1. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
A camera operator must operate and handle motion picture cameras to film scenes connected to TV transmission, promotions, and motion movies. Also, you are to decide on camera positions, create good shots, and give suggestions. You have to regularly carry out tests and ensure the tools are clean, to create an appropriate working setting. As a camera operator, you have to cooperate with electricians, directors, and sound and lighting technicians. This is to improve the operations and decide filming arrangements. Additionally, you must execute all quality checks associated with the efficacious sustenance of the camera as well as keep all sectors connected to the studio and costume room. Occasionally, you would have to go to several locations for shots or film scenes and also prepare and organize equipment for the operation. Your job requires you to gather and edit unrefined film on the location to transfer it to television associates for broadcast.
The educational requirement is GED or a high school degree as this job does not necessarily require a university education. Also, you must demonstrate outstanding creativity, multi-tasking, and organizational skill. Furthermore, you must be able to operate calmly under pressure and for a long period. As a camera operator, you will earn an annual average salary of $45,595 or $21.92 per hour.
There are certain skills that many camera operators have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed creativity, detail oriented and hand-eye coordination.
If you're interested in becoming a camera operator, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 67.8% of camera operators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 3.0% of camera operators have master's degrees. Even though most camera operators have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a camera operator can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as editor, progress to a title such as consultant and then eventually end up with the title production director.
What Am I Worth?
The role of a camera operator includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general camera operator responsibilities:
There are several types of camera operator, including:
As an operator, it's your job to know how specific equipment or machines work. You should know how to install and repair certain machinery as well as knowing how to use tools to help with the manufacturing process.
Operators often spend their time checking in on equipment and making sure it's properly working. Every problem that is detected, you'll often call upon an operators to come and save the day. They're essentially the superhero in an office setting.
In most cases, operators work full-time, normal hours. But when a client needs help, you'll need to be available. which means that sometimes duty calls at night or on the weekends.
The Rule of Thirds. Exposure. White Balance. What do these have in common? They're used widely by photographers who are just trying to get the most creative and best angle to perserve a specific image.
Photographers work in a variety of spaces. Sometimes they travel. Some work in studios. Others work in laboratories. While it's not necessary for photographers to have a postsecondary education, many take classes so they understand the art of photography.
Producers work for the entertainment industry. They secure resources and coordinate logistical arrangements for the making of a film, television show, or theatre performance. They make sure production expenses do not go over the budget, that deliverables are ready on time, and the finished products meet the expectations of investors.
They are responsible for hiring staff, coordinating creative work, preparing and presenting funding applications, monitoring and approving post-production work, and performing managerial tasks such as scheduling, planning work phases, and taking care of the marketing of the completed product.
If you want to be a producer, you should start with a college education in film or theatre or cultural management. It is not obligatory, though. Being a producer is all about finding creative ways to get something done, and there is never one path that always works. Many actors, writers, or other creative people who are now producers just started working on their own personal projects and discovered the know-how along the way.
Mouse over a state to see the number of active camera operator jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where camera operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Massachusetts | 1,158 | $43,518 |
2 | Maryland | 915 | $47,968 |
3 | New Jersey | 824 | $46,699 |
4 | California | 596 | $60,272 |
5 | New York | 374 | $63,438 |
6 | Texas | 271 | $53,963 |
7 | Florida | 221 | $39,724 |
8 | Rhode Island | 146 | $36,467 |
9 | Georgia | 136 | $33,031 |
10 | Virginia | 134 | $40,555 |
11 | Pennsylvania | 130 | $42,188 |
12 | Illinois | 121 | $40,775 |
13 | Ohio | 113 | $42,552 |
14 | Alaska | 105 | $48,773 |
15 | North Carolina | 102 | $37,199 |
16 | Michigan | 100 | $51,571 |
17 | Hawaii | 93 | $46,264 |
18 | Colorado | 85 | $41,197 |
19 | Washington | 79 | $44,049 |
20 | Tennessee | 77 | $33,289 |
21 | Arizona | 67 | $42,407 |
22 | Wisconsin | 64 | $36,205 |
23 | Missouri | 63 | $40,704 |
24 | Connecticut | 55 | $46,008 |
25 | Alabama | 55 | $36,675 |
26 | Minnesota | 55 | $35,641 |
27 | Utah | 53 | $44,830 |
28 | South Carolina | 51 | $40,393 |
29 | Oregon | 48 | $46,037 |
30 | Louisiana | 40 | $43,175 |
31 | Iowa | 39 | $40,265 |
32 | Indiana | 38 | $37,136 |
33 | Oklahoma | 35 | $33,779 |
34 | Arkansas | 33 | $50,735 |
35 | Nebraska | 25 | $40,818 |
36 | Mississippi | 23 | $41,236 |
37 | Kentucky | 23 | $40,997 |
38 | Kansas | 22 | $40,498 |
39 | Nevada | 19 | $52,729 |
40 | West Virginia | 19 | $42,977 |
41 | Idaho | 13 | $41,738 |
42 | New Mexico | 12 | $54,709 |
43 | Maine | 10 | $32,005 |
44 | Vermont | 9 | $37,296 |
45 | North Dakota | 8 | $39,389 |
46 | New Hampshire | 8 | $41,267 |
47 | South Dakota | 7 | $41,481 |
48 | Montana | 7 | $42,722 |
49 | Delaware | 7 | $39,693 |
50 | Wyoming | 5 | $37,224 |
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
Stanford, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
San Marcos, TX • Private
In-State Tuition
$10,280
Enrollment
34,187
Mankato, MN • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,184
Enrollment
11,675
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
Washington, DC • Private
In-State Tuition
$48,459
Enrollment
7,485
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$48,522
Enrollment
6,557
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Enrollment
31,441
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 23.7% of camera operators listed video production on their resume, but soft skills such as creativity and detail oriented are important as well.
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Camera Operator templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Camera Operator resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
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Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a camera operator. The best states for people in this position are New York, California, New Mexico, and Texas. Camera operators make the most in New York with an average salary of $63,438. Whereas in California and New Mexico, they would average $60,272 and $54,709, respectively. While camera operators would only make an average of $53,963 in Texas, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. New York
$63,438
Avg. Salary
2. California
$60,272
Avg. Salary
3. Texas
$53,963
Avg. Salary
Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ESPN | $66,114 | $31.79 | 64 |
2 | Kean University | $61,267 | $29.46 | 7 |
3 | National Football League | $59,336 | $28.53 | 8 |
4 | ViacomCBS | $57,956 | $27.86 | 13 |
5 | NBCUniversal | $53,644 | $25.79 | 9 |
6 | Fox News | $51,408 | $24.72 | 14 |
7 | TCT Network | $43,603 | $20.96 | 7 |
8 | NBC Holdings | $40,645 | $19.54 | 9 |
9 | Synergy Sports Technology | $40,174 | $19.31 | 8 |
10 | Rush Media Company LLC | $40,132 | $19.29 | 9 |