Cinematographer Job Description

Requirements to Make a Film

To be a filmmaker, first of all, you have to love to tell stories. It's all you're doing, whether it be you're telling a documentary or commercial work, whatever it is. Good content has a good narrative, but you have to have attention to detail, patience. 

How to Become a Filmmaker

There are many ways to become a filmmaker. Most people choose a more traditional path, which is going to film school and getting a degree, which can be a great way to go. I actually did workforce experience, so essentially applying to internships, working in the field and gathering the skills that I would like to learn in hand from the people that I thought do it in a great way. So I was learning directly from the people that were actually out there creating stuff that I wanted to create.

Pros of Career

I love what I do. And for me to show up to work and to be involved in the environment and the team that I think is fantastic, it really does do lots for me in my happiness. I don't feel like I go to work when I go to work. I feel like I go to do what I love. So for me, that's the biggest pro of my job. 

How to Get Started

If you can tell a story, you can do it with very basic tools and do it really effectively. Some of the most impactful content we see today are things done on GoPros and iPhones, and it's because it's real moments and it's real people. If you're curious about it, you can basically start with little to no overhead. Do some research and some reading and maybe some classes and do how a story should be structured. I think people just need to pick up whatever camera they have and use it and then start to play around and try to put stuff together because it's right at your fingertips.