Freelance Cameraman

Finding a good professional freelance cameraman in London can be tricky.  I know this first hand when I need to hire in crew for the bigger jobs we run.  So what makes a good freelance cameraman operator?  This article details my top tips, from experience as to what makes a great camera operator.

Experience for a Freelance Cameraman

Experience should help develop your skills as a freelance cameraman.  However, maybe you're missing some key aspects.  These are my top tips for delivering what your clients want:

Skills for a Freelance Cameraman

Skill level is of course important to become a successful cameraman.  So, spend some time honing this skill.  From composition to lighting to camera movement and lens aputure.  These should be your areas of expertise.  I spent years studying these and they are vital tools that I use everyday I'm out filming.  The more you practise, the more you'll learn.  Every location is different.  Every human face is different.  Once you have honed your skills, you can work into a room and instantly know what angle will work well for an interview.  Or if someone walks in with deeper set eye sockets, you'll understand how to light them well.  Study and practise will help develop this skills and turn you from someone who can make something ok to someone who can make something stunning.

Relationship

Client relationships are key.  Find common ground.  Be the person everyone loves to work with.  Show them you are a true professional through your work and your presence.  Give them a nice experience and they'll want to come back to work with you.

Kit

My final trip is kit.  Having the right kit will help you do your job in a quicker and easier manner and also to a higher standard.  I have found investing in kit helps bring my work up a level and brings in new jobs quicker.  Becoming a tech head in the camera world has been an enjoyable thing.  It shows you are an expert and having a client recognise this brings in more work quicker.