Friday 1 June 2012

Job Roles

Camera Operator


Self Employed or Contracted?
With camera operating, you tend to go freelance and get contracted for the video work. If you work in a studio with lots of filming dates, you will be more than likely employed by the production company.

What is the wage? Are you paid weekly or monthly?
The current rate of pay for operating a camera for a ten hour day working on a TV/documentary is £285, commercials is £411 and TV news is £227, but this all depends on your experience and skill level,.



Is it shift work or normal office hours?
Depending on the type of work you do, you may work dedicated hours or shifts. With shooting outside, weathers and conditions vary a lot and you will need to work hours around it, where as working in a TV studio, there will be a set time for recording each week/day.

What training is required, is it possible for you to undertake this, or any work shadowing/experience?
It's hardly difficult to pick up a camcorder and play around with camera shots. You can start working on your own projects and edit yourself for them. You can easily work as a camera assistant, but you've got to have contacts, you can't just go to an employment agency with qualifications. As long as you can think for yourself, set the camera up for the operator and watch the shots and learn from being there. It helps to have a mode of transport too so that you can get around.


Video Editor


Self Employed or Contracted?
As for Camera Operators, it depends what sort of job you're employed for. In a movie production, you will get contracted for and editing job, where as if you worked with a TV network such as BBC or ITV you will be employed by them.

What is the wage? Are you paid weekly or monthly? 
The average annual salary for video editors is around $50k which converts to about £32k. Your income all depends on whether you're employed or work freelance. Freelance workers will get paid for the amount of work they do.

Is it shift work or normal office hours? 
Because the only thing you need to revolve your editing around is when you get the footage, you can edit rain or shine. Most of the time you have set hours to edit in so that you get breaks (which is in your rights) and you also have an allocated time in which the edit needs to be ready by.

What training is required, is it possible for you to undertake this, or any work shadowing/experience?
You can learn to edit at home with your basic computer and basic editing software. You can do runner work at a facilities house and sometimes in quiet periods they let you edit your own footage. If you know a video editor, they may let you site down with them in an editing session and show you a few bits, but they cannot go in depth as they have a tight schedule to work with.


Lighting Technician


Self Employed or Contracted?
Lighting technicians tend to work freelance with big one of projects like movies, but for a TV series, they'll tend to be employed by the production company as they then get to know the setup really well. The best way to start is freelance, that way if there's the odd chance that a production company need a lighting technician for a one off time, they'll look for a freelancer.

What is the wage? Are you paid weekly or monthly? 
As of the two above, it depends on what type of work you're doing. If you're working freelance, you can expect around £1,227 per week for feature films, working a documentary will earn you around £256 per 8 hour day and £292 for best boy.

Is it shift work or normal office hours? 
All depending on the work they do, projects tend to be shift work, but if you're working a studio with regular hours, you'll tend to work regular hours. Most of the time you tend to work shifts though.

What training is required, is it possible for you to undertake this, or any work shadowing/experience?
You can shadow a lighting technician and learn to focus lights, watch the setups and see what works well. Working as a best boy, you can assist with some bits, but at quite sessions the lighting technician may show you a few things.

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