Have you ever thought “I wonder how to make a movie”? Do you possess a true passion for making films? When you watch TV and movies, do you find yourself coming up with behind-the-scenes ideas for making them even better? If so, a movie production career as a cameraman might be for you! Here are three steps on how to become a cameraman in the film and video industry.
WHAT IS A CAMERAMAN?
In the film and video production industry, a cameraman is responsible for recording moving images for TV broadcasts and movies. This technical professional records TV content for commercials, news and broadcast programming.
In a television studio, a cameraman’s duty is to keep the subject steady within the camera frame. A news cameraman who works out in the field records bystander and witness interviews, correspondent comments and the activities of the news team.
Cameramen are also responsible for shooting movies, commercials and television programs. This requires framing and composing shots and choosing lenses, film and filters, plus setting up conditions for lighting. These cameramen work very closely with crew members and directors during shoots. In short, being a camerman is a very important role when learning how to make a movie, or launching a movie production career. As you can already see, there are many different careers in film, and being a cameraman is a very important position!
3 STEPS ON HOW TO BECOME A CAMERAMAN
To become a cameraman, of course you need passion for the film industry itself. But, in order to be successful in your movie production career as a cameraman, you’ll need three key elements:
- Career training as a cameraman from film school
- A successfully completed internship as a cameraman
- Effective cameraman job hunting skills (Career Development skills)
STEP 1: GRADUATE FROM FILM SCHOOL
You need to learn the behind-the-camera techniques used by film industry professionals. That’s the only way you’ll be able to compete in this job market and find careers in film. Pre-production, production and post-production skills are needed to make it as a professional cameraman in today’s world. You also need to make sure that your film school is accredited so your credentials actually mean something once you graduate and start pursuing careers in film.
An accredited film and video school will teach you fundamentals of the technology behind cameras. Some of these concepts include lenses, frame rates, exposure, field depth and resolution. Your film school should teach you the science and art of visual storytelling and advanced editing techniques. You’ll also learn various other filmmaking techniques, such as writing scripts, scheduling, budgets and pitching ideas to clients.
The right film education will also develop your aesthetic sensibility for framing, light, composition, color and shading. Film and video courses might also address studio production, on-location production, audio, editing and motion graphics. In addition to a formal education, your student work provides you with material for a demo reel.
STEP TWO: COMPLETE A CAMERAMAN INTERNSHIP
Almost all good cameraman positions, even successful entrepreneurships, will require that you complete a cameraman internship. It’s very beneficial to your field, and provides exposure to networking opportunities and the film industry itself. However, these can be hard to come by if you don’t have connections in the news, film or TV industries.
Although finding a cameraman internship is the student’s responsibility, some schools do provide assistance. A quality Digital Filmmaking and Video Production school will give its students access to campus job boards, social media pages, and Career Development advisors to assist with finding cameraman internships.
STEP THREE: FIND A CAMERAMAN JOB
Your career training at an accredited film and video school will give you the education you need to discover how to become a cameraman. Once you’ve completed your internship, you should have the on-the-job skills needed to be a cameraman for news, TV or movie productions.
YOU COULD BE OUR NEXT SUCCESS STORY!
Launch a career in the film industry as a cameraman by enrolling at F.I.R.S.T. Institute’s Digital Filmmaking and Video Production program! At our campus in Orlando, Florida, you’ll learn from film industry professionals who are passionate about passing on their skills and knowledge to the next filmmaking generation! Contact us today for more information and even take a video tour of the campus to start on the path to your future careers in film.
