Position Overview
Camera operators are employed by many print and film companies to handle the varying filming and photographing projects that they have. They use film equipment to shoot in studios or at outdoor locations depending on what their assignment is.
Camera operators usually take direction from a director who provides them with information on his or her view of what needs to be projected.
Contrary to popular belief, camera operators do not only operate the camera to handle photography or filming projects.
They assemble camera equipment by processing appendages such as tripods and monitors and also lay cables and set up lighting gear.
Most directors will ask camera operators to provide insight and advice on a particular filming or photography project because technically, camera operators are very experienced people and can give a great idea to make a project successful.
As part of their work, a camera operator confers with other team members of a project such as choreographers and producers to understand how to handle the filming or photographing of a particular project.
Once they have done this, they may be expected to rehearse scenes or shots before the actual filming or shooting begins.
In order to write a resume for the camera operator position, you will need to mention your achievements and job duties. The following sample phrases will help you in this regard.
Camera Operator Achievements for Resume
- Enhanced Team Collaboration: Spearheaded a workflow overhaul that boosted team efficiency by 30%, streamlining communication between directors, choreographers, and crew members during complex shoots.
- Innovative Shooting Techniques: Developed and employed innovative film techniques for outdoor shoots that were subsequently adopted as standard practice within the company, significantly enhancing visual storytelling.
- Award Recognition: Recipient of the “Best Cinematography” award at the 2022 Regional Film Festival for exceptional camera work and innovation in filming.
- Technical Expertise and Adaptation: Mastered the use of advanced camera rigs and remote-controlled drones to capture dynamic and challenging shots, expanding the company’s capability in action and live event coverage.
- Peer Training Initiatives: Initiated and led a successful training program for junior camera operators that improved the overall skill level of the team and reduced the onboarding time by 40%.
- Quality Improvement: Implemented rigorous quality control checks that reduced post-production editing time and costs by 25%, ensuring that all footage met predefined quality standards.
- Problem-solving Efficiency: Successfully navigated multiple high-stress, tight-schedule projects by providing quick, creative solutions to unexpected filming challenges, which ensured project completion on time without sacrificing quality.
By highlighting these achievements, you demonstrate your competence and impact as a camera operator in various aspects of film and photography projects.
Job Description for Camera Operator Resume
• Take orders from directors and producers about sites where a particular filming or photography project needs to be managed
• Ensure that cameras and camera equipment are set to be used according to the filming site; determine if it should be set for indoors or outdoors
• Ensure that lenses and camera angles are appropriate to the scenes and the scripts
• Coordinate the efforts of the site or studio crew to ensure that sufficient lighting is available
• Work with team to ensure that light bouncers such as umbrellas and plates are set in place
• Refer to the camera script to understand job orders
• Coordinate with choreographers to determine how a film needs to be shot
• Work with directors to interpret what is expected from the filming project
• Offer advice to the director on how to best shoot a scene and any limitations that may arise during filming
• Plan shots in detail especially when filming extended scenes
• Handle photography projects by coordinating the efforts of site and studio crew, directors, and models
• Provide input into photography projects by suggesting places, models, and time slots
• Ensure that photographs are captured and framed creatively
• Provide input into post-production activities such as video and photo editing