How to hire camera operators, television, video, and film
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting. • Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors. • Confer with directors, sound and lighting technicians, electricians, and other crew members to discuss assignments and determine filming sequences, desired effects, camera movements, and lighting requirements. • Observe sets or locations for potential problems and to determine filming and lighting requirements. • Operate television or motion picture cameras to record scenes for television broadcasts, advertising, or motion pictures. • Operate zoom lenses, changing images according to specifications and rehearsal instructions. • Set up and perform live shots for broadcast. • Use cameras in any of several different camera mounts, such as stationary, track-mounted, or crane-mounted. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, critical thinking and monitoring skills • Working knowledge of English Language, computers and electronics, communications and media and telecommunications • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $36.05 an hour ($74,990 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for camera operators, television, video, and film
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to confer with directors, sound and lighting technicians, electricians, and other crew members to discuss assignments and determine filming sequences, desired effects, camera movements, and lighting requirements. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to observe sets or locations for potential problems and to determine filming and lighting requirements. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What camera operators, television, video, and film do
- Adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting.
- Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.
- Confer with directors, sound and lighting technicians, electricians, and other crew members to discuss assignments and determine filming sequences, desired effects, camera movements, and lighting requirements.
- Observe sets or locations for potential problems and to determine filming and lighting requirements.
- Operate television or motion picture cameras to record scenes for television broadcasts, advertising, or motion pictures.
- Operate zoom lenses, changing images according to specifications and rehearsal instructions.
- Set up and perform live shots for broadcast.
- Use cameras in any of several different camera mounts, such as stationary, track-mounted, or crane-mounted.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for camera operators, television, video, and film
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
- Job outlook: +1.3% over ten years, little or no change · about 2,500 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay camera operators, television, video, and film
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $106,900 |
| Illinois | $100,170 |
| New York | $93,410 |
| Georgia | $85,050 |
| Arizona | $68,250 |
See camera operators, television, video, and film pay in every state
Related hiring guides
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- Producers and Directors
- Avionics Technicians
- Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers
- Lighting Technicians
- Motion Picture Projectionists
- Sound Engineering Technicians
- Film and Video Editors
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.