How do you get a job like this?

EDV

EDV

Well-known member
I see these at all the major events, sports, concerts, major shows, etc. Most of the time, it's the TV networks that
get to cover these. Not surprising if they can run multi-cam coverage with 4 or 5 of these babies:

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How do you get a gig like this? Education? Special training? Luck?
 
For those of us with enough experience, this is just another camera setup. Not even as hard as setting up a 16mm camera.
So how do the TV Networks choose their people? Who qualifies?
 
These freelancers ( if that's what they are ) get paid good money, at least here in Australia. Dream job if you ask me, you don't have to buy the gear, rent it, or worry about upgrading anything. 4 to 5 hours a week, and earn what other people earn working 40 hours. On top of that, everyone gets to see your work on TV and sometimes live!
 
EDV said:
These freelancers ( if that's what they are ) get paid good money, at least here in Australia. Dream job if you ask me, you don't have to buy the gear, rent it, or worry about upgrading anything. 4 to 5 hours a week, and earn what other people earn working 40 hours. On top of that, everyone gets to see your work on TV and sometimes live!
Click to expand...

Your math is way off.
 
$1000 per 5 hour event ( almost the same as a steadicam operator )
average wage: $1000 for a full 40 hour week.
... feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken
 
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Same in the UK. A small tight knit cadre of people who have the right skills, and for most jobs using that kind of equipment, you'll find broadcasters lists have the right names on it. I am on one list, and get called when about three people in a chain can't do it. Frankly, I'm nowhere near good enough for some of the stuff. The guys who follow the balls in cricket and golf make it look easy. It isn't. Nobody gets in without contacts who can recommend you, and even then, if the booker sees other names they recognise in the list, you won;t get the call. The money can be quite good, but you are self-employed and therefore impossible to balance against a full time employee in pay per hour. You will get a daily rate, plus expenses that sometimes cover all sorts but sometimes very little. One job I do for example, doesn't pay for a hotel, but it's too far to drive and not sleep = so that makes a nice fee less attractive. On most, you just run the camera, you don't do anything else like rigging. That is somebody else role. It can also be extremely boring and dull.
 
That's a good overview by Paul. I would modify Paul's last statement as - "It can also be extremely boring and dull" to some people. But others, find it rewarding and just the ticket (not me).

If you want to know more first-hand, go to a televised event early, say one hour before the show. Go up the the truck or trucks. Be very nice and tell them your interest. Do not go to a truck during a show. They are too busy and will tell you to get lost. But if you do it before hand, more than likely, they will let you into the truck and show you around and let you come back during the show. The camera people are hit and miss. They tend to be tight lipped group, but you might get some of them to talk to you. Talk to the producer, director, AD. Some will talk, some won't.

Don't be a nuisance; be respectful, and you'd be surprised how willing they will be.
 
You are sadly mistaken on the hours. Those guys(and gals) running the truck cameras do not just show up and shoot. For the most part they are also setting and striking and not just the camera they are running. I've been doing this approaching 20 years and I'm friends with a lot of "live guys" and work side by side with a lot of them and let's just say I'll stay in the ENG world.

And it's who you know more than what you know. The guys at the upper levels ARE good and in-demand and once you get into those certain circles, the work never stops. I know some live guys that have more hours in the air than the pilots flying the planes.
 
So there's a dozen or so guys in town that get all these jobs . Seems about as fair as the Hollywood A list. I should have become an actor...
 
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From what I have gathered in Texas, the average pay is $350-$450 a day and that day can be up to 12 hours which includes setting up tour camera and running cables for some jobs. I have an interest but the more I talked to guys and researched it was a lot of work and time. This was for middle-end stuff, not Monday Night Football... but still broadcast. I have kind of stalled in my pursuit of this world. Talking to a FOX cameraman at Cowboys stadium I was told it is all luck to get in the circle. So who knows...
 
EDV I would reach out locally here in Aus and find people that do it if you're interested. I know a number of people that do this work on and off and some that do it regularly. I know a young guy who works the spider cam at the cricket events right now and he hasn't been in it all that long so its out there.

If you like, add me on facebook at following link and I'll chat to you there as I can at least get you talking to some of these guys about where the works at and how to get on board. https://www.facebook.com/noel.evans.58
 
One way in is start talking to the OB companies , not the networks ......know a lot of guys doing OB work and in Oz it's all about connections.

BtW these are never 5hr gigs , long days but can be fun. IMO couldn't imagine anything worse then working OB. But lots of people luv it.
 
EDV said:
So there's a dozen or so guys in town that get all these jobs . Seems about as fair as the Hollywood A list. I should have become an actor...
Click to expand...

"Fair"

So having skills and being at the top of your game is all about "fairness" now?

That's pathetic.

If you want this job, spend every waking moment honing your skills, network like a sonofabitch, and WORK at it.
 
The guy from the photo covered one fixed angle the whole length of the event, which was about 6 hours. The stage was fantastically lit, and he was standing on an elevated platform right in front of the stage ( at a considerable distance ). Ideal conditions if you ask any cameraman covering smaller events. I know some of these guys are very skilled, but you've got to admit there's an element of luck involved here. Networking? Hhmm.. sure. But I've never seen a female do this... and networking is second nature to them.
 
Id be interested in some of this work! also does anyone know how they hold focus on a headshot of a player in the middle of a pitch (or a flying golf ball!)

I think it is extremely skilled.. basically being very calm and cool and on top of the tech while also working to in ear direction and producing something that will 'cut'.. all with a few million people watching... live.

Even the OP photo we can see a very gentle touch on the rig. That cool hand thing that looks casual but is years of being at one with the cam!

S
 
The lens in the photo is a 55x zoom. They weigh in the range of about 40lbs. The tripod head alone is 10 lbs. Then add the camera. So this guy is framing on a golf ball flying through the air or a NASCAR, or he is doing an iso shot on a wide receiver with a perhaps 55lb rig that is zoomed in at 55x. The new lenses go to 100x+. Now these lenses do have auto focus, but that costs a full stop to engage it. While following a golf ball flying through the air 250 yards, these guys can zoom, focus and frame a 55lbs rig. Yes, they can adjust focus on the fly and follow a subject with that narrow depth of focus when zoomed in.

I have one of these lenses and the head. They are a bugger to operate. All that mass and zoomed in at over 50x requires a superior touch and no coffee.
 
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