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If you’re like most people and fascinated by the film
and television industries, all you need is the right training
to launch a new career. While careers in film, television,
and radio are highly competitive, a career school training
in the latest digital technology combined with hands-on training
will give you the skills you need to get your foot in the
door.
Most people tend to focus on the talent in front of the camera,
but most jobs in video and film production are behind the
scenes. Here are some of the career possibilities for people
interested in film and video production, as well as some jobs
you probably didn’t know were out there.
Directors
Many people who desire careers in film and video production
want to become directors. Besides interpreting scripts and
deciding how scenes will be shot by the camera operators,
directors are responsible for all of the creative decisions
involved in making a film or show. Directors make aesthetic
decisions about what costumes will look like, hold auditions
and hire actors, and decide where footage will be shot.
Assistant Directors
Most directors start their careers as assistant directors.
Assistant directors work under the supervision of the director
and help oversee cast and crew. Assistant directors are often
responsible for giving cues to actors and technicians. Often,
they will help set a “stage” by giving directions
to lighting engineers and camera operators.
Producers
A producer handles all the business aspects of a production.
They are responsible for getting the money to make a film
or television show through funding. They budget the production
by deciding on the total cost and size of the endeavor, and
they make contracts with personnel (including the director).
Producers who work in broadcasting also decide what will be
aired on television and radio. Think of a producer as a behind-the-scenes
boss who runs the show from start to finish.
Directors, assistant directors, and producers should all
see average job growth through 2016. In the film industry,
most of these jobs are concentrated in New York and Los Angeles.
However, directing and producing jobs are available everywhere
for shooting local television shows like news broadcasts.
If you have an interest in a specific aspect of film and
video production, Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa
Barbara, California, offers several different bachelors degrees
in film. You can choose to major in commercial film, feature
film, visual effects, or animation.
Camera Operators and Editors
Camera operators and editors film and put together everything
from television shows and movies to documentaries and corporate
training sessions. They can work for television networks to
film newscasts and studio shows, work in advertising to film
commercials, or work as event videographers at weddings and
bar mitzvahs. To have camera and editing skills means that
you could virtually be employed in any aspect of film or video
production.
With new digital technology, many camera operators are also
editors in the sense that they can edit on location (or at
home, for freelance event videographers). Most camera operators
and editors are employed by local television stations, cable
networks, and production companies.
Most camera operators and editors begin their careers in
smaller markets to gain experience. They will often work as
production assistants first before graduating to equipment
operators. Employment in this field of film and video production
is expected to be average through 2016.
Courses in camera operation and editing deal with different
kinds of equipment used in film and video production, as well
as processes and techniques used to make films and programs
visually appealing.
Brown College near Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, offers
an Associate Degree in Television Production. The program
culminates with either an internship or a practicum project,
so you’ll have valuable experience to put on your resume
before you even finished school.
Careers in Broadcasting
Broadcasting is an interesting career in the film and video
production industry in that it combines creativity, technical
savvy, and business sense. Broadcasting refers to the act
of transmitting a signal from a radio or television station
to individual listeners or viewers at home. News, talk shows,
music, movies, commercials, and everything else you see or
hear on television or radio is broadcast. People who work
in broadcasting do everything from creating programs and acquiring
rights to show programming to selling commercial advertising.
This is an exciting time to consider a career in broadcasting.
As television converts from analog to digital, recent computer
training can give you a leg up on the competition. These jobs
are available all over the country, but because of recent
industry consolidation, job growth will be slower than average
over the next decade or so.
To get the training and experience you need to break into
broadcasting, Hesser College has four locations in New Hampshire
and believes in hands-on, skill-based learning. They offer
an Associate Degree in Radio and Video Production and Broadcasting.
It’s a mouthful, but you’ll learn all aspects
of broadcasting to make you a versatile job candidate in the
field.
Sound Engineers and Technicians
Sound engineers and technicians should be in demand through
2016, with a faster than average growth rate in the field.
While a sound engineer doesn’t have to be involved in
film and video production, it’s a viable career option
for someone with interest in film and video. Thirty percent
of sound engineers work in broadcasting, while seventeen percent
work in the film, video, and recording industries.
Sound engineers and technicians set up and monitor sound
and recording equipment at concerts, events, live shows, movie
and television sets, and in recording studios. Today’s
sound engineers must also be skilled at computer networking
and have familiarity with industry software.
If you’re looking for an online program in film and
video production or a school close to home, check out the
search feature at the JustColleges career schools channel.
You can search by location or program for a career school
that meets your needs.
View
a complete list of Film, Audio, Video Production Schools
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