands that want to tell real stories about real operators.

What We Believe

• Be the show, not the commercial. We document the real journey instead of producing ads.
• Hospitality creates trust. Storytelling scales it. Technology accelerates it.
• A rising tide lifts all ships. We build community first, and business follows.
• Stay curious, get involved, ask for help.
• The best story is usually in the unscripted moment. Your job is to find it.
  

Who We Don't Want

• People who need a full crew, a shot list, and perfect conditions to do great work.
• Editors who make polished commercials but can't find the story in a raw interview.
• Anyone who doesn't watch YouTube and doesn't care why videos win or lose.
• People who wait to be told every next step.
• Anyone who takes creative feedback personally or can't give it clearly.
• Anyone who sees AI tools as a threat instead of a way to work faster.
• People who miss deadlines chasing perfect.
  

Role Overview

Cali BBQ Media is looking for a hands-on, YouTube-first Videographer / Content Creator / Editor who can shoot, edit, and help shape compelling digital content from production through final delivery.

This role is designed for someone who is equally comfortable behind the camera and inside an edit timeline. You should be able to work in fast-moving, real-world environments, find strong stories within interviews and unscripted footage, and turn that material into engaging long-form and short-form content for Cali BBQ Media and client projects.

The role combines local in-person production in San Diego with remote editing and occasional U.S. travel for client shoots, conferences, and events.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and execute run-and-gun shoots for interviews, restaurant content, events, podcasts, and client productions.
• Operate mirrorless cameras, wireless microphones, and basic lighting setups independently or with a small team.
• Shoot vertical content confidently on a phone as well as on a mirrorless camera.
• Capture professional-quality footage and clean audio in fast-moving environments.
• Provide light direction and help guests, clients, and team members feel comfortable on camera.
• Edit long-form YouTube videos and client content from raw footage through final delivery.
• Create engaging 9:16 clips for YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and other vertical platforms.
• Review interviews, scripts, and transcripts to identify the strongest stories, hooks, and moments.
• Help develop creative concepts and storytelling approaches before and during the edit.
• Organize footage, selects, and project files so work can move efficiently through post-production.
• Collaborate with producers, editors, and other team members on creative direction and deadlines.
• Contribute ideas for titles, thumbnails, hooks, pacing, and other YouTube-focused creative decisions.
• Travel occasionally within the U.S. for client shoots, conferences, and other productions.
  

Required Skills & Experience

• Approximately 2-5 years of experience in video production, digital media, YouTube, or a similar high-volume content environment.
• Strong Adobe Premiere Pro editing skills.
• Experience shooting with Sony or similar mirrorless cameras, plus comfort shooting vertical content on a phone.
• Ability to confidently manage camera settings, framing, wireless microphones, and basic lighting without a dedicated production crew.
• Strong long-form storytelling and editing instincts.
• Experience creating short-form vertical content from longer footage.
• Ability to make strong production and editorial decisions without detailed direction at every step.
• Strong organization and file-management skills across multiple active projects and deadlines.
• Ability to give and receive clear, constructive creative feedback.
• Basic motion graphics and keyframing skills.
• Comfort using AI tools to support transcripts, story development, graphics, and other parts of the workflow.
  

YouTube Knowledge

You should genuinely understand and enjoy YouTube and know how creative decisions influence:

• Audience retention
• Watch time and average view duration
• Click-through rate
• Hooks and pacing
• Titles and thumbnails

The ideal candidate regularly consumes YouTube content, follows what is performing, and pays attention to how the platform and its creative trends continue to evolve.

Nice to Have

• Thumbnail design experience
• Advanced motion graphics skills
• Audio cleanup and enhancement experience
• Experience directing talent or helping non-professional talent feel natural on camera
• Experience filming restaurants, hospitality brands, interviews, or live events
  

Equipment

A Sony ZV-E10 II is available for production use.

Compensation

Compensation for this part-time role is $1,000-$2,500 per month , depending on experience, availability, and agreed scope.

Paid Skills Test

Finalists will complete a paid test consisting of a short edit from raw interview footage .

How to Apply

Complete examples of work carry more weight than a reel alone. Please include:

• 2-4 complete videos you personally shot and/or edited
• A short explanation of your specific role on each project
• At least one example of long-form content
• Examples of short-form or vertical content, if available
• Your portfolio and/or YouTube channel
• Your current location and availability for San Diego-area shoots
• Your availability for occasional U.S. travel