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(312) 884-8000Is Broadcast Media Career Training Right for You?
Take The Free Quiz!If you’re someone that has a passion for telling a story through the lens of a video camera, and you are hoping to find a career that takes you outside of the typical corporate office environment, then becoming a videographer might be the right path for you. As a videographer, there are many niches where you may choose to focus your work, from weddings and special events to professional trainings and documentaries. No matter what field you choose, you will enjoy being able to be creatively challenged on a day to day basis, as well as the freedom to utilize your talents and skills to professionally succeed doing what you love in the film and video production industry.
The title of videographer can actually include a large variety of specific roles, varying largely based on the field you choose to work in. On a foundational level, a basic videographer job description involves being the person who is responsible for recording many different types of events and small-scale productions. This can include documentaries, commercials, weddings, sports and other live events, legal depositions, training videos, and even short films. Depending on the size of the production, you may work alone or with a very small crew. Additionally, your responsibilities may include video editing, as well as the maintenance of your video equipment.
The day-to-day life of a videographer depends upon what specific type of videographer they choose to be. For example, wedding videographers might spend a morning meeting with a client to discuss what they are looking for in their wedding video; their afternoon might involve editing a recently shot wedding, and they might transition to shooting a new wedding later that evening.
A freelance videographer has the most freedom over what their job looks like, as they can choose a variety of different jobs to take on. If you choose to work freelance, you might decide to tackle a mix of events, such as weddings, local community events, or sports.
The average salary of a videographer depends on a number of different factors, and the range can vary greatly. Freelance videographers are paid on a job-to-job basis, while a corporate videographer might receive a more traditional annual salary. In addition, your location, experience, and production budget can also be important factors at play. With that said, the current average videographer salary is just over $51,000 per year. As with many professional positions, the potential for income growth increases as you build experience and demonstrate your excellent performance.
Again, this will mostly depend on the field you choose to work in as a videographer. If you decide to work in journalism, you will most likely be traveling to a variety of locations where the latest breaking news is happening. Sports videographers will obviously be attending major sporting events to do their job, wedding videographers meet with clients during the work day or evening weddings, and legal videographers will most likely find themselves in a courtroom fairly often. Editing work can be completed at your home computer if you are a freelance videographer, or in an office if you work for a larger company full-time.
Choosing to embark on a career as a videographer means you will be entering a competitive industry. It is incredibly important that you complete a high-quality educational program focused on video production in order to give yourself the skills and knowledge you need to rise to the top, especially if you are planning to work freelance.
Creativity, flexibility, and a willingness to listen to client needs are important to be a good videographer. Being easy to work with will help clients feel comfortable with you, and can make it a more positive experience for everyone. Also, a good videographer is prepared to work hard to stand out in the field that they love.
The outlook is positive for those interested in becoming a videographer, with consistent growth projected in coming years. You will have an especially bright future if you prepare yourself with an excellent education and focus on staying on top of the latest video technology and trends.
To become a videographer, you should begin by enrolling in a high-quality, hands-on film and video production program like the one offered at M&S Media School. Here, our experienced faculty can help you build the skills and knowledge to compete in the competitive, exciting field of videography. Contact M&S Media School today to learn more, and take the first step towards your exciting professional future.
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