Camera Assistants support senior members of the Camera department, and undergo an important practical apprenticeship. Camera Trainees provide general support to the department, while more senior Assistants carry out precise and complex technical tasks involving camera maintenance and operation. Most television productions are shot on various tape or digital formats, other than high budget drama productions, or commercials, which may be shot on film. Techniques are similar, and Assistants need to know how to work in all media formats.

Camera Assistants usually work on a freelance basis; work offers are unpredictable, and planning ahead can be difficult. Most bookings come via recommendations from more senior Camera Assistants, or DPs or Lighting Camera operators. Hours are long (12-14 hours a day), and the work is intensive and can be physically exhausting. Some foreign travel may be involved, involving long periods spent away from base. Established Camera Assistants can make a comfortable living, and are likely to progress to the next professional level within a few years.

What is the job?
On dramas or commercials, Camera Trainees/Runners offer general support to the Camera department, carrying out simple tasks such as collecting camera equipment from a hire company, delivering messages to the production office, etc. Second Camera Assistants have more specific and important responsibilities involving camera maintenance, and film or tape stock control. On productions shot on film, they load and unload the camera magazine (a removable section of the camera that houses each roll of film) and ensure that the correct stock (type of film) is used. Camera batteries must also be charged, and other camera accessories must be ready (standing by) in case the DP or Camera Operator requests them. Second Assistants are also responsible for the clapper-board, and write daily camera reports, logging how much film has been shot, what shots are on each roll of film, and any special processing instructions, or the numbers of tapes used, and time-code details. They may also take the daily rushes (unedited material) to the laboratory, or hand them over to the production office.

First Camera Assistants (Focus Pullers) give more hands-on support to Camera Operators and DPs. They calculate the correct focus settings for each shot, and all other camera variables; and prepare the camera, and adjust it during filming in order to keep specific parts of the shot in focus (known as “pulling focus”). Throughout each shooting day, they also check and store (“wrap”) the camera kit.

On documentaries or factual programmes, the Camera department is much smaller than on film shoots, usually only involving a Lighting Camera person or Camera Operator, and a Camera Assistant. Camera Assistants offer general support to the Lighting Camera person or Camera Operator, by preparing and labelling tapes and other materials, maintaining and preparing camera accessories and lighting equipment, and assisting with camera operation in any way required.

Typical career routes
Film schools and some training courses offer good basic preparation for any role in the Camera department, but industry experience is vital. Camera Trainee or Camera Runner jobs are the most common entry-level roles in the Camera department. On a television drama or a commercial, the progression is to Second Camera Assistant (also known as Clapper Loader on film) and finally to First Camera Assistant (Focus Puller). On documentaries and factual productions, only one Camera Assistant is usually employed, although increasingly Lighting Camera operators work without Assistants. Working as a Runner in a film or video tape equipment hire company, a camera manufacturing company, or a film-processing laboratory, is a good entry-level position.

Essential knowledge and skills
Camera Assistants need a thorough working knowledge of how cameras work, and the way that film, tape and digital equipment is operated and used. At more senior levels, knowledge of camera engineering can be very useful, as Senior Camera Assistants are often required to diagnose any camera operating problems. First and Second Camera Assistants must work with great accuracy and efficiency, and even Camera Trainees/Runners must always apply a “can do” attitude to the simplest of tasks.
Key Skills include:

If your computer has the relevant software, click the document icons or document titles to view the relevant document. Right-click (PC) or hold your mouse-button down (Mac) on the document icon/title, you'll be given the option to save the file to disk. If you don't have the necessary software to view the documents, take the above links to download free reader programs.

Skillset, Focus Point, 21 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9GB. Tel: 020 7713 9800