Camera Operator Jobs
Camera operator jobs… did you know?
Lights, camera, action! Camera operators help to create unforgettable TV and film moments, from swooping eye-in-the-sky panning shots for high speed chases to close-ups of an actor’s face in a dramatic scene. If you have an artistic eye for detail and can get to grips with gadgets and tech, you could enjoy a career as a camera operator. With TV and film being big business – and many more shows being made beyond just terrestrial TV – your prospects could be out of this world.Some of the projects you could work on include:
- Film shorts and feature films
- TV shows, either one-offs or as a series
- Music videos
- TV ads
- Documentaries
How much money can you make as a camera operator?
Salary/payment varies Because many camera operators are freelance or work on fixed projects, their rates of pay can vary. So if you’re working on a TV drama or documentary, you might make £300 per 10-hour day, making you around £1,500 a week. Before you get too excited, you should know that you’ll have to pay some of that as tax – and you are unlikely to be employed on rates like these all the time. [/su_column] [/su_row] [/su_coloured_section] [su_coloured_section heading_text="What entry qualifications and training do you need for this job?" heading_background_colour="#00aeef" heading_colour="#fff" background_colour="#fff"]School, college and training
You don’t need any formal qualifications to become a camera operator, but qualifications can help you build your technical skills and experience. Camera operators might have a diploma or certificate from one of the following courses:- Diploma in media techniques or Certificate for audiovisual industries induction (City & Guilds)
- BTEC in media production or moving image
- HND/HNC in film and TV production
- BTEC national diploma or certificate – GCSEs or the equivalent with a typical passing grade of 9-4/A*-C
- HNC/HND – one A-level or the equivalent as well as three GCSEs or the equivalent
- Degree – five GCSEs or the equivalent along with two A-levels or the equivalent.
Training schemes
Here are some example training schemes to help you build skills, work experience and a showreel: FT2 Film and Television Training offer a technical training scheme with the opportunity to train as a camera assistant. Skillset Lasting between three months and a year and a half, you can do training combined with industry placements. You’ll receive an allowance and work and earn your way to a vocational qualification. Guild of British Camera Technicians The GBCT offers a trainee scheme for camera technicians.Career progression
With time and experience you could become a camera supervisor, cinematographer or director of photography. You could also specialise in areas of filming like underwater filming, working with wildlife or aerial photography. [/su_coloured_section] [su_coloured_section heading_text="What experience do you need for camera operator jobs?" heading_background_colour="#00aeef" heading_colour="#fff" background_colour="#fff"]Work experience
Work experience is very useful for this role, because it helps you build up a portfolio of work. Camera operators looking for work are generally expected to have a showreel showing what they can do.Some ways to build work experience as a camera operator:
- Get a work placement. Big companies like the BBC offer these, but competition is fierce. Work placements like these are unpaid and can last from a few days up to a month.
- Get work experience or paid work at a camera equipment hire company.
- Assist on student films or short indie films.
- Join filmmaking communities like the Shooting People – The Independent Filmmakers Network to see who’s making indie films and may need help with crew or camera operation.
- Carrying out instructions quickly and accurately
- Staying calm under pressure (you might have deadlines to meet, or long filming days)
- Patience and concentration
- Teamworking skills (you might have to work with a tense director or tired actors)
- Good levels of stamina (camera equipment can be heavy, and you may be on your feet for ten-hour working days)
- Technical skills
- Remember that professional TV shows and films need professional equipment, but if you have a mobile phone you can still use it to practice shots and angles. You can also download video post-production and editing software, potentially for free or as a free trial.
- Studying photography as a hobby can really help you build up a feel for how to compose shots to tell a story.
- Follow camera operators and directors on social media. They are very clued up on the latest technology and often share interesting tips or insights.
- Keep an eye on competitions for short indie films. If you have worked on a project, see if it can be entered into the competition. You never know, you might win!
Some day-to-day job responsibilities include:
- Setting up camera equipment
- Choosing which lenses to use
- Choosing the best camera angles
- Planning and rehearsing shots
- Working to a camera script
- Keeping up with technological trends in the world of filmmaking
- Trainee camera operator
- Camera trainee
- Camera technician
- TV runner (this is a TV and film assistant and a good way to break into the industry)
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