|
Welcome to Studentfilms.com, the online film discussion forum for filmmakers and students who are applying to film school, attending film school, need advice on making films, or just want to share their films with the world.
Go  | New | Find | Notify | | Reply | | Admin | New PM! |
Alumnus
| Actually, camera operators don't need any kind of technical or academic qualification. Your best bet is to seek internships or part-time jobs with production companies or businesses that would allow you to learn the craft first-hand. Not my business, but if your lifelong dream is to become a camera operator I think you're setting the bar pretty low. Not many people set out to LA with hopes and dreams of becoming one; they usually are looking to direct, and find themselves caught in the job with little hope of advancing. The average pay for a camera operator is about $30k a year which is, unfortunately, peanuts. If you really want to be part of the industry and find that operating a camera is appealing, use that as a stepping stone, not a goal. But if you decide that camera operating is really where you want to be for the rest of your life, you won't need those 2 years at Wisconsin-Oshkosh either. | | | |
Moderator
| Really its all about finding your niche. If operating a camera is what you think you can excel in and enjoy doing, then go full throttle. Practice shooting and following storyboards and stabilization techniques and working with rigs until your arms fall off. And in LA there are literally hundreds of paying gigs for a camera operator or a camera crew...just take a brief look at craigslist. If you are skilled and have your own equipment and a bit of free time, there will always be something or another for you to work on.
"Important dialog is only in Hollywood films" - Kyle Phillip Johnson
| | | |
Sophomore
 | | | | | Posts: 209 | Location: Orlando, Florida | Registered: January 07, 2008 |
IP
|
|
Senior
| quote: Originally posted by funkbomb:
if your lifelong dream is to become a camera operator I think you're setting the bar pretty low. Not many people set out to LA with hopes and dreams of becoming one; they usually are looking to direct, and find themselves caught in the job with little hope of advancing. The average pay for a camera operator is about $30k a year which is, unfortunately, peanuts.
Camera operators are NOT failed directors! Neither are gaffers, key grips, caterers, casting agents, prop masters or upm's. Not only that, but union camera operators make a tremendous amount more than $30k/year. I'm not sure what current scale is, but it's somewhere between 1st ac (~$550/day) and director of photography (~$1,000/day). Many own their own steadicam rigs, which earns them a nice rental everytime it comes off the truck. If the work is thick, they make a lot of money. The crappy part is that the current union contract (Passed in the last year or so) doesn't require a camera op, so there's not as much work for them as there should be. While it's supposed to be a DP's call to hire an Op or not, productions have their way of letting them know what 'the right decision' is. If you want to do traditional film school in preparation, I would suggest an emphasis on cinematography. Operators work directly for cinematographers so it's a good idea to know the ins and outs of their job. There are also workshops for steadicam operation. While most oprators that I've worked with do seem to have film school degrees, I would agree it's not a necessity. The old school way of becoming a camera operator was to move up the chain of command from loader, to 2nd AC, to 1st AC, then to operator (And to DP if you were so inclined). You may look for a camera intern position when first starting out. You could also try working at a rental house like Panavision, gaining hands on experience with all sorts of camera gear. Finally, a good place to start is with the Society Of Operating Cameramen website and magazine. Hope that helps and good luck! Nota "Posted with PanaPost(TM)(Patent Pending)" Mono | | | | Posts: 665 | Location: Los Angeles, Ca. U.S.A. | Registered: October 31, 2002 |
IP
|
|
Freshman
 | quote: Originally posted by NotaMono: quote: Originally posted by funkbomb:
if your lifelong dream is to become a camera operator I think you're setting the bar pretty low. Not many people set out to LA with hopes and dreams of becoming one; they usually are looking to direct, and find themselves caught in the job with little hope of advancing. The average pay for a camera operator is about $30k a year which is, unfortunately, peanuts.
Camera operators are NOT failed directors! Neither are gaffers, key grips, caterers, casting agents, prop masters or upm's. Not only that, but union camera operators make a tremendous amount more than $30k/year. I'm not sure what current scale is, but it's somewhere between 1st ac (~$550/day) and director of photography (~$1,000/day). Many own their own steadicam rigs, which earns them a nice rental everytime it comes off the truck. If the work is thick, they make a lot of money. The crappy part is that the current union contract (Passed in the last year or so) doesn't require a camera op, so there's not as much work for them as there should be. While it's supposed to be a DP's call to hire an Op or not, productions have their way of letting them know what 'the right decision' is. If you want to do traditional film school in preparation, I would suggest an emphasis on cinematography. Operators work directly for cinematographers so it's a good idea to know the ins and outs of their job. There are also workshops for steadicam operation. While most oprators that I've worked with do seem to have film school degrees, I would agree it's not a necessity. The old school way of becoming a camera operator was to move up the chain of command from loader, to 2nd AC, to 1st AC, then to operator (And to DP if you were so inclined). You may look for a camera intern position when first starting out. You could also try working at a rental house like Panavision, gaining hands on experience with all sorts of camera gear. Finally, a good place to start is with the Society Of Operating Cameramen website and magazine. Hope that helps and good luck! Nota "Posted with PanaPost(TM)(Patent Pending)" Mono
Wow this helps alot! Thank you very much. You said that film school with emphasis on cinematography would be good. What do you think would be a good school for this? I have been looking at LA Film School and NYFA. I know that you won't get a degree from there but I have read you don't really need one. Also, I am going to UW-Oshkosh this coming year and I am planning on only going there 1 or 2 years to get a small feel for film and then I want to go to California to go to one of those schools. Would this be a good path to take? (Although I know that everyone's path to their career is different) Or would it be smarter to finish my degree in film at Oshkosh and then go to California? Thanks again for your help. | | | | Posts: 9 | Location: Madison, WI | Registered: January 09, 2008 |
IP
|
|
Alumnus
| quote: Originally posted by NotaMono: Camera operators are NOT failed directors! Neither are gaffers, key grips, caterers, casting agents, prop masters or upm's. Not only that, but union camera operators make a tremendous amount more than $30k/year. I'm not sure what current scale is, but it's somewhere between 1st ac (~$550/day) and director of photography (~$1,000/day). Many own their own steadicam rigs, which earns them a nice rental everytime it comes off the truck. If the work is thick, they make a lot of money. The crappy part is that the current union contract (Passed in the last year or so) doesn't require a camera op, so there's not as much work for them as there should be. While it's supposed to be a DP's call to hire an Op or not, productions have their way of letting them know what 'the right decision' is. If you want to do traditional film school in preparation, I would suggest an emphasis on cinematography. Operators work directly for cinematographers so it's a good idea to know the ins and outs of their job. There are also workshops for steadicam operation. While most oprators that I've worked with do seem to have film school degrees, I would agree it's not a necessity. The old school way of becoming a camera operator was to move up the chain of command from loader, to 2nd AC, to 1st AC, then to operator (And to DP if you were so inclined). You may look for a camera intern position when first starting out. You could also try working at a rental house like Panavision, gaining hands on experience with all sorts of camera gear. Finally, a good place to start is with the Society Of Operating Cameramen website and magazine. Hope that helps and good luck! Nota "Posted with PanaPost(TM)(Patent Pending)" Mono
Nota! Good to see you back. Perhaps my wording was wrong. Most camera operators are not in the position they originally imagined themselves to be in. Also, the $30k figure was pulled off a respected site that surveys national salary averages and all the other figures I find seem to back that opinion. Experienced camera ops seem to make upwards of $40k. Also "camera operator" and "Steadicam operator" are two very different things with two very different salaries and backgrounds. I spoke with a camera op on the set of "The Wire" on their last day of filming last September. He had been doing the job for the past twelve years despite his original intentions to be a director or DP. Unlike being a caterer or casting agent or a prop master or other nonsense positions you mentioned that showcase very little of the talents likely to convince someone of one's directing ability, being a camera operator is a viable career path to that position. Many do attempt it, and very few get there. But most are content enough as a camera op to stop chasing the dream. Now the waiters in LA, on the other hand, are all failed actors, plain and simple. | | | |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
|
