Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Directors and other crew members settle the shooting order, camera moves, and lighting needs with the operator before cameras roll. Each shot is framed using lenses, filters, and settings for light and exposure, and zoom or focus changes follow the plan and any rehearsal notes. Cameras may stay stationary, run on tracks, or mount on a crane; live broadcast shots are set up and operated in real time. Sets and locations are checked for problems that would block a take or spoil the light. Suits people who like crew-based work, composing images to a director's brief, and making technical adjustments while a scene is being recorded.
Typical education: Associate’s Degree (2-year)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$74'990
Median Wage Market Position
$74'990
What you might do
- Operate cameras to record scenes for productions
- Frame each shot to match the director's look
- Adjust focus, exposure, and camera position
- Discuss shots and lighting with the crew
- Zoom and reframe during rehearsed takes
- Set up live shots for television broadcast
Skills that matter
- Framing shots with light and lenses
- Listening to directors and crew
- Adjusting focus, exposure, and lighting
- Coordinating camera moves with the crew
- Watching sets for filming problems
- Operating zoom, track, and crane mounts
AI & the future of this role
Much of the craft still depends on framing choices and coordination on live sets, though automated tracking and assisted capture could take over more routine shoots. Creative judgment and on-set collaboration tend to matter more than pure button-pushing.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details