Sports Becoming a Sports Cameraman

[Absolute Gun]

I am interested in becoming a Sports Cameraman.
Being payed to go to sporting events and film the game would be amazing to me.

I am just wondering how I will get there...

Does anyone know of a good uni course to take so I can get into this profession?

And also any other information on this profession would be great!

Thanks

 

[Coastal_Pie]

I assume you would do a course through an arts/media school/relevant uni faculty. I doubt their would be a sports specific one so it would basically be film work. To get through all that you would need to genuinely enjoy producing film work.

Dont mean to shoot your dreams down but i would imagine it would be a difficult role to get and you would have to gain a bit of experience before.
Dont do it if you are thinking "i like sport, i want a job to do with sport, this looks good". As i said before you need to have an actual love and appreciation
for camera work.

IMO it would be a shocking career to pursue. Hard to get job, hardly world beating pay, poor job security (wonder what happens to the ten crew now they lost their footy rights). Cool job but cool doesn't pay the bills.

That said if thats what you really want to do then go for it and give it your best shot

 

[charcoalchicken]

Yeah it would be pretty decent but I think it would be a pretty tough industry to break into

 

[THRILLHO]

Just something I picked up on in your post. Everyone assumes that all cameras are pointing at the ball at a game. They're not. You might have the producer assign you to follow a player around which means you won't be able to watch the action unfold and you'll miss a good bit of the game.

I've always thought the best sports cameramen would be those who are ambivalent about the sport they're covering so as to do the most professional job possible. Hypothetically, I wouldn't want to cover AFL games but I'd be happy to cover A-League games.

 

[Alesana]

Always been interested in this as well, and my old man's best mate is a cameraman. He used to do the sports like tennis and footy, and you don't really get to watch the game, you have to be ready the whole time for the guy pressing the buttons to tell you what to do, "camera 4 start panning out, camera 6 zoom in on Reiwoldt" etc. You can also be stuck in shit weather conditions, and get a sore back from carting around heavy equipment, those cameras aren't light. He is a freelancer now and the call that someone made about cameramen not making much money is pretty bullshit. I know it changes in instances but he was in Bali with someone doing a story when the bombing happened, footage was going for 60k per minute or something, unluckily for him though his camera wasn't working. He is older now and doesn't do sport anymore, but because of his experience he gets steady work and currently does a lot in Fed Square, and i know he has worked with news crews in the past. Like the OP I was always fascinated with the footy camera work, but never really went after it

 

[Ed_Gein]

imagine doing a rugby league game on the touchline. you'd have to be pretty fit to run up and down all game lugging around all that equipment. i bring it up because i noticed it one time, but the best part about seeing it, was the young fella who looked like he was on work experience rolling up and carting around a cable behind him.

when the camera man was in the one spot for a minute or 2 the young fella looked terribly bored half the time, looking at the ground and playing with the grass with the end of his shoe and what not. it was great seeing him spark into life all of a sudden when the camera man took off on another run to follow the action. the young fella with the cable seemed to get a bit of a fright and have to quickly jump into action.

anyway.... i'm not much help on this topic. best of luck.

 

[Gabbie]

Just something I picked up on in your post. Everyone assumes that all cameras are pointing at the ball at a game. They're not. You might have the producer assign you to follow a player around which means you won't be able to watch the action unfold and you'll miss a good bit of the game.

I've always thought the best sports cameramen would be those who are ambivalent about the sport they're covering so as to do the most professional job possible. Hypothetically, I wouldn't want to cover AFL games but I'd be happy to cover A-League games.

Too true.

Have you tried thinking about still photography and work your way up to being a camerman. Small steps and all that.

Many moons ago I worked for a publishing company that started up a sports mag, which is now gone. The senior photographer, who took some of the best pics around Melbourne moved onto a major paper. I would run into him now and then at footy matches and he was there to do his job and not barrack for whoever was playing. He not only did footy, but all the major sports around town.

My recommendation is look into the courses that are available or even start out at some suburban, regional centre or if you get lucky, a major paper/magazine as a cadet photographer then work your way up to what you really want if you are good enough. Consider even, dare I say it, getting experience in some of those Women's mags, hey it's a gig and you will gain experience. I worked with some of the best photographers around Melbourne at the time and to them it was the joy of creating good work.

 

[J_Moore]

There's generally not a crossover with stills photography, at least in the areas I work in (I work in post production). You'd be best placed to get into video as soon as possible.

Usually you'll start out as a camera/sound assistant (can involve a whole lot of things, including the guy running around with the cable that Ed was talking about). And you'll have to take a lot of shitty jobs. Don't expect to be on the boundary of a grand final in your first year.

Cameramen, at least the ones I know, are not generally usually uni graduates. There are TAFE courses and stuff around, but it's largely an experience-based job. Networks used to train people up themselves, though I'm not sure how much they still do that.

I've never worked with news or sports, though, so I'd suggest you get in touch with a broadcaster to see what they'd recommend.

 

[Keys]

Try tweeting @AFLphotos and ask them to hire you

 

[IKnowtheDog]

If watching South African cricket has taught me anything. It's that all cameraman must be able to pick out a glamour! Coverage of the game is not important as can be evidenced by the current camera work of AFL games

 

[Broar]

If watching South African cricket has taught me anything. It's that all cameraman must be able to pick out a glamour! Coverage of the game is not important as can be evidenced by the current camera work of AFL games

While at Ch 7 all you have to do spot out Michelle Payne in a crowd.

 

[Hudu Gurusingha]

Ive heard its a very tough industry to break into. Next to no jobs and a lot of people want to do it. But if youre truly passionate and willing to commit yourself you can do it.