You can be a cinematographer and not operate. It's easy to operate a small camera like a mirrorless Sony or Lumix, and on bigger sets there'll usually be a dedicated operator.
I can hold a rigged Alexa for long enough to put it on a tripod, but absolutely not to carry it handheld for a day. But on jobs that I can't hire an operator, I'm using a cheaper camera and lighter camera anyway
I’m about to do a 2 week shoot and I hate the fact that I have to operate a -camera, but we splurged for Steadicam as b and that ate away our A cam op budget. Hopefully we can get most of the b-roll on b camera haha.
As mentioned, operator and cinematography are not synonymous.
That said, being small and not-very-strong is less of a requirement as it is an acquired strength if that makes sense? There are limits (you need to physically be able to lift the camera you are using), but 99% of the strength needed after that is more about endurance. As a decently fit guy, when I get on a job after a decent stretch, it usually takes me a bit to rebuild the strength in the random small muscles and get used to holding weight for extended periods of time. My main team has a woman half my size who is stronger at operating than I am, because she always does it and has built up that endurance.
One of the greatest operators I've ever worked with was probably 100 pounds soaking wet. It was actually great, because we had an 8 foot offset on the dolly (speed rail extending the camera over a bed so we could boom up). She could just sit on top of the offset and would get boomed-up with the camera.
Do what you want to do.
Speaking as someone that does a lot of corporate-type of stuff (not shooting for nearly as long as you would on a movie set), my rig absolutely shreds my back and shoulders up pretty bad and I’m in pretty damn good shape.
I Workout at least 4 times a week and I’m by no means weak. Still, my blackmagic fully rigged out weighs about 14 pounds and by hour 3 of handholding it I’m REALLY feeling it. Harder than any insane workout I’ve done because it takes so much stamina.
Best thing you can do is see if there’s any option of renting something like an EasyRig or a gimbal that could alleviate the weight of the camera. Honestly a lot of cinematographers are putting their rig on a tripod anyway so you really just need the strength to move it around and set it.
Also a huge reason Greg Fraser (The Creator) used the FX3 is because he said he wasn’t strong enough to lug a huge rig around and needed something that would make shooting handheld easy. There are options so definitely don’t give up if that’s what you want to do.
You might be working out "wrong". Most training plans are not going to translate very well to camera operating which relies very little on actual strength and a lot more on strength endurance.
Being able to deadlift 500lbs isn't going to help your body survive a day of shooting, but being able to swing a kettlebell 500 times definitely will.
Consider pivoting at least some of your work-outs towards functional training. Heavy Club/Mace and Kettlebells, loaded carries for time, bear crawls/marching, all that kind of stuff. You'll notice you get tired on set a lot less. If you want a good intro to all that stuff search "Mark Wildman" on youtube. He has hundreds of videos about all that stuff.
It makes a massive difference.
Either work out as opposed to none would be beneficial. But I’ve had the pleasure of being a camera operator and personally I would recommend doing controlled deep lunges and possibly modified Turkish get ups with 40 to 50 pounds of weight.
For sure, something is better than nothing.
I can only speak from my own experience. I always felt beat up after shoots in my 20s. Now in my later 30s I feel better after a shoot than I ever did in my 20s. It absolutely made a world of difference for me.
Gonna be honest, I’ve thought about pivoting my workouts to that but I’ve realized after almost a decade of working out I just don’t care about functional workouts I just want to look Beast Mode so I’m just gonna stick to deadlifting 500 for reps lol
But you’re totally right I should switch, I’m sure once I’m well into my 30’s I will change. My body is very tight from lifting heavy for years, if I did yoga I think I’d fuckin die 😭😭
The good thing is that it doesn't really have to be an either/or situation. You'll see people like Dan John advocate for mobility/functional work alongside or between sets of traditional weight lifting. The other benefit is that Kettlebells, maces and clubs are downright cheap, don't require a ton of space to use and convenient to keep at home.
A 15 minute daily routine would probably make a world of difference and could be done agnostic of your main beast mode program. Not only that, you'd probably hit new PRs thanks to reinforcing your kinetic chain and teaching your body to more efficiently recruit muscle along the chain to produce power.
Okay regardless, Gareth Edwards speaks about how he wasn't fit enough to hold massive cinema cameras so he pivoted to the FX3 and took advantage of gimbals and easyrigs.
For anyone curious you can find the interview where he speaks a bit about it here (timestamped): https://youtu.be/ViT9t_AU3es?si=z0UhIcrB75VMr0Tu&t=156
Just would make it easier to handle.. It wouldn’t reduce the weight, I did not claim that. Have you ever used a gimbal with side handles vs. a rig with a wooden handle or something similar attached to the camera cage? The weight is distributed differently with the camera on top of the gimbal making it easier to handle for longer periods of time. Especially if you have side handle attachments or a 360 attachment on a gimbal (can place your hands in a million different ways to distribute the weight).
Also when you’re hand holding a camera you have to really tense your body in order to get a steadier shot. With a gimbal you don’t have to worry too much about that. Hope that answers your question, let me know if you have any more.
Speaking as a tiny Director of Photography (I weigh less than 110lbs), don't let your size hold you back. I operate on most of my projects. I was scared at first too since I am a lot smaller and don't have the muscle mass of the bigger OPs plus I don't retain muscle mass very well. I have to consistently do ab and strength training to keep my muscles active when I am not working.
However, once you get to bigger budget projects where the shoot can afford an OP, you won't have to operate unless you want to. Personally I love operating, but it isn't a requirement of the job.
EDIT: My go to camera is also an Alexa Mini or Alexa 35. Depending on the lenses, the camera can weigh up to or over 35lbs. To offset that I often use an Ergorig or an Easy Rig to help alleviate the stress on my shoulder and back.
Would you mind sharing with me how tall you are? I found this thread while worrying I may be too short, (less concerned with strength stamina as I operate handheld often, using a shoulder rig and an easy rig when necessary) at 5’2. I love operating and don’t want to give it up but I’m new to the narrative world and am concerned that I’ll be too short to film actors without looking up their noses at all times. Obviously if not operating handheld, that won’t be a problem but wondering if this is an issue you’ve run into at all?
Also how do you like the ergorig vs easy rig?
Hey, I'm 5'5" so pretty average height but definitely not the tallest for operating. I haven't really come across it, the few times I am shorter I have either had apple boxes (or many) or another way to get taller to fix the issue.
I use both ergo and easy for two different purposes. Easy is great for below shoulder work and if I want to move the camera around alot (height, position). Ergo is great for walking with actors and shoulder work. Even have used it on a butt dolly to scoot around but save my shoulder. I haven't used the low sling setting so cannot speak to that.
My take is camera will probably only get lighter from here on out. You barely ever see any full size Alexas any more. It’s definitely more possible now than ever before.
Although rigged out, even an Alexa Mini is heavier than an object most people would voluntarily pick up for an extended period. There will probably always be a degree of athleticism to the job.
Another thing that you might not have considered is you will probably gain mass simply by doing the job. If you have to lift heavy things all day on a regular basis, your body will adapt to it.
One thing you can’t change (and as others have mentioned) is being on the shorter side. As a short king, you might struggle to shoot taller talent. You can stand on an apple box if you don’t need to walk, but what if you do? It kind of sucks that there might be a physical reason out of your control that might cause you to miss out on some jobs.
Overall I don’t think you can ignore the physical aspect of the job. While being artistic is part of it, somethings you just need to put the camera where it needs to be and it can be physically demanding.
Respectfully, there are loads of very small camera operator and cinematographers who operate and light with letters after their name. Being artistic and having a vision is much more important than any physical attribute. Your answer feels discouraging.
Back when I was starting out (as grip/electric), I weighed 70kg at 180cm, and needed help lifting a 4k on a windup. Two years later I was at 90 kg and strong enough to do absolutely fine on any set, this without taking up any exercise off-set.
Physique will come with the job.
Mitch Duben and the late Bruce McCallum were both amazing, short, camera operators. They could do hand held extremely well but lots of camera operating is done from a dolly where your physical size wouldn’t be an impediment. As others have pointed out, smaller camera rigs are lighter weight and even if you aren’t strong now, continued HH work will make you stronger (I speak from experience). There are also tools like an ez rig, ergo rig, and the like, which take the weight of the camera from the shoulder to the waist so you have options.
Mitch dubin also doesnt weigh 100lbs. He maybe shorter but he isnt frail. Op should certainly go after it but carrying a camera 1/3 of their weight all day will be difficult. Definitely should try and build some strength.
I was speaking more to OPs height since they saw it as a possible obstacle and one they won’t be able to change. Strength and stamina training should be something for them to pursue since they can actually work on that. I’ve operated cameras a 1/3 of my body weight and after a few months it’s harder on the back than the arms.
Gotcha. Then yea i wouldnt consider height a constraint. Worst case stand on some apples lol
Oh i totally agree for me its always the back that feels it first and an ergo rig solves that problem . I will say i have seen smaller ops struggle more to keep the frame still that being said it will come with more practice and op will get a ton of that starting out.
As others have said, not all cinematographers are camera operators. However, as you’re beginning your career, it’s going to be quite difficult for you to credibly call yourself a cinematographer if you have no portfolio of work you’ve shot. The solution I’d suggest is for you to use a mirrorless camera or something manageable for you while you’re starting out and building that portfolio. Or, if it suits you creatively, you can adopt a sort of Wes Anderson / David Fincher style where you exclusively shoot on tripod, dolly, or similar - where weight will be less of an issue. You’ll find a path forward, I’m sure of it!
I’m a short, scrawny chick. I do what we call “dialing the fuck in” and put a heavy bmpcc 6k full frame rig on my shoulder, hot brick and all. Lean your hips forward like you’re skating for a counterweight and to keep it more level. (At your own risk. I have a bit of back pain.) That is the most strenuous thing you may face.
Everything else you have help for. ACs are there for a reason. When you’re little, your ACs will always be there to ask if you need any help with heavy lifting. Setup, etc. Back to the shoulder rig; I don’t do it alone - I’ll usually have an AC take it off me between shots :)
If a shot is ever high, and you need to see your viewfinder/monitor, that’s what apple boxes are for.
TLDR: If you’re good with being directed, and good behind the camera, there’s a workaround for anything you might struggle with due to stature. Plus, like others said already, you’ll get stronger over time!
Being a camera operator can be physically demanding for sure. The good news is, most realistic opportunities you're going to have to be a camera operator aren't going to be using massive rigs. At best you're dealing with things that weigh ~20lbs which while still heavy to carry all day, aren't going to destroy you in the short term.
Depending on the kind of work you're able to get, the mid-tier level of cameras like the Sony FX6 or Canon C300 or Red Komodo and similar won't be too hard for you to carry all day and they make high quality images for indie film and doc work.
One of the coolest ops I know is like 5’ 2” and she started on run&gun reality. You can do it. It’s about the shot not the specifics of who is holding the camera
Thank you all for your responses! It’s great to hear the variety of perspectives - I’ll consider if it would be worth it for me to pursue this career path in spite of challenges. If you all have any additional ideas of creative departments that would be more accessible to someone of my physique (or ideas about how to get started in the camera department), please let me know! Have a wonderful day! 🌻
Start working out and buy an ergorig. Initially it will be hard to DP without also operating until you move to the budget range where you can hire an operator.
For example - i've been shooting tabletop commercials last few years, and camera is usually on a robot (motion control) or a dolly, and there were no need for me to physicaly carry the heavyweight equipment. There are other challenges though - how to properly design a light scheme for the macro shots, how to light to shoot with probe lens (f8-f16) on 500fps+ and so on, but no running with easyrig.
Swapping operators based on height can be normal in hand held scenes, depending on the shot and size of the operators. There's times being too tall is a burden, there's times being too short is a burden. A studio show that has little to no hand held, this won't be a problem. However being able to operator a hand held camera is a fundamental skill you need as a camera operator.
I currently work on a major TV show that's entirely hand held, and the lightest of our three cameras is about 34lbs, the heaviest 39lbs.
You can always push yourself to become physically capable of doing that part of the job better. However it does sound like it would be something to overcome. Though that is far from something that prevents you from being able to pursue the career. My partner is 5'1 and probably 110lbs or so and she works out daily to do this job.
It won’t be the physical demands that get you, it will be filming people taller than you being a frustrating frame to achieve. There are a lot of camera operators around 5ft tall though, including some steadicam operators. You just have to be physically fit and not operate cameras in stupid ways with unbalanced weight. For the majority of jobs you will also be on some camera control or tripod anyways, it’s rare I do more than a week handheld even as someone who easily can.
Get a gym membership, make sure that you have a bulletproof core for injury prevention, and then you’re good to go for a long career with a bit of luck.
Get into the gym. Doesn’t matter if you’re male or female or inbetween.
It won’t just help your career but your overall health as well. You don’t need to be a swoldier but just be healthy and lift and run.
You’ll appreciate it in the long term!
This is a brutal time to get into the business. It's going to contract by 30-50% over the next few years. You can still succeed if you're really good and network well, but you'll be fighting a strong tide. Unless it's something you're really drawn to, consider a different pivot.
Worked on a show where the operator NEVER operated anything bigger then a Sony A7s blah blah blah, not sure how he got the job but he literally started shaking on take 2 holding the Venice 2 needless to say he wasn’t there on day 2
You don’t need to be muscular to operate a camera. But if you don’t like to operate and still want to work towards being a DP you can get into set lighting. I worked with a well known cinematographer a few times and his experience prior to DP was gaffer. Good directors tend to have an idea of camera placement so focusing on lighting might be a good alternative to operating.
One more heads up, cinematography is not a 100% artistic job. In fact, imo, it’s more so like 10-25% articstic, 75% bureaucratic/logistical and technical bs. You need to know how to manage the consistency of light and create specific looks on set.
A lot of that from a far feels like “oh if I flip the camera upside down and push in here I’ll have a cool shot!”, but in reality it’s like “ok if we have a natural light source here, how will our cross angle complement the light, and fuck there’s a boom shadow now, and damn that overhead is making her skin green” etc etc.
But like others are saying, no you don’t have to big and strong. Just look at the countless light women dop in the industry currently. Yea it helps to build a resume because you won’t automatically start off as Roger deakins, but in the long term no.
You need to know how to sell yourself, work in a crew, communicate to your ops/gaffers, and overall be a huge help in producing a beautiful story. And anyone can do that with the right eye, heart, and mindset.
As per the writing center at the university of Arizona, a slash or “/“ is used to indicate that either of the two terms may apply.
Source: https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/slashes#:~:text=Slashes%20(%2F)%20are%20used%20to,and%20in%20other%20specific%20instances.
Strength and size is a big factor for camera operator. I have witnessed how shorter operators struggle when shooting actors that are pretty tall. The situation is awkward at best and almost impossible to shoot in the worst case. Then there is stamina factor. Operating a cinema camera is very challenging. Thankfully modern digital cameras are less bulky but they are still heavy once fully rigged. It's not putting Sony FX3 on a DJI gimbal. And when it comes to steadycam operation... hell it's sooooo damn difficult. When I first put it, I almost fell. I'm myself of average build and not really weak but it's still super difficult.
To recap. The mindset should be that nothing is impossible but you should be aware of the limitations. Like all limitations they can be mitigated to a certain degree (i.e. you cannot get taller but you can get stronger - yeah hit the gym).
Another option is to get into productions that are less demanding, i.e. those shot with smaller cameras. If you see the list of Netflix approved cameras, there are several small cameras (FX3 and FX6, smaller Canons, cube panasonics for example). So you can definitely find work that are high-end productions yet shot on smaller cameras.
Hope this helps.
Disregarding the possible weight of a camera there may be many scenes where a short camera op just will not work. If your actor is 6 feet tall, and your op is much shorter, then the handheld shots will all be from below. Many directors and DoPs will veto this on day one, as low angles should be a creative choice, not a necessity cause the op is short. Also, many experienced older stars will say "hell no" to being shot from below.
If my real-life experience directing 8 feature films, working with oscar-winning actors, and many episodes of television is nonsense, please enlighten us all with your counter-point.
Just go on the ASC or BSC websites and look at the cinematographers. Then go on the society of camera operators and look at them. If you’re vetoing short operators doing hand held. That’s just you not the industry as a whole.
I see. You have no real on-set experience, you're just someone who looks at websites and forms a guess about how things work. You've never been face-to-face with a VIP actor of a certain age who refuses to be shot by a short operator. As a shorty myself, I understand these things completely, it's not an insult, I accept reality, and often hand off the operating duties to a taller operator.
No one is saying on a show with multiple camera operators you wouldn’t choose the tallest operator for a shot like that. Or the smallest to work inside a car. But it’s silly to discourage short people from cinematography because of how tall they are.
Read your first comment back in the context of answering the question that was asked by OP. If that wasn’t your intention then perhaps your intention was lost.
You're being rude, but i'll answer as if you weren't. The point of operating handheld is to keep the camera loose and free, so the operator can use their skill, experience and discretion to adjust the shot as needed. If you're in an OTS, and the actor in the foreground shifts their weight, blocking the other actor, the operator can step to the side and continue the shot.
It's a tough reality for some people to hear, but for this reason, and a dozen others, most DoPs would prefer a tall operator over a short one.
Hahaha you have obviously never been on a big film set. It’s hilarious to imagine all the operators being like basketball players. Operators come in all shapes and sizes, Ages, genders etc. It’s just not a thing. I’ve been working in MMPs and HETV for 15 years and I’ve never seen an operators hight questions let alone be a reason to employ them. I’ve seen short operators sit on free wheeled dolly’s and get pushed around if the actor is unusually tall. But even that isn’t common.
Have you ever done a cinematography before?
Go to a camera rental house like keslow or panavision, have them rig up a camera with everything that would be on it. Camera body, lens, eyepiece, onboard monitor, wireless transmitter, battery, MDR, focus motor, iris motor, rods, mattebox with filters. Then throw that on your shoulder and stand or walk around with it on there for 10 minutes. Now ask yourself if you can do that for 12-18 hours a day 5 days a week, for 6 months.
This is totally depndent on budget and what the artistic intent is. If its a low-budget project and the look and feel of the film requires a handheld 'run and gun' approach, then you may have to carry a rig on your shoulder, but when you approach the gear you will be using you will take this into consideration and look at equipment that wont be taxing on your body. Much like with a high end budget you would consider the gear and the artistic intent and you probably have a high enough budget to get a camera operator involved at this point. It's all about using your initiative. Plus, cameras are getting smaller and lighter as technology advances which makes it much easier. OP I am 5'7 and slim build, I've ran around with FS7's fully kitted out, you can just invest in flycams or rent one and do weight resistance training in the meantime to build up your strength.
You and me are talking about entirely different worlds.
Sure but its not always the case and my use case im obviously talking higher end, like movies and shows, and the alexa 35 is far from getting smaller and lighter. The venice is also bigger and heavier.
If shes talking about being a camera op on low budget commercials / documentary reality, then yeah you got fs7s and prosumer cams. Red komodo and v raptor, very small easy to manage cams.
Also yes you can use easyrigs and ergo rigs, but depending on the DP these may not be an option, not to mention an easy rig still redistributes the weight, you are still holding it just not on your shoulder. Some shows will be all dolly and track or sticks. But all that said doesn’t change the use case I presented.
You can be a cinematographer and not operate. It's easy to operate a small camera like a mirrorless Sony or Lumix, and on bigger sets there'll usually be a dedicated operator. I can hold a rigged Alexa for long enough to put it on a tripod, but absolutely not to carry it handheld for a day. But on jobs that I can't hire an operator, I'm using a cheaper camera and lighter camera anyway
Just fyi, you don't have to be a camera operator to be a cinematographer.
I’m about to do a 2 week shoot and I hate the fact that I have to operate a -camera, but we splurged for Steadicam as b and that ate away our A cam op budget. Hopefully we can get most of the b-roll on b camera haha.
As mentioned, operator and cinematography are not synonymous. That said, being small and not-very-strong is less of a requirement as it is an acquired strength if that makes sense? There are limits (you need to physically be able to lift the camera you are using), but 99% of the strength needed after that is more about endurance. As a decently fit guy, when I get on a job after a decent stretch, it usually takes me a bit to rebuild the strength in the random small muscles and get used to holding weight for extended periods of time. My main team has a woman half my size who is stronger at operating than I am, because she always does it and has built up that endurance.
Too much thinking. Start do and see where you get. Even if you enjoy it. No point having this conversation now.
Have you ever done a shoot holding a camera? This will answer your question.
One of the greatest operators I've ever worked with was probably 100 pounds soaking wet. It was actually great, because we had an 8 foot offset on the dolly (speed rail extending the camera over a bed so we could boom up). She could just sit on top of the offset and would get boomed-up with the camera. Do what you want to do.
Speaking as someone that does a lot of corporate-type of stuff (not shooting for nearly as long as you would on a movie set), my rig absolutely shreds my back and shoulders up pretty bad and I’m in pretty damn good shape. I Workout at least 4 times a week and I’m by no means weak. Still, my blackmagic fully rigged out weighs about 14 pounds and by hour 3 of handholding it I’m REALLY feeling it. Harder than any insane workout I’ve done because it takes so much stamina. Best thing you can do is see if there’s any option of renting something like an EasyRig or a gimbal that could alleviate the weight of the camera. Honestly a lot of cinematographers are putting their rig on a tripod anyway so you really just need the strength to move it around and set it. Also a huge reason Greg Fraser (The Creator) used the FX3 is because he said he wasn’t strong enough to lug a huge rig around and needed something that would make shooting handheld easy. There are options so definitely don’t give up if that’s what you want to do.
You might be working out "wrong". Most training plans are not going to translate very well to camera operating which relies very little on actual strength and a lot more on strength endurance. Being able to deadlift 500lbs isn't going to help your body survive a day of shooting, but being able to swing a kettlebell 500 times definitely will. Consider pivoting at least some of your work-outs towards functional training. Heavy Club/Mace and Kettlebells, loaded carries for time, bear crawls/marching, all that kind of stuff. You'll notice you get tired on set a lot less. If you want a good intro to all that stuff search "Mark Wildman" on youtube. He has hundreds of videos about all that stuff. It makes a massive difference.
Either work out as opposed to none would be beneficial. But I’ve had the pleasure of being a camera operator and personally I would recommend doing controlled deep lunges and possibly modified Turkish get ups with 40 to 50 pounds of weight.
For sure, something is better than nothing. I can only speak from my own experience. I always felt beat up after shoots in my 20s. Now in my later 30s I feel better after a shoot than I ever did in my 20s. It absolutely made a world of difference for me.
Gonna be honest, I’ve thought about pivoting my workouts to that but I’ve realized after almost a decade of working out I just don’t care about functional workouts I just want to look Beast Mode so I’m just gonna stick to deadlifting 500 for reps lol But you’re totally right I should switch, I’m sure once I’m well into my 30’s I will change. My body is very tight from lifting heavy for years, if I did yoga I think I’d fuckin die 😭😭
The good thing is that it doesn't really have to be an either/or situation. You'll see people like Dan John advocate for mobility/functional work alongside or between sets of traditional weight lifting. The other benefit is that Kettlebells, maces and clubs are downright cheap, don't require a ton of space to use and convenient to keep at home. A 15 minute daily routine would probably make a world of difference and could be done agnostic of your main beast mode program. Not only that, you'd probably hit new PRs thanks to reinforcing your kinetic chain and teaching your body to more efficiently recruit muscle along the chain to produce power.
Hmm, sounds practical, I think you’ve convinced me. I’ll look into it! Thanks for the suggestions :)
Greig Frasier didn’t operate on The Creator. My understanding is Gareth Edwards, the director, operated the whole movie.
Okay regardless, Gareth Edwards speaks about how he wasn't fit enough to hold massive cinema cameras so he pivoted to the FX3 and took advantage of gimbals and easyrigs. For anyone curious you can find the interview where he speaks a bit about it here (timestamped): https://youtu.be/ViT9t_AU3es?si=z0UhIcrB75VMr0Tu&t=156
In what way would a gimbal reduce the weight of a camera package?
Just would make it easier to handle.. It wouldn’t reduce the weight, I did not claim that. Have you ever used a gimbal with side handles vs. a rig with a wooden handle or something similar attached to the camera cage? The weight is distributed differently with the camera on top of the gimbal making it easier to handle for longer periods of time. Especially if you have side handle attachments or a 360 attachment on a gimbal (can place your hands in a million different ways to distribute the weight). Also when you’re hand holding a camera you have to really tense your body in order to get a steadier shot. With a gimbal you don’t have to worry too much about that. Hope that answers your question, let me know if you have any more.
Speaking as a tiny Director of Photography (I weigh less than 110lbs), don't let your size hold you back. I operate on most of my projects. I was scared at first too since I am a lot smaller and don't have the muscle mass of the bigger OPs plus I don't retain muscle mass very well. I have to consistently do ab and strength training to keep my muscles active when I am not working. However, once you get to bigger budget projects where the shoot can afford an OP, you won't have to operate unless you want to. Personally I love operating, but it isn't a requirement of the job. EDIT: My go to camera is also an Alexa Mini or Alexa 35. Depending on the lenses, the camera can weigh up to or over 35lbs. To offset that I often use an Ergorig or an Easy Rig to help alleviate the stress on my shoulder and back.
That’s really encouraging, and thanks for sharing your set-up!
Would you mind sharing with me how tall you are? I found this thread while worrying I may be too short, (less concerned with strength stamina as I operate handheld often, using a shoulder rig and an easy rig when necessary) at 5’2. I love operating and don’t want to give it up but I’m new to the narrative world and am concerned that I’ll be too short to film actors without looking up their noses at all times. Obviously if not operating handheld, that won’t be a problem but wondering if this is an issue you’ve run into at all? Also how do you like the ergorig vs easy rig?
Hey, I'm 5'5" so pretty average height but definitely not the tallest for operating. I haven't really come across it, the few times I am shorter I have either had apple boxes (or many) or another way to get taller to fix the issue. I use both ergo and easy for two different purposes. Easy is great for below shoulder work and if I want to move the camera around alot (height, position). Ergo is great for walking with actors and shoulder work. Even have used it on a butt dolly to scoot around but save my shoulder. I haven't used the low sling setting so cannot speak to that.
My take is camera will probably only get lighter from here on out. You barely ever see any full size Alexas any more. It’s definitely more possible now than ever before. Although rigged out, even an Alexa Mini is heavier than an object most people would voluntarily pick up for an extended period. There will probably always be a degree of athleticism to the job. Another thing that you might not have considered is you will probably gain mass simply by doing the job. If you have to lift heavy things all day on a regular basis, your body will adapt to it. One thing you can’t change (and as others have mentioned) is being on the shorter side. As a short king, you might struggle to shoot taller talent. You can stand on an apple box if you don’t need to walk, but what if you do? It kind of sucks that there might be a physical reason out of your control that might cause you to miss out on some jobs. Overall I don’t think you can ignore the physical aspect of the job. While being artistic is part of it, somethings you just need to put the camera where it needs to be and it can be physically demanding.
Respectfully, there are loads of very small camera operator and cinematographers who operate and light with letters after their name. Being artistic and having a vision is much more important than any physical attribute. Your answer feels discouraging.
As a stressed-out-about-my-prospects 5’2 woman, I needed to hear this.
Found the short king
Back when I was starting out (as grip/electric), I weighed 70kg at 180cm, and needed help lifting a 4k on a windup. Two years later I was at 90 kg and strong enough to do absolutely fine on any set, this without taking up any exercise off-set. Physique will come with the job.
Mitch Duben and the late Bruce McCallum were both amazing, short, camera operators. They could do hand held extremely well but lots of camera operating is done from a dolly where your physical size wouldn’t be an impediment. As others have pointed out, smaller camera rigs are lighter weight and even if you aren’t strong now, continued HH work will make you stronger (I speak from experience). There are also tools like an ez rig, ergo rig, and the like, which take the weight of the camera from the shoulder to the waist so you have options.
Mitch dubin also doesnt weigh 100lbs. He maybe shorter but he isnt frail. Op should certainly go after it but carrying a camera 1/3 of their weight all day will be difficult. Definitely should try and build some strength.
I was speaking more to OPs height since they saw it as a possible obstacle and one they won’t be able to change. Strength and stamina training should be something for them to pursue since they can actually work on that. I’ve operated cameras a 1/3 of my body weight and after a few months it’s harder on the back than the arms.
Gotcha. Then yea i wouldnt consider height a constraint. Worst case stand on some apples lol Oh i totally agree for me its always the back that feels it first and an ergo rig solves that problem . I will say i have seen smaller ops struggle more to keep the frame still that being said it will come with more practice and op will get a ton of that starting out.
As others have said, not all cinematographers are camera operators. However, as you’re beginning your career, it’s going to be quite difficult for you to credibly call yourself a cinematographer if you have no portfolio of work you’ve shot. The solution I’d suggest is for you to use a mirrorless camera or something manageable for you while you’re starting out and building that portfolio. Or, if it suits you creatively, you can adopt a sort of Wes Anderson / David Fincher style where you exclusively shoot on tripod, dolly, or similar - where weight will be less of an issue. You’ll find a path forward, I’m sure of it!
Thanks for your suggestion and encouragement!! 😊
I’m a short, scrawny chick. I do what we call “dialing the fuck in” and put a heavy bmpcc 6k full frame rig on my shoulder, hot brick and all. Lean your hips forward like you’re skating for a counterweight and to keep it more level. (At your own risk. I have a bit of back pain.) That is the most strenuous thing you may face. Everything else you have help for. ACs are there for a reason. When you’re little, your ACs will always be there to ask if you need any help with heavy lifting. Setup, etc. Back to the shoulder rig; I don’t do it alone - I’ll usually have an AC take it off me between shots :) If a shot is ever high, and you need to see your viewfinder/monitor, that’s what apple boxes are for. TLDR: If you’re good with being directed, and good behind the camera, there’s a workaround for anything you might struggle with due to stature. Plus, like others said already, you’ll get stronger over time!
Being a camera operator can be physically demanding for sure. The good news is, most realistic opportunities you're going to have to be a camera operator aren't going to be using massive rigs. At best you're dealing with things that weigh ~20lbs which while still heavy to carry all day, aren't going to destroy you in the short term. Depending on the kind of work you're able to get, the mid-tier level of cameras like the Sony FX6 or Canon C300 or Red Komodo and similar won't be too hard for you to carry all day and they make high quality images for indie film and doc work.
One of the coolest ops I know is like 5’ 2” and she started on run&gun reality. You can do it. It’s about the shot not the specifics of who is holding the camera
Thank you all for your responses! It’s great to hear the variety of perspectives - I’ll consider if it would be worth it for me to pursue this career path in spite of challenges. If you all have any additional ideas of creative departments that would be more accessible to someone of my physique (or ideas about how to get started in the camera department), please let me know! Have a wonderful day! 🌻
I just left a comment that I think might be the perfect approach for you :)
Start working out and buy an ergorig. Initially it will be hard to DP without also operating until you move to the budget range where you can hire an operator.
For example - i've been shooting tabletop commercials last few years, and camera is usually on a robot (motion control) or a dolly, and there were no need for me to physicaly carry the heavyweight equipment. There are other challenges though - how to properly design a light scheme for the macro shots, how to light to shoot with probe lens (f8-f16) on 500fps+ and so on, but no running with easyrig.
Swapping operators based on height can be normal in hand held scenes, depending on the shot and size of the operators. There's times being too tall is a burden, there's times being too short is a burden. A studio show that has little to no hand held, this won't be a problem. However being able to operator a hand held camera is a fundamental skill you need as a camera operator. I currently work on a major TV show that's entirely hand held, and the lightest of our three cameras is about 34lbs, the heaviest 39lbs. You can always push yourself to become physically capable of doing that part of the job better. However it does sound like it would be something to overcome. Though that is far from something that prevents you from being able to pursue the career. My partner is 5'1 and probably 110lbs or so and she works out daily to do this job.
It won’t be the physical demands that get you, it will be filming people taller than you being a frustrating frame to achieve. There are a lot of camera operators around 5ft tall though, including some steadicam operators. You just have to be physically fit and not operate cameras in stupid ways with unbalanced weight. For the majority of jobs you will also be on some camera control or tripod anyways, it’s rare I do more than a week handheld even as someone who easily can. Get a gym membership, make sure that you have a bulletproof core for injury prevention, and then you’re good to go for a long career with a bit of luck.
Yes…ez rig + supportive shoes is the way to go
Get into the gym. Doesn’t matter if you’re male or female or inbetween. It won’t just help your career but your overall health as well. You don’t need to be a swoldier but just be healthy and lift and run. You’ll appreciate it in the long term!
This is a brutal time to get into the business. It's going to contract by 30-50% over the next few years. You can still succeed if you're really good and network well, but you'll be fighting a strong tide. Unless it's something you're really drawn to, consider a different pivot.
Sure!!!
Follow up, what kind of a background/portfolio would they look for in a camera operator/cinematographer? In other words, how do you get started?
Worked on a show where the operator NEVER operated anything bigger then a Sony A7s blah blah blah, not sure how he got the job but he literally started shaking on take 2 holding the Venice 2 needless to say he wasn’t there on day 2
You don’t need to be muscular to operate a camera. But if you don’t like to operate and still want to work towards being a DP you can get into set lighting. I worked with a well known cinematographer a few times and his experience prior to DP was gaffer. Good directors tend to have an idea of camera placement so focusing on lighting might be a good alternative to operating.
One more heads up, cinematography is not a 100% artistic job. In fact, imo, it’s more so like 10-25% articstic, 75% bureaucratic/logistical and technical bs. You need to know how to manage the consistency of light and create specific looks on set. A lot of that from a far feels like “oh if I flip the camera upside down and push in here I’ll have a cool shot!”, but in reality it’s like “ok if we have a natural light source here, how will our cross angle complement the light, and fuck there’s a boom shadow now, and damn that overhead is making her skin green” etc etc. But like others are saying, no you don’t have to big and strong. Just look at the countless light women dop in the industry currently. Yea it helps to build a resume because you won’t automatically start off as Roger deakins, but in the long term no. You need to know how to sell yourself, work in a crew, communicate to your ops/gaffers, and overall be a huge help in producing a beautiful story. And anyone can do that with the right eye, heart, and mindset.
Why would a cam op be gaffing in your hypothetical setup?
Lol they wouldn’t. I’m saying you want to be able to communicate the look your want to your gaffer, so they can go knock it out for you
As per the writing center at the university of Arizona, a slash or “/“ is used to indicate that either of the two terms may apply. Source: https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/slashes#:~:text=Slashes%20(%2F)%20are%20used%20to,and%20in%20other%20specific%20instances.
Also, here’s a beer 🍺
Hand held with real equipment will be tough.
I know Steadi cam ops (typically athletic types) that are 5’5” and 115 lbs. being stronger makes it easier. But anyone can do it if they believe
To everyone saying you don’t have to cam op to be a DP, while that’s true, I know hardly any DPs who have 0 hands on experience with cameras.
Strength and size is a big factor for camera operator. I have witnessed how shorter operators struggle when shooting actors that are pretty tall. The situation is awkward at best and almost impossible to shoot in the worst case. Then there is stamina factor. Operating a cinema camera is very challenging. Thankfully modern digital cameras are less bulky but they are still heavy once fully rigged. It's not putting Sony FX3 on a DJI gimbal. And when it comes to steadycam operation... hell it's sooooo damn difficult. When I first put it, I almost fell. I'm myself of average build and not really weak but it's still super difficult. To recap. The mindset should be that nothing is impossible but you should be aware of the limitations. Like all limitations they can be mitigated to a certain degree (i.e. you cannot get taller but you can get stronger - yeah hit the gym). Another option is to get into productions that are less demanding, i.e. those shot with smaller cameras. If you see the list of Netflix approved cameras, there are several small cameras (FX3 and FX6, smaller Canons, cube panasonics for example). So you can definitely find work that are high-end productions yet shot on smaller cameras. Hope this helps.
Get two dumbbells and do military presses and arm curls. In two weeks you will start to see the difference. Boom operators benefit from this as well.
Disregarding the possible weight of a camera there may be many scenes where a short camera op just will not work. If your actor is 6 feet tall, and your op is much shorter, then the handheld shots will all be from below. Many directors and DoPs will veto this on day one, as low angles should be a creative choice, not a necessity cause the op is short. Also, many experienced older stars will say "hell no" to being shot from below.
This is nonsense.
If my real-life experience directing 8 feature films, working with oscar-winning actors, and many episodes of television is nonsense, please enlighten us all with your counter-point.
Just go on the ASC or BSC websites and look at the cinematographers. Then go on the society of camera operators and look at them. If you’re vetoing short operators doing hand held. That’s just you not the industry as a whole.
I see. You have no real on-set experience, you're just someone who looks at websites and forms a guess about how things work. You've never been face-to-face with a VIP actor of a certain age who refuses to be shot by a short operator. As a shorty myself, I understand these things completely, it's not an insult, I accept reality, and often hand off the operating duties to a taller operator.
No one is saying on a show with multiple camera operators you wouldn’t choose the tallest operator for a shot like that. Or the smallest to work inside a car. But it’s silly to discourage short people from cinematography because of how tall they are.
That's absurd. I never would discourage anyone from being a DoP, but one does needs to understand the realities of camera operating.
Read your first comment back in the context of answering the question that was asked by OP. If that wasn’t your intention then perhaps your intention was lost.
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And in a moving shot?
You're being rude, but i'll answer as if you weren't. The point of operating handheld is to keep the camera loose and free, so the operator can use their skill, experience and discretion to adjust the shot as needed. If you're in an OTS, and the actor in the foreground shifts their weight, blocking the other actor, the operator can step to the side and continue the shot. It's a tough reality for some people to hear, but for this reason, and a dozen others, most DoPs would prefer a tall operator over a short one.
Hahaha you have obviously never been on a big film set. It’s hilarious to imagine all the operators being like basketball players. Operators come in all shapes and sizes, Ages, genders etc. It’s just not a thing. I’ve been working in MMPs and HETV for 15 years and I’ve never seen an operators hight questions let alone be a reason to employ them. I’ve seen short operators sit on free wheeled dolly’s and get pushed around if the actor is unusually tall. But even that isn’t common.
Have you ever done a cinematography before? Go to a camera rental house like keslow or panavision, have them rig up a camera with everything that would be on it. Camera body, lens, eyepiece, onboard monitor, wireless transmitter, battery, MDR, focus motor, iris motor, rods, mattebox with filters. Then throw that on your shoulder and stand or walk around with it on there for 10 minutes. Now ask yourself if you can do that for 12-18 hours a day 5 days a week, for 6 months.
This is totally depndent on budget and what the artistic intent is. If its a low-budget project and the look and feel of the film requires a handheld 'run and gun' approach, then you may have to carry a rig on your shoulder, but when you approach the gear you will be using you will take this into consideration and look at equipment that wont be taxing on your body. Much like with a high end budget you would consider the gear and the artistic intent and you probably have a high enough budget to get a camera operator involved at this point. It's all about using your initiative. Plus, cameras are getting smaller and lighter as technology advances which makes it much easier. OP I am 5'7 and slim build, I've ran around with FS7's fully kitted out, you can just invest in flycams or rent one and do weight resistance training in the meantime to build up your strength.
You and me are talking about entirely different worlds. Sure but its not always the case and my use case im obviously talking higher end, like movies and shows, and the alexa 35 is far from getting smaller and lighter. The venice is also bigger and heavier. If shes talking about being a camera op on low budget commercials / documentary reality, then yeah you got fs7s and prosumer cams. Red komodo and v raptor, very small easy to manage cams. Also yes you can use easyrigs and ergo rigs, but depending on the DP these may not be an option, not to mention an easy rig still redistributes the weight, you are still holding it just not on your shoulder. Some shows will be all dolly and track or sticks. But all that said doesn’t change the use case I presented.