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The differences between light technicians and video production specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a light technician and a video production specialist. Additionally, a light technician has an average salary of $40,111, which is higher than the $36,176 average annual salary of a video production specialist.
The top three skills for a light technician include ladders, hand tools and light fixtures. The most important skills for a video production specialist are video content, adobe photoshop, and motion graphics.
| Light Technician | Video Production Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $40,111 | $36,176 |
| Hourly rate | $19.28 | $17.39 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 31,530 | 54,019 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A light technician is responsible for controlling and setting up all the needed lighting production equipment used in a show or concert. This person acts as an assistant to the lighting engineer or designer who controls and determines what needs to be developed and enhanced. They are the technicians who operate the visual effects, color lights, control switch, reflectors, and dim lights in a live or recorded show. A light technician always keeps the lighting equipment in good shape and condition.
A video production specialist is in charge of recording videos and editing them into high-quality visual material in adherence to the project or clients' needs. A video production specialist may work at broadcasting companies, entertainment agencies, private institutions, and even businesses. They typically meet with clients before filming to identify their needs and preferences, travel to different locations, set-up equipment and arrange sets, and provide directions to clients or actors. Moreover, a video production specialist must build positive relationships with clients to strengthen their client base.
Light technicians and video production specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Light Technician | Video Production Specialist | |
| Average salary | $40,111 | $36,176 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $56,000 | Between $23,000 And $56,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | BlackRock | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Education |
There are a few differences between a light technician and a video production specialist in terms of educational background:
| Light Technician | Video Production Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Photography | Photography |
| Most common college | New Mexico State University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between light technicians' and video production specialists' demographics:
| Light Technician | Video Production Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |