# Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

> Operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions.

- **SOC code:** 27-4031.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-27-4031-00
- **Also known as:** Camera Operator, Cameraman, Television News Photographer, Videographer, Master Control Operator (MCO), News Videographer, Production Technician, Studio Camera Operator
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.
- Operate television or motion picture cameras to record scenes for television broadcasts, advertising, or motion pictures.
- Edit video for broadcast productions, including non-linear editing.
- Instruct camera operators regarding camera setups, angles, distances, movement, and variables and cues for starting and stopping filming.
- Adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting.
- 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.
- Operate zoom lenses, changing images according to specifications and rehearsal instructions.
- Observe sets or locations for potential problems and to determine filming and lighting requirements.
- Assemble studio sets and select and arrange cameras, film stock, audio, or lighting equipment to be used during filming.
- Read and analyze work orders and specifications to determine locations of subject material, work procedures, sequences of operations, and machine setups.
- 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.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Operate drones to capture aerial or unique angle footage for film, television, or video productions.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- Communications and Media _(knowledge)_
- Telecommunications _(knowledge)_
- Active Listening _(essential_skill)_
- Visualization _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Far Vision _(ability)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Problem Sensitivity _(ability)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Speech Clarity _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Telecommunications _(Specialized Skill)_
- Visualization _(Specialized Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- TikTok _(Specialized Skill)_
- Adobe Photoshop _(Specialized Skill)_
- Adobe Illustrator _(Specialized Skill)_
- Adobe After Effects _(Specialized Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Time Management _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Adobe After Effects _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe Creative Cloud software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe Illustrator _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe Photoshop _(hot technology, in demand)_
- TikTok _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe Acrobat _(hot technology)_
- Adobe InDesign _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Premiere Pro _(in demand)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 56th percentile (Moderate) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 37th percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 64th percentile (Moderate) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 69th percentile (High) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 51st percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 1.2% growth (About average); 2.9k annual openings; 36.4k → 36.9k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $68,810; 24,460 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** 39% automation, 44% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 3.5 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** task iteration.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors. _(0.7% of measured AI use; task iteration)_
- Edit video for broadcast productions, including non-linear editing. _(0.5% of measured AI use; task iteration)_
- Design graphics for studio productions. _(0.4% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Write new scripts for broadcasts. _(0.3% of measured AI use; directive)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.
- Help me edit video for broadcast productions, including non-linear editing.
- Help me design graphics for studio productions.
- Help me write new scripts for broadcasts.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-27-4031-00_