What do they do?

Operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions.

Also known as:

Camera Operator, Camera Person, Cameraman, Master Control Operator (MCO), News Videographer, Operations Technician, Production Technician, Studio Camera Operator, Studio Technician, Television Camera Operator, Television News Photographer, Video Coordinator, Videographer

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture is projected to grow 6 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as average compared to all occupations.

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • 6.3%

    Change

    Ranks #38 in job growth rate
    30

    Job Openings

    Ranks #39 in net job growth

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (1%)
  • Master's degree  (9%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (56%)
  • Associate's degree  (8%)
  • Some college, no degree  (17%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (7%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

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People in this career often have these skills:

  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Determine technical requirements of productions or projects.
  • Operate still or video cameras or related equipment.
  • Edit audio or video recordings.
  • Coordinate activities of production personnel.
  • Set up still or video cameras or related equipment.
  • Collaborate with others to determine technical details of productions.
  • Inspect sets or exhibits.
  • Select materials or props.
  • Review details of technical drawings or specifications.
  • Operate communications, transmissions, or broadcasting equipment.
  • Maintain recording or broadcasting equipment.
  • Manage content of broadcasts or presentations.
  • Direct productions or performances.
  • Write informational material.
  • Create computer-generated graphics or animation.
  • Label production materials.
  • Research new technologies.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

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