Employment Opportunities
Nathan Hurst Throughout this report I will be researching various job roles and employment opportunities within the media industry that interest me. I will also be choosing job roles that I have the acquired skills and knowledge for and how and what I would need to do to gain employment in the future. There are various employment opportunities within the media industry, I have chosen to focus on the creative and technical job roles. Camera operator The first job role I will be researching is a camera operator a technical job role within TV and film production. A camera operator has multiple roles when working on set, one being to work closely with the director and to assist the director of photography (Cinematographer), which involves listening to the director of photography and carrying out instructions such as composing and developing shots and making sure the imagery and style of the shots look visually appealing which coincide with the director’s vision. Camera operators will be mostly in charge and responsible for all camera equipment and camera operation, making sure the equipment is set up correctly and is ready for shooting. Camera operators will also communicate with the performers on set, for example the actors will need to know if they can be seen within the frame. A camera operator will work mostly freelance therefore the hours can vary as the job can have you working on a variety of different productions. Although the job is freelance a camera operator will be contracted to the production they are working on which could take a number of days to complete therefore rates will vary depending on the type of job and production. Some jobs will want you to work for free as smaller productions do not have the budget to pay a fee for your work yet gaining the experience and developing a good reputation is still valuable which could potentially open bigger opportunities for employment in the future. To be able to follow a career as a camera operator I must have a number of soft skills such as having a creative input during the production process, be able to work as a team as I will be working with a variety of different people whilst on set therefore having good communication skills is vital, have proficient skills to operate camera equipment, be skilled in the profession by always carrying out task with attention to detail and also have the ability to carry heavy camera equipment without any difficulty. Along with having soft skills, Professional behaviour is considered vastly important. Being punctual is important when being on set as you are part of a production team, which relies heavily on camera operators to be on time ready to film as deadlines need to be reached. Efficiency and commitment are also important as working on a production can become very demanding. There are no specific qualifications required to be able to work as a camera operator as the majority of the work is learnt through experience whilst working. Although no specific qualification is needed having a certain amount of knowledge in how to use camera equipment could prove useful this could be through studying a Film of TV production course. Cinematographer The second job role I will be researching is cinematographer/director of Photography a creative job role. A cinematographer has a variety of roles within each stage of the production process; the first role of a cinematographer is to create the overall visual look and feel to a production capturing the visual identity of a screenplay through using a variety of different filters, and camera lenses to create imagery that correlates with the director’s vision. Other roles include working closely with other creative departments on set such as the camera crew, production designer, hair and make-up, costume designer etc. to create the intended look of a production and pull the screenplay of the page. The Director of photography could also potentially operate the camera during smaller shoots when the crew is limited. Finally, a cinematographer will also view the raw footage once production has been completed then during post-production they will over see the digital grading of a film. Cinematographers are often freelance similar to most job roles within the creative media industry. Most film and TV productions will require a cinematographer therefore the job could become quite demanding, as you could be working on numerous productions and working long hours. Although the job is demanding rates can vary, as some jobs will provide a high fee for your work whereas some jobs will want you to work for free. Looking on a variety of job websites such as ‘Mandy.com’ I have found a large percentage of cinematographer jobs do not offer a salary but offer experience within the field. Other jobs I have found to be high paying offering £150-£200 a day. Soft skills required to pursuing a career as a cinematographer are to be creative, creating imagery that is visual engrossing and knowing how to achieve the desired look, have good communication skills, as you will be working with a production team, have knowledge about the camera equipment and other pieces of production equipment, and finally a cinematographer should also be able to listen and take instruction from the director. Having a film or TV production degree will prove useful, allowing you to gain the knowledge and skills needed when going forward into a career as a cinematographer. Although a degree can be vastly important most cinematographers have to work their way up from starting as a camera operator, working as part of a camera crew therefore giving you the opportunity to learn about lighting, sound etc. and other aspects of production. Film Director The final job role I am going to be researching is a director, another creative job role within the film industry. A director is one of the most important job roles when on any production as the director is the person who takes the screenplay of the paper and onto the screen through using images and sound, therefore directors are responsible for the success or failure of a film. Directors could potentially write a script as well as direct or they could be hired to direct an already written screenplay which would involve drafting and creating the artistic vision of the script. Prior to production directors will often make decisions about the cast, crew and locations for a film and once selected the director will begin rehearsals then onto directing actor’s performances and the crew during production. Directors will also be in charge of all technical aspects of production such as the camera, sound, lighting, special effects etc. to make certain the look coincides with the director’s vision. Directors will also work alongside editors during post production to over see the final cut of the film. Finally, directors must manage the budget and any financial or time constraints the production may have. Film directors will mostly work for themselves therefore being freelance working on a variety of different projects such as commercials, short films, music videos etc. Directors should expect to work long that will vary from production to production. A lot of work directors will undertake will be paid work but will vary depending on the size of the production. If a director chooses to make their own independent film the budget could be limited as the production is smaller therefore the money will be spent on equipment, actors and the crew then once the film has been made the director will only earn a small fee or nothing at all. Once you have had more experience and gained a good reputation, bigger production company’s and studios will back your film allowing for a bigger budget and fee for your work especially if the film is successful. Having the backing of a studio producing your film will allow you more exposure to bigger audiences meaning more people paying to see your film therefore potentially making the films budget back and creating an income for you and the producers. Soft skills needed are to have good leadership and communication skills as a director manages a production crew as well as working with actors, be committed and determined as working on a production could potentially become tedious due to the long hours, understand about the production process from pre production to post production and the roles of the crew you are working with and finally a director should have a creative vision to create films that are engrossing. To become a film director, you do not need any specific qualifications, gaining experience through writing screenplays and directing short films will help you progress in the industry and improve your skills. Although there are no specific qualifications needed taking a course in film production will help improve your knowledge and understanding of the technical and creative roles a film director will need. Starting as a runner on film sets and working your way up is the best route to becoming a film director as you will be able to get a feel for other departments in film production and gain a good reputation which will help you progress within the film industry. |