Is it hard to become a Hollywood Camera Operator?

How hard is it to become one? I want to do the following if possible...

-Television shows

-Movies

-Commercials

-Or the news.

How hard is it to become a Hollywood Camera Operator? And the pay?

Thanks!Is it hard to become a Hollywood Camera Operator?the short answer is, very very hard.



more specifically, it depends on the type of job.



big budget movies: almost impossible without years of experience and multiple contacts in the film industry.

national commercials: see above.

small budget indie movies: see above, unless you have a camera that the show wants to use and you are willing work as an owner operator for little to no money, but this is no guarantee.

local commercials: pretty ok, if you can get the clients, the distribution, work as the director, DP, and editor. and own all of your own equipment ( a large investment )

local news: pretty good, if you can get a job at the new station and work toward being an operator, in a few years you may become an operator.Is it hard to become a Hollywood Camera Operator?Think of it this way. There's probably one hundred jobs available... maybe - normally a lot less and thousands of people asking the same question - none with experience of any kind accept perhaps school - which is no experience at all.



Many people spend an entire career as an assistant camera operator because no jobs are ever available. So yes, it's very difficult because all the jobs are already filled.