Video production
There are many jobs in the video production agency field. There are many roles that contribute to the craft and success of making a film. Without a lighting technician, there would be no light, without a sound operator there would be no sound, without a script writer there would be no dialogue of sense of direction for the crew.
Here are a list of jobs within the video production agency that you could get into:
- Production assistant – a production assistant generally works in most aspects of video production. Their job can vary from invoicing clients to helping out on set. Duties include but is not limited to:
-Attending production meetings
-Creating and overseeing log posts
-Managing accounts and sending invoices
-Working closely with the company director
- Grip – a grip is responsible for building the equipment on set. This includes camera and lighting rigs. This is a hands on job and requires someone with good stamina who can move heavy equipment around the set. Duties include but is not limited to:
-Changing the set
-Changing all rigs including camera and lighting
-Repair all rigging equipment
-Testing the safety of the rigs
-Reporting to the key grip
- Boom operator – a boom operator is responsible for making sure that all audio is picked up. Other duties include making changes to the equipment, tackling any preambles that arise and working closely with the sound mixer.
- Camera operator – a camera operator is one of the most important jobs in video production. Without them, there would be no visual content to feast your eyes on. For this job, it’s essential to have knowledge about camera setup and how to assemble the camera and its equipment. You are essentially the directors second pair of eyes. Here are some tips to help you in this career path:
- Aquire camera skills – learning everything you need to know about cameras is a good place to start. This includes different lenses, camera shooting modes and camera functions. Another benefit would be to do some analysis when watching films. This is useful because you can use this as a guide for your own camera shots.
- Create a portfolio – once you get into your stride, you can create a portfolio or demo reel and showcase your skills for jobs. Don’t be uncertain of unpaid work because this can build up your confidence with the camera and give you experience working on a set.
- Be an assistant – what better way to hone your skills and learn new ones. This could be a great opportunity for you to experience the job. Once your foot is in the door, there could be a potential opportunity for you to move up and develop your career.
Duties include but are not limited to:
-Assembling and setting up camera equipment
-Studying the script for shooting
-Operating camera equipment
-Planing shots
-Working with closely with the crew
-Communicate creative ideas with director
- Cinematographer – a cinematographer is responsible for everything visual. As a cinematographer, you help decide what the look of the film will be throughout. This job is very important because the way the film looks supports the narrative and sets the overall mood. Duties include but is not limited to:
-Setting up the camera for shots
-Responsible for lighting every scene
-Attends rehearsals with the crew
-Introducing new and exciting ideas to the director
-Responsible for the style of the film
- Lighting technician – a lighting technician is responsible for setting the scene several different ways. Lighting is important because it encourages the audience to respond by creating atmosphere. Duties include but is not limited to:
-setting up equipment
-carrying out tests on equipment
-changing lighting to accommodate shots
-operate equipment
-pre-rig lighting, ensuring all cables and wires are safely concealed
-load automated colour change systems
-check the focusing of lighting at rehearsals
Tips to make you stand out
For a job such as: videography, there are certain skills that employers may look for. Look out for questions that are in bold as these are very important. These questions may be about your experience with cameras, different equipment and so on. You don’t need to own an expensive camera, your knowledge and experience using them is what they want to know.
Make your CV stand out
Most CVs are created in Microsoft word and are just paragraphs or bullet pointed text. It is a great idea to be creative with your CV. Include:
- Eyecatching heading
- Photograph of yourself
- Links to your professional social media
- Links to videos you’ve worked on
- Bullet points on places you’ve worked
Get to the point
Talk about your experience and projects you’ve worked on. Most of the time employers in video production agency aren’t interested in what school you attended or if you like Shakespeare. Try and relate your experience on other projects to the job you are applying for so that it makes your CV stand out.
Request isn’t best
It’s a good idea to avoid the line “available upon request”. It’s unlikely that employers in video production agency will request your video when you could have just put a nice link to it instead. Include links and make sure they are clear to avoid this.
Create social media videos
Most businesses are on social media because of its millions of users daily. It’s a great idea to make short and sharp videos that can be posted across all major social platforms. Having a collection of social media videos will impress your potential employers because it shows that you have the skills to make different types of videos. When filming social media videos, they have to be in portrait as this is the native style of these videos.
Create a trailer for longer films
If you have just graduated from university or film school, its likely that your film is a long one or maybe not. If it is, the best way to present it to your employer would be to make a trailer. Employers in video production agency will not sit through a forty-minute film for one candidate. A trailer does three things:
- Showcases your videography skills
- Makes your employer intrigued
- Lets employers know that you have skills in editing software such as premier pro
A top tip is to create your trailer in portrait so that it can be presented on social media platforms such as instagram.
Create a short product video
This is an idea that could really get you to stand out from the crowd. Creating a short product video is a great way to show employers that you have the potential to create one for their products. Look around your room for a product. It could be a phone, laptop, cereal bar, anything! Another tip, is to look at advertisements before you get started. Look at the different cinematic shots used and think about why that shot makes that product appealing. It doesn’t have to be long, maybe fifteen seconds.
Experience isn’t essential
It is handy to have some experience with professional equipment etc however it’s not essential. People often feel that they need a high spec camera. Smart phones can shoot in very good quality nowadays so don’t be put off creating your videos. Professional cameras have a lot of weight on them which gives them a natural centre of gravity. Smartphones of course way much less however there are ways to improve the way your phone effects your videos. Attaching something heavy such as a power bar charger to your smartphone, will add weight and therefore your camera shots should be smoother in terms of movement.
Another tip is to download the free apps: Open Camera for Android and Obscura camera for Apple. These apps have easy to use camera settings which makes it easier for beginners to create their videos.
Preparing for the interview
Here are some interview tips that you can follow to be successful in your video production role.
Company – finding out facts about the company will impress your employer. Find out kind what of content the company has produced in the past and maybe write down some questions for the employer.
Employer – it’s a good idea to do some research on the employer. For example, find out about their history in the industry if you can. This will help you build a relationship and make it easier to relax in the interview.
Services – researching the services the company provides will ensure you are prepared to answer any questions the employer may ask. Basic knowledge on the company sells is key to showing you have done your research.
Consider the common questions – there will be questions that you’ve answered many times before or maybe this is the first. Questions such as: why do you want to work here? What makes you interested in this role? What are your strengths and weaknesses? How would you solve the problem? are most common. It’s a good idea to write the questions down and follow with your honest response. Going through the questions beforehand will ensure you aren’t thrown off in the interview.
Sell yourself – this is a very important one. You need to tell your employer why you should be hired out of all the other videographers, photographers etc. It’s a good idea to maybe share your experiences on set (if you’ve worked on one), what inspired you and what your end goals are in the industry.
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