Will AI replace Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film?
AI reaches little of this job’s work.
20/100
Low exposure
More exposed to AI than 35% of US workers.
- AI already used in
- 11% of the work
- As AI tools mature: up to
- 36% of the work
What the job involves
Operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions.
Where AI reaches the work
The job’s main tasks, heaviest first, by how far AI reaches them.
Already happening(2)
- Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.
- Edit video for broadcast productions, including non-linear editing.
Within reach(7)
- 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.
- Read and analyze work orders and specifications to determine locations of subject material, work procedures, sequences of operations, and machine setups.
- Write new scripts for broadcasts.
- View films to resolve problems of exposure control, subject and camera movement, changes in subject distance, and related variables.
- Stay current with new technologies in the field by reading trade magazines.
and 2 more
Out of reach(12)
- Operate television or motion picture cameras to record scenes for television broadcasts, advertising, or motion pictures.
- Observe sets or locations for potential problems and to determine filming and lighting requirements.
- Set up and perform live shots for broadcast.
- Adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting.
- Test, clean, maintain, and repair broadcast equipment, including testing microphones, to ensure proper working condition.
and 7 more
Also called
Camera Operator · Cinematographer · News Videographer · Videographer · Camera Engineer · Motion Picture Cameraman · Motion Picture Photographer · Movie Shot Cameraman
Related jobs
What these numbers mean
The score is the share of this job’s work, weighted by how important and frequent each task is, that AI could do in half the time: tasks an AI model could do alone count in full, tasks that need software built on AI count half.
“AI already used” is the share of the work in tasks where people are recorded using AI today. “As AI tools mature” counts every task AI could halve, with or without extra software.
The percentile compares the score with every job’s, weighted by how many people in the US do each one. Exposure means AI could change how the work is done, not that the job goes away. These are estimates for the typical job, not predictions.
Sources
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
- GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs (task labels), Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), OpenAI and University of Pennsylvania
- Anthropic Economic Index: labor market impacts (task penetration), Anthropic
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national and metropolitan areas), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics