Working as a professional camera operator
The world of professional imaging is one which offers great opportunities for the serious and dedicated worker. The idea of travelling around taking pictures seems to some, an easy job with lots of fun attached to it. That can be the case but there is more to it than many appreciate and it really depends on what area of professional imaging the person ends up in.
Most disciplines require some sort of record of what they do, so the stills photographer and the professional camcorder operators have a job to do within that industry. Thinking about the number of times images are used in the modern world gives some indication of the range of the work and where the newly qualified professional camcorder graduate may find themselves. There are the utility companies who have staff units for publicity and technical purposes, and there are the national services such as the hospitals and the police. All employ a professional camcorder operator and/or stills photographer. The work can be in the cold basement of a large coal fired power plant at 3 in the morning, or shooting the ongoing surgical operation in the local hospital. Road accidents, murders and robberies are recorded by the police and used as evidence so the police cameraman (or woman) is busy most of the time. Those are the less than glamorous jobs but to counter that there are the travelling professional camcorder people who accompany the news teams, or make the attractive films and videos for the holiday companies. But even if the assignment is on a small tropical island in the South Pacific the idea that the crew spends time lounging in hammocks between two palm trees is fanciful. Costs are very tight on such assignments and once the filming is complete it’s a flight home on the cheapest economy seats to be found and back in the editing room within 24 hours.
The glamorous world of the filmmaker is generally governed by accountants who see no reason for staff to be out enjoying themselves whilst they are cooped up in the office all day. Is there a small amount of jealousy involved here? You bet there is, so the crew are sent off, they do the job without ever visiting the hotel swimming pool and then come back. Three days tops. Finance rules most of the program making so projects are costed out on the minimal expense and the highest profits, as in any business. But the smaller and lighter modern professional camcorders have been a great bonus to the television companies. The lower staffing costs make it possible to get a good high quality program made with just the presenter, a camera operator and a producer. That’s a saving of about 40% over the crew which had sound and lighting experts in tow. The assignments for the news gathering teams remain far flung and mean unsociable hours, but most would say they love the job. Its certainly different and requires some dedication – but sat in a fancy hotel for a few days or relaxing down at the swimming pool? No - more like the third airport in four days, a dodgy hotel and some rather odd food.