I’ve often wondered how someone gets their start these days, if they’re aspiring to work in the video industry. Where does one acquire the knowledge and the skill? How can you get that first big break? Certainly the colleges, universities and trade schools provide a comprehensive background, teaching a little bit of everything involving audio and video— but rarely concentrating on specific marketable skills.
I categorize all the jobs in the video industry in two easy ways. Some jobs are in front of the camera (such as the reporter, newscaster, actor, actress, or program host), but most of the exciting jobs are essentially behind the camera, in the production, technical and creative domains. In our rental and staging industry, almost every touring show has a large video element that requires skilled personnel — producers, directors, editors, crane operators, graphic designers, engineers, and most certainly — cameramen and camerawoman.
Whether young or old, if the desire is there, getting that “foot in the door” is a major challenge, and one that’s considerably harder these days than when I grew up in the industry. In the next few articles, I’ll talk to a several key video professionals, and take note of their experiences. By doing so, I’ll hopefully provide that spark and guidance for anyone interested in getting involved in this wacky business — and we’ll start with the cameraman.
At the Camera Position
There are many different types of cameramen, so choose wisely. You’ve seen them at sporting events, on the field or high above home plate. You’ve seen them at concerts on their pedestals beside FOH, or scooting around on stage with a hand-held camera. Camera crews are out on assignment with news vans, and on Hollywood sound stages shooting sitcoms and movies. You’ve seen them operating studio cameras, wireless cameras and high-end digital cameras for movies. Let’s say quite simply, it’s the life you want.
At the camera position, you’re an integral part of the event. In a multi-camera show such as a baseball game or a concert, you’re part of a team that’s creating the show’s visual story line. The Director calls the shots and creates the show’s plots and sub-plots with the shots he selects. On headsets, the cameraman has the Director in one ear, program audio in the other ear, and he’s completely aware of the crowd and the action at hand.
In a single-camera production, you are the event — whether you’re shooting video for your own script or working with a field reporter. (A news producer once remarked to his cameraman, “If it ain’t on tape, it didn’t happen.”)
Getting Started
I talked at length to Danny Zemanek, a long-time freelance cameraman working in the San Francisco bay area. Danny’s background is diverse — he’s run camera for call letter stations, every type of sporting event imaginable and corporate gigs with Silicon Valley high-tech companies. His pathway represents one of many formulas that make sense for getting a start. It may not be the one that works for you, but the messages are noteworthy.
“Years ago, I went to work for Versatile Video, a Bay Area video production company, just to be around the television industry in any way possible,” explained Zemanek. “I knew that I wanted to be a cameraman, from early on. Not a director, not a producer, but a cameraman. At Versatile, I worked as a utility guy in their remote truck division, and that put me around the gear. Our utility crew would set up the cameras, test them, load them in the truck and set them up at the event.”
“That’s how I started. I learned everything I could, I put myself around the equipment, and I practiced with the gear to hone my skills,” continued Zemanek. “On occasion, a customer would call, saying they needed a TV truck and a couple of camera guys, and we got our first opportunities to shoot a few simple shows. That led to more complex shows, and I gradually became a known quantity with the company and their clients.”
A Start-up Formula
A viable start-up formula for the camera position can be summarized in this way: set a goal, and immerse yourself in it — in any way possible. Acquire skill, and most certainly, stay the course towards the goal. Add to the mix a healthy dose of work ethics and a keen ability to network through social media. I can speak personally to the “perseverance” aspect, as it is often highly discouraging when trying to get that foot in the door. I did not give up when the mailbox filled with “thanks, but no thanks” letters. Perseverance was the ticket.
The “immersion” aspect is also challenging, but there are hundreds of companies involved in video, and they very often welcomed volunteers, interns, and entry level positions. These companies aren’t just the high-visibility ones, such as the concert touring companies, the call-letter stations and the NFL television crews. In fact, almost all corporations and government agencies have their own video departments, or they rely on independent production companies to shoot their videos. In every instance, the common thread is the requirement for skilled personnel, including the cameraman.
The Cameraman’s Skill Set
“The thing about running camera is that you can’t do it until you learn it, and you can’t learn it until you do it,” said Zemanek.
To that end, I would add the following key recommendations for the cameraman’s toolbox. You need excellent hand-eye coordination. From the technical standpoint, you need to know the camera’s capabilities — every button, every knob and every control. You not only need to know how to make a pan/tilt combo move, but a really smooth one at that. I’d also recommend a comprehensive grasp of basic photographic principles, such as F-stops, shutter speeds, exposure and camera gain.
Finally, you can have the best video chops imaginable and know all the moves, but if you can’t compose a good video frame, your success as a cameraman will be in question. You need a good understanding of aesthetics and composition — including framing, vectors and headroom. A good rule of thumb is to constantly ask yourself, “Am I comfortable looking at this picture? Is there anything I can do to make it better?” If it’s not right, you need to adjust immediately for balance and visual comfort.
Along these lines, I will give a very strong recommendation for Dr. Herb Zettl’s Television Production Handbook. Yes, it’s an expensive publication, but his chapters on aesthetics are remarkable and well thought out. I took a class from Dr. Zettl way back when, and these principles still hold true.
The Cameraman’s Life
So, you want to be a cameraman? Be sure you truly enjoy sports, concerts, studio work or documentary work before you go down that path. Know beforehand that on a crew of 10 to 30 people, you’re going to set things up, go to production meetings, stand around for hours, shoot the actual event — and then pack it up and go home. If you’re into running hand-held camera on the sidelines at sporting events, prepare yourself to be beaned by a wide receiver from time to time.
“Know the goal, and decide what you really want to be,” emphasized Zemanek. “Develop and practice the skills. Do anything you can to gain a job around the goal, and expand your network. Ultimately, it is people who hire people, and building those relationships is what gets you in.”
At the end of the day, given the challenge, skill development and perseverance, it’s a great path. The rewards are also far greater than getting your name in the credits — because you’re an integral part of the show, and they’ll ask you back to run camera for the next one.
