Education · 1 of 5

The path

There is a ladder in this job and it is walked one rung at a time. Skipping rungs does not work.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 9 to 12

   Shoot constantly. Your phone is enough to learn framing, light and editing. Take media arts if your school has it.

2. 2

   School, or not

   0 to 4 years

   A film degree or a 2-year video production program buys you gear access, crew friends and a first reel. It is optional and many working operators skipped it.

3. 3

   Production assistant

   1 to 2 years

   Coiling cable, moving carts, being useful. This is how you get known, and how you find out whether you like sets.

4. 4

   Camera assistant

   3 to 6 years

   Second assistant camera loading and slating, then first assistant camera pulling focus. Years here are normal and this is where the craft is learned.

5. 5

   Operator

   After the assistant years

   You run the camera for the director of photography. On smaller jobs you are both at once.