TV Camerman

Mitchell · Posted: Sep 12, 2005 1:22 pm Post subject: TV Camerman

Does anyone know how much they make and what kind of school u need to go to, I want to do something in film after high school and this one sounded good if the money was good enough

89comp · Posted: Sep 12, 2005 1:26 pm Post subject:

My friend who worked at the news station in Denver for several said they don't make that much - topping out in the low 40s once you have been there forever. Plus the hours aren't the best.

Go to your local station, tell them you are in high school and ask to follow them around for a day. Its free training and a good way to see if you like the biz.

8824 · Posted: Sep 12, 2005 1:29 pm Post subject:

Some guys make some tall coin. A friend of a friend tapes stuff for MTV and sells them the video. He is making bank. He goes to the VMA's every year and does interviews with people and then MTV buys his footage. I guess a contract camerman for them would be closer to his real title.

He really enjoys it.

Can't help on the school though. If you want I can find a few names for you if you would like.

89comp · Posted: Sep 12, 2005 1:34 pm Post subject:

muck-
working for one's self is a better route than the TV station gig.
Got any connections in TX?

8824 · Posted: Sep 12, 2005 1:37 pm Post subject:

89comp,

NA, my one guy is in CA and another guy is also in CA up in the Bay area. the guy contracting for MTV is banking hard.

Your in film?

89comp · Posted: Sep 12, 2005 1:41 pm Post subject:

muck-
CA is a great place to be for film/video. I'd move there, but don't have the $$ to get started on my own yet.
I do video production for a large state university as well as help on local film production sets.

Bambamski · Posted: Sep 12, 2005 1:44 pm Post subject:

Mitchell

My next door neighbor is a camera man. The amount of cash you make depends on who you work for and what kind of equimpment you have. If you work for a local new station the money isn't that great but you don't have to travel and you don't have to buy your own equipment.

My buddy (Scotty) runs his own company (Saturn Productions) and contracts himself out. The plus is, he's making pretty good money (around 500 bucks per day I think) but he has to buy and maintain all of his own equimpent. I think he said his camera was about 80 grand. You would make more if your camera can broadcast in HD, my buddies can't. I guess depending on where you live you may have to travel. It seems like Scotty is always gone, and it seems like he works every weekend filming sporting events ect.

As for school I believe Scotty did a two year technical course at one of the tech colleges in town. Like any career it has it's good and bad points for sure. I know he has to work his ass off when he's on the job which most days starts at 4:00 am. I think I'm going to stick to my current job where I can waste my day on Wakeboarder.com Wink

8824 · Posted: Sep 12, 2005 4:33 pm Post subject:

Neognosis · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 17617 City: Webster

I used to be a "tv cameraman."

First off, it depends on what kind of camerawork you want to do, and which market you can get in to. If you want to be a studio guy who stands behind a huge mounted camera in the studio, unless you are a top 5 market, you will also be working as an editor, audio board opp, tape opp, etc.

If you want to be an news field camera guy, you only want to work at a station where they call you a "photojournalist." This means that you'll be pitching stories, shooting them, editing them, and even writing them, like I did. You make dirt at a small market, where you'll have to start out, but if you make it to a larger market, you can make enough to get by and live middle class, but you won't get rich.

Once you have photojournalism experience, and get a reputation for being a good and fast shooter and editor under pressure, you can start sending tapes around to production houses looking for freelance work. this is how the history channel, discovery, etc. get their crews. They contract out, for the most part, to production houses who use freelancers. I did this a few times, and depending on the client, it can be great or a horrible experience. But this is where the money is.

Bottom line, it's a very, very fun job, but the hours are off the wall crazy, and you often times have to work for and with a bunch of ego-maniacs.

I left the business after 5 years. I can tell you a lot, how to break in, what to put on a tape, etc. Let me know if you want to know more.

Broccoli B · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 5:27 am Post subject:

i have 2 camera man friends, one is like what cameraboy, said, works at a small news station does camera work and edits. Doesn't make a ton of loot (like $40k a year, but loves his job)

Other friend is a camera man for FOX and does reality TV, He gets paid well, did a reality show in europe and they put him up for the whole time in a shitty hotel with all the other crew members, said it sucked hard, but the money was good. Word is that the MTV's Real World pays the best, you can work one 3 months season and take the rest of the year off.

Mitchell · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 4:21 pm Post subject:

thanks for all the help, im just lookin for options like i said, do any of you guys know what would be the best thing to do with film and media and make a middle class living? I just like doing everything, making videos editing acting, I like to do it all.

89comp · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 7:34 pm Post subject:

I was always advised to go the TV route. Indepedent films are riddled with people wanting something for nothing.