Careers at Absurd
Absurd consists of a team of filmmakers + engineers working on a tool for creatives.
We started Absurd in Fall 2025 during YC, where we came across Riot by Dor Brothers and were inspired to start creating AI short films ourselves.
Having never touched a camera before, we decided to start out as an AI production studio. If we could start a successful studio from scratch, maybe then we could earn the right to build technology in the space.
6 months later, we had made AI commercials for Kalshi, Replit, Brex, Whop, Micro1, Gumloop, Reforge. We disliked all the existing tools on the market. And we found an urge to create a tool of our own.
We've continued to work on commercials and narrative films with our studio, and have since poured everything we know about AI creation into our software. We believe the best product in this category will be built by a team using their tool in real production.
Open Roles
Every role is full-time, in person, and based in Los Angeles. Apply from the role’s own page. Anything else, hello@absurd.com.
Existing Team
- Cassandra BrooksbankCommercial director with clients like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Amazon, Unilever, Ford, Barclays, Porsche, P&G, Sony, Microsoft, Chevrolet, Frito Lay, and Dodge.
- Devon JohnsCinematographer with work recognized at more than 50 film festivals worldwide, including Telluride, the DGA Student Film Awards, the College Television Awards, and the Student Academy Awards.
- Robin WangStudent Academy Award® winner, DGA Student Award winner, and two-time Student Emmy winner. Director of Neither Donkey Nor Horse, longlisted for Best Live Action Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
- Damian ChngPreviously did engineering at Meta.
- Mengqing YuanProduction designer and art director whose films have screened at Sundance, Berlinale, and Tribeca. Her credits include Emily the Criminal and The Rookie, with additional work for HBO, Disney, and Universal Studios.
- Rommel VillaStudent Academy Award winner, Sloan Foundation-funded filmmaker, and Lionsgate-Televisa Grant recipient. Writer and director of Sweet Potatoes. USC film professor.
- Daniella RaphaelBritish-Lebanese writer, director, and producer out of USC's Film & Television Production program. Director of Le Beyrouth, selected for the Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival, and producer of Nuns with Guns.
- Daniel KatheinPreviously worked on agents at Nvidia.
- Pablo CerveraScreenwriter with an MFA from the AFI Conservatory and 10+ years across advertising, television, and film, including Netflix series teams. McDonald's Spotlight Dorado Grant recipient, Shore Scripts Short Film Fund finalist, and Coverfly Red List writer.
- Philip HoPersonality hire
- Eric LinProfessor Lin hosts office hours