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What are the Different Videographer Jobs?

Sheri Cyprus
Sheri Cyprus

There are many different areas of videographer jobs. A videographer may work freelance or be employed by a company. Videographers work for real estate companies, movie production firms, travel agencies and television stations. Freelance wedding and corporate videographers tend to be in high demand once they build a reputation for quality work.

Wedding videographers should have a portfolio on their website along with testimonials from couples to help them get more clients. Some freelance wedding videographers may begin with smaller events such as children’s birthday parties. Corporations tend to be good sources of freelance videographer jobs as they may need corporate events such as seminars recorded.

A dream job for some videographers is filming vacation videos for travel agencies.
A dream job for some videographers is filming vacation videos for travel agencies.

Real estate companies may hire videographers part time or full time. Real estate videographers meet with clients who want to sell their homes. In these types of videographer jobs, the videographer films interior and exterior shots of the home for use in online home tour videos. The videographer may also take still photos of homes for use in print publications. Some real estate videographers have their own business and may also prepare websites for real estate agents.

Real estate videographers meet with clients who want to sell their homes.
Real estate videographers meet with clients who want to sell their homes.

Videographer jobs in entertainment include working on documentary or other films as well as filming outdoor or location pieces for television studios. A videographer may also work in the television industry as a video editor who takes parts of other videos and forms them into a cohesive piece of footage. Video editors may work on tough deadlines, as it may take a lot of time to get to the final edit. Sound and lighting are responsibilities of some television or movie studio videographers. Videographers may also work for music companies to film music videos.

Parents may want to hire a videographer to capture their child's first birthday party.
Parents may want to hire a videographer to capture their child's first birthday party.

A dream job for some videographers is filming vacation videos for travel agencies to use to promote their vacation packages online or in television commercials. Travel videographer jobs tend to be difficult to break into because amateur videographers may work at a cost that’s too low for a professional videographer to match. However, travel videography projects may work out well for a freelance videographer who has built up references in the industry.

VHS tapes were a popular format with videographers before the advent of digital recorders.
VHS tapes were a popular format with videographers before the advent of digital recorders.

In some freelance videographer jobs, videographers take and sell stock photography to web designers who create business websites. Stock photography includes photographs of people who agree to have their images used on business websites or in print materials. For example, stock images of a group of diverse people dressed in office clothing are often used on the homepage of the company’s website.

Discussion Comments

anon349419

Avoid "full sail academy" and stupid schools like you find in the back of magazines.

Everybody thinks they are the next Spike Jonze or Brian Depalma, but they're not. Their ideas are rehashed and not new. They are not hip or cool and they are copying someone else's work.

People don't need ti be cocky. They need to learn how to light a scene and be a pro.

Always have backup batteries and never take no for an answer. If that means physically beating your competition with your tripod, so be it.

Understand this: most people in the entertainment field are damaged or broken and you can basically bully your way through most of these drama geek types anyway.

If you are hot, you will be hired. If you have a relative in the biz, you *might* be hired. See how hard it is? Good luck.

indigomoth

@croydon - That's a pretty good example of what you should do if you want to break into the film business. Start off by volunteering on low budget films and work your way up from there.

The thing is, a lot of people want to do these kinds of jobs. So, you get a lot of untrained people on the bottom rung, trying to get hired. If you are willing to work for free, you'll get the skills and contacts you need to start getting better jobs.

And low budget films are often filmed over weekends because, let's face it, no one working on them can usually afford to be without a second job.

It's the kind of thing you only do if you love it. But, if you love it, you will probably be able to get a career out of it, after putting in some work.

croydon

If you want to be a wedding videographer, you should start by making as many contacts as you can. You can start with smaller events like birthday parties if you want, but you can just as easily start with weddings.

Except do the first few for free. My uncle had me take photos and a bit of video for his wedding, and he was so pleased with the result I'm sure he would give me a reference if I needed one. He could reference a work mate or someone, show them the photos and tell them I wouldn't mind making a wedding video for free if I could use the photos for publicity. And so on, and so forth. Once you have some lovely references and photos for your website, you can start charging more.

It might seem like a difficult investment of time, but it is worth it at the end (and you do get to have wedding food!).

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    • A dream job for some videographers is filming vacation videos for travel agencies.
      By: Brian Jackson
      A dream job for some videographers is filming vacation videos for travel agencies.
    • Real estate videographers meet with clients who want to sell their homes.
      By: Haider Y. Abdulla
      Real estate videographers meet with clients who want to sell their homes.
    • Parents may want to hire a videographer to capture their child's first birthday party.
      By: detailblick.
      Parents may want to hire a videographer to capture their child's first birthday party.
    • VHS tapes were a popular format with videographers before the advent of digital recorders.
      By: Volodymyr Shevchuk
      VHS tapes were a popular format with videographers before the advent of digital recorders.
    • Videographers may help a couple capture moments that can be used in an engagement announcement.
      By: Mat Hayward
      Videographers may help a couple capture moments that can be used in an engagement announcement.
    • Videographers might work with a variety of subjects, including animals.
      By: Brodetskaya Elena
      Videographers might work with a variety of subjects, including animals.