The best Cameramen. . .

I’m often asked what the most important qualities are for a TV news Cameraman. People assume that I’m going to tell them about an ability to frame beautiful pictures or light an interview so that it looks like a Hollywood film set. Frankly I see these as secondary skills. Now obviously all Cameramen need to be able to film an image that is in focus, the right colour and with audible sound but I genuinely believe that a sense of humour and an easy going nature are much more important. Picture this: You’re in Afghanistan, you’ve worked for sixteen hours straight in the blistering heat, you’re hungry and you’ve just been told by London that your piece was dropped from the bulletin in favour of a fluffy report about kittens being raised by a dog. In that situation you need a friend, a nice guy, someone who’s not going to shout and scream. You’re all mad but somebody in the team needs to take a deep breath and bring everyone back together – “Hay don’t worry guys at least the 24 hour news channel will run it!” A good cameraman can be the glue that pulls everything together and keeps the wheels from falling off on a tough trip. A good cameraman can mix with anybody, no matter their nationality or social standing, make them feel at ease and get them to trust him. You’re never going to get amazing shots if the subject isn’t relaxed with your presence. The ability to communicate through smiles and gestures with anyone is priceless in our business and the Cameramen that can are worth their weight in gold.