TV or Film Camera Operator Careers

Work Environment:

TV or film camera operators record moving pictures for corporate productions, music videos, film, commercials or television. Being a TV or film camera operator, you'd operate digital video, film or videotape cameras, generally under directions by director.

Your job can include:

• resolving technical/practical problems like lighting
• working as per camera screenplay and getting cues by director
• working intimately with technical crews, like sound and lighting working closely with other technical departments such as lighting and sound

• positioning and installing camera equipment
• selecting appropriate camera lenses and angles
• planning out and rehearsing scenes

• second assistant: assisting camera team, unloading and loading film, and counting takes
• grip: building and handling pulleys and cranes required to shift camera throughout shooting
• first assistant: judging and adjusting focus on every scene

Qualification, Education and Experience:

Companies would be interested into experience and technical abilities than standard qualifications. Several camera operators accomplish a college/university training course to gain required abilities before searching for job. Related courses comprise:

• BTEC: Diploma/Certificate into Media production
• degrees into photography or media production/technology
• 'City and Guilds': Diploma into Media Techniques
• BTEC: HND or HNC into Media

In addition to developing technical abilities, you must also gain practical experience and create contacts within industry. To achieve this, you'd accomplish training courses. Though, you could also gain experience by:

• participating into community film-projects
• getting job as a camera-assistant or runner within a production firm
• working within a camera equipment-hire firm

You must create a demo DVD of projects/productions you've worked-on, to illustrate your abilities to companies/employers when you're searching for job.

Training Details:

Generally, you'd begin as an assistant/trainee and learn at the work by experienced operators.

In the beginning of career, you might be capable to obtain training as component of a trainee-ship type new entrant program, like programs sometimes provided by media training associations, broadcasters and local screen agencies. For details about available programs, contact skill-set.

Being a crane-technician or grip, you can obtain any of the vocational qualifications given as below:

• NVQ: Levels Second and Third Grip for Audio-visual Industries
• NVQ: Level Second Crane-Technician for TV and Film

You must stay updated with newest technology and equipment all through your career. Companies might arrange training. Though, being a freelance camera operator you're generally responsible for own training and development. For details regarding related courses, check the website of skill-set.

The BKSTS and Guild of British-Camera Technicians both provide various short training courses and seminars. For information, check their websites.

Skills and knowledge:

• stamina to work for longer hours, and to move and hold camera equipment
• excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• concentration and patience
• interest into video, photography and film
• capability to work within a team
• excellent color vision
• outstanding practical abilities and understanding of camera-equipment
• calmness under-pressure
• capability to execute instructions correctly

Salary and Other Benefits:

TV or film camera operators working on freelance basis are generally paid with fee for every contract.

Pay scales could differ widely. You can settle fees/charges depending on your reputation and kind of production.

Working Conditions:

Hours of working can be irregular and long, and might comprise nights and shift work based on production. You might also have to work at short-notice, specifically with news programs.

You can work anyplace from outdoor locations to TV/film studios in all climate circumstances. You might need to operate at-heights on scaffolding/cranes.

Location-work can be anyplace within country or abroad. News camera-work might include working in dangerous/difficult situations like war zones.

Different Opportunities:

Generally, you'd work on freelance-contracts, though bigger television broadcasters recruit few permanent employees.

Few openings are publicized by nationwide press, business publications and websites. Though, it's common to obtain job by contacting directly to firms and networking.

Within film you can advance from assistant to film camera operator, and ultimately director of-photography with considerable experience. Within television, you can advance from assistant to TV camera operator and camera supervisor.

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