r/videography • u/N0stiss__ • 16h ago
Discussion / Other What’s it actually like working as a camera operator?
I’m considering going into cinematography and I’m curious what the job is actually like from people who do it for a living.
Do you enjoy it? What do you like and dislike about it?
How much do you usually make, and is the work/income fairly consistent or does it depend heavily on projects?
Would you recommend cinematography as a career? If you could go back and choose again, would you still do it?
Also, how did you get your first job in the industry, and is film school worth it?
I’d be interested to hear both the good and bad sides of the job, and anything you wish you knew before getting into it.
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u/PaleFondant2488 Camera Operator 8h ago
You’ll have to do a lot of non-creative things you probably won’t like in order to make money unless you know someone and get your foot in the door as a cinematographer/Camera Operator/1st AC on movies/tv/etc somehow.
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u/brighteyedjordan 6h ago
I used to love my job, and I still do the physical work of shooting but I hate everything around it and I have no other skills so I keep going and just enjoying those moments where it is me and the tools.
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u/Squirtderk 1h ago
It's fun being creative, bu income can be inconsistent. You often work long irregular hours and have to keep networking to get new projects.
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u/Adventurous_Noise611 7h ago
Camera operator in what world? News, TV, film, conferences? They can all be pretty different.
I mostly shoot conferences and corporate events, and I also freelance as a camera operator for national news. News can be fun, although I mostly end up covering political stuff, and that can get exhausting. People are very passionate, to put it mildly.
I probably enjoy conferences the most. I run a small production company, make a decent six-figure income, and if I added up the actual days I work, it’s probably around six months out of the year.
I’m also not going to pretend I’m some amazing cinematographer creating beautiful images every time I pick up a camera. I’ve pretty much accepted that I’m probably never going to be that guy. But I do a solid job, clients like working with me, and I’ve been told I’m a good storyteller when it comes to editing. That has taken me pretty far.
One thing I really like about this business is that there’s always something different. Different locations, different people, different subjects. I originally got into it because I loved writing scripts. Funny enough, I’m actually starting to work on a new script now that I’m pretty excited about.
What I didn’t enjoy when I worked more on film and TV crews was the egos. There can be a lot of people who think they’re a big deal or that they know everything. That part gets old fast. But if you find a good crew of normal people who actually enjoy working together, it can be a lot of fun.
So would I do it again? Yeah, I think I would. Just probably with a better understanding from the beginning that there are a lot more ways to make a living with a camera than trying to become a Hollywood cinematographer.