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Directors of photography (DoPs) work with lighting and camera crews on TV and film productions to create footage with the right look and feel.
You could work: freelance / self-employed; away from home
There will be
4.3% more Director of photography jobs in 2029.
In your local area
As a director of photography, you could:
You could work on a film set, at a film studio or at a TV studio.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and you'll travel often.
You can get into this job through:
You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma, degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject.
Examples include:
You'll usually need:
You can take a college course to develop your camera skills before looking for work, as an assistant.
Courses include:
You may have an advantage if you can find a course that offers practical experience and possibly a work placement.
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
You could start work with a production company in a junior role and learn on the job. Roles include:
Once you have built up your experience on set and completed extra training, you could become a first AC then director of photography.
It will help when looking for work, if you can get paid or unpaid experience with:
You can search for film and TV companies to approach for experience through media business listing services like PACT and The Knowledge.
Look out for film festivals and follow the social media accounts of video companies and film-makers, for advice and possible work experience opportunities.
You may be able to get a place on a new entrant training scheme that broadcasters and film bodies offer, for example:
You could also take short courses in camera operation run by film schools, regional screen agencies and private training providers.
Work is often freelance and filming can involve long hours. You'll usually be paid a day rate plus extra for overtime and unsocial hours.
It's important to make contacts in the industry, while learning about different filming techniques. You can also put together a portfolio of your work to showcase your talents through online media channels.
You may improve your career prospects by developing specialist filming skills, such as aerial, night-time or underwater photography.
You can join the British Society of Cinematographers for latest news and trends, professional development and to make contacts in the industry.
You can learn more about a career as a director of photography from ScreenSkills.
With experience, you could work on TV and film productions with larger budgets, or become a director or producer.
You might also choose to specialise in a particular area, for example commercials, documentaries or visual effects.