Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Design, media, and writing / 27-4031.00

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

Operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions.

US jobs
21,550
Median wage
$74,990 a year
Job family
Design, media, and writing

Can agents do the work of camera operators, television, video, and film?

We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Design, media, and writing:

  • Task levelPartialOnly adjacent evidence. OSWorld-Verified includes tasks in image, slide, and document apps, and the best agent passes 90.2% of all its computer tasks. No task-level benchmark in our collection scores the quality of design or writing work.
  • Project levelNot yetOn the Remote Labor Index, which includes graphic design, video, 3D, audio, and web projects from freelance platforms, the best agent completed 15.8% of projects to a standard a client would accept. GDPval deliverables score higher (84.9% wins or ties against professionals, reported by OpenAI), but those tasks are one-shot and fully specified.

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in design, media, and writing, not always this occupation's tasks.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.
  • Operate television or motion picture cameras to record scenes for television broadcasts, advertising, or motion pictures.
  • Adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting.
  • Confer with directors, sound and lighting technicians, electricians, and other crew members to discuss assignments and determine filming sequences, desired effects, camera movements, and lighting requirements.
  • Operate zoom lenses, changing images according to specifications and rehearsal instructions.
  • Observe sets or locations for potential problems and to determine filming and lighting requirements.
  • Set up and perform live shots for broadcast.
  • Use cameras in any of several different camera mounts, such as stationary, track-mounted, or crane-mounted.
  • Test, clean, maintain, and repair broadcast equipment, including testing microphones, to ensure proper working condition.
  • Edit video for broadcast productions, including non-linear editing.
  • Instruct camera operators regarding camera setups, angles, distances, movement, and variables and cues for starting and stopping filming.
  • Assemble studio sets and select and arrange cameras, film stock, audio, or lighting equipment to be used during filming.
Other job titles for this occupation (69)

Camera Operator · Cameraman · Master Control Operator (MCO) · News Videographer · Production Technician · Studio Camera Operator · Television News Photographer · Videographer · Advanced Air Mobility Operator (AAM Operator) · Advanced Air Mobility Pilot (AAM Pilot) · Advanced Air Mobility Technician (AAM Technician) · Aerial Camera Operator · Animation Camera Operator · Camera Engineer · Camera Person · Cinematographer · Commercial Drone Operator · Commercial Drone Pilot · Creative Specialist · Drone Camera Operator · Drone Operator · Drone Pilot · Electronic News Gathering Camera Operator (ENG Camera Operator) · Event Videographer · Filmmaker · Legal Videographer · Motion Designer · Motion Picture Camera Operator · Motion Picture Cameraman · Motion Picture Photographer · Movie Shot Camera Operator · Movie Shot Cameraman · News Camera Operator · News Camera Person · News Reel Cameraman · Operations Technician · Optical Effects Camera Operator · Remote Camera Operator · Remote Pilot · Remotely Piloted Aircraft Camera Operator (RPA Camera Operator) · Remotely Piloted Aircraft Controller (RPA Controller) · Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operator (RPA Operator) · Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot (RPA Pilot) · Remotely Piloted Aircraft Technician (RPA Technician) · Sensor Operator · Sports Videographer · Studio Technician · Television Camera Operator · Television Cameraman · Unmanned Aerial Camera Operator · Unmanned Aerial Systems Operator (UAS Operator) · Unmanned Aerial Systems Pilot (UAS Pilot) · Unmanned Aerial Systems Technician (UAS Technician) · Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Operator (UAV Operator) · Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Pilot (UAV Pilot) · Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Technician (UAV Technician) · Unmanned Aircraft Operator (UA Operator) · Unmanned Aircraft Pilot (UA Pilot) · Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator (UAS Operator) · Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot (UAS Pilot) · Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technician (UAS Technician) · Unmanned Aircraft Technician (UA Technician) · Urban Air Mobility Operator (UAM Operator) · Urban Air Mobility Pilot (UAM Pilot) · Urban Air Mobility Technician (UAM Technician) · Video Camera Operator · Video Coordinator · Video Operator · Video Specialist