What do u have to do to become a cameraman?

How to become a Cameraman?

• I am 15 and live in the U.K and really want to become a cameraman on a set preferably for something like the BBC. I know it's a big ambition but I really want to try for it. I ...show more

• Answer:

  Hey there! Good questions. First of all, you should think about getting your exams over and done with. Better passes mean a much greater chance of getting to your preferred colleges or universities. There are many, many different places to consider for further education. A lot of the time, people working in broadcasting may not necessarily have a degree in journalism or film and television etc. They might have a degree in history or art, for example. Of course, although companies would like you to have a bit of experience in what they do, what they really want to see is that you work well with other people and deliver high quality work before the deadlines. Applying for the BBC for work experience is a great idea that I would really recommend. It's a great time to get some names down on your personal statement. The BBC's name is recognised all over the world and it shows you a lot about what goes on behind the scenes at the company. They can offer you placements from as little as a few days to a few weeks. 5 days would probably be ideal at this stage. It'll show you enough to be aware of how broadcasting works and if you ever wanted to go for longer, there's nothing stopping you from reapplying later on. Of course, there are many more choices than just the BBC. Have a look at any smaller companies who might be in your area. They may also be happy to take you on for work experience. A lot of the time, it's these companies who actually make the programmes you watch every day, and the larger companies commission them. As for becoming a freelancer, as others may have said to you, don't do it until you are sure that you have established yourself properly. Once you become one, that's you. It's a really difficult way to work, because you must be sure that you have enough contacts to find your work. As well as this, it is almost essential for you to own your own equipment. A camera suitable for the job may set you back more than £30,000, plus a lens or two, tripod, monitors, even editing equipment. You're probably looking at a good £50,000-£60,000. NICE! You may want to become a freelancer in 10 or 15 years, but at the moment, it's probably not even worth thinking about. As you become close to the end of your time in university or college, you should send out your CV to the companies you are interested in working for. Keep looking for jobs, even at the moment, for perhaps being a runner for a programme a small, or even large company may be doing. For the moment, if you have a camera, you should try to do small projects in your free time to build up your portfolio for further education, if you are really interested in doing a film/photography course. For your last question, well, it's a very difficult one to answer. It would normally depend on who you work for, what their budgets are and how much work you do. Later on, if you do freelance work, your salary might not be too bad. If you make yourself a good name and reputation, you could be getting in a good several hundred pounds a day. It's a job which requires a huge amount of stamina and consistency in the material you produce, but if you can do that, you're laughing. :)