You see everything with a cinematographer’s eye. You’ve been passionate about creating videos since high school — making numerous short films and full-length movies for YouTube and social media audiences everywhere.
Now, you want to transform your creative hobby into a full-on business by becoming a videographer — here’s how!
How to Become a Videographer
There’s no “one way” to become a videographer! You can enroll in film schools, take online classes, or learn the ins and outs on your own time. But no matter your path, you’ll need to develop skills and explore specialties and niches to find out where your interests and talents collide.
Explore Specialty and Niche Videographer Careers
Your videography niche is going to be foundational to your menu of services, pricing, marketing, and more. You could focus on one specialty or try your hand at several. From weddings and events to business videos and journalism, here are some examples of different types of videography careers.
To hone in on what type of videographer you want to become, consider things that might make one career choice easier or more attractive to you than the others, such as:
- Your background / personal or professional experience
- Your interests, hobbies, and passions
- Your creative style or storytelling abilities
- Technical expertise you have
- Interpersonal skills you have that might work best with a specific type of client
- Demand and competition in your area — will you be able to land work?
- Whether you want to work inside or outdoors or want to travel
- How much you need to make, and whether you can earn that as a videographer in that niche
A few other factors you might need to take into account are things like equipment costs, how much time you want to spend working, and whether you need to get more education or experience before setting up shop.
Build Videography Skills and Experience
Per ZipRecruiter, the average salary for videographers is $63,930. However, a lot of things can affect your total earnings — location, demand, experience, education, reputation, industry, and more.
Leverage Filming Basics
Making videos is all about understanding and merging various techniques to create a captivating final product. Some of the mechanics and aspects of filming you can use to create videos that tell compelling stories include:
- Scene setup methods like leading lines and the rule of thirds
- Camera movements like zooming, panning, and tilting as well as equipment like stabilizers
- Establishing things like the time of day or the mood you want to create with lighting
- The ambient noise and music you’ll use to create authenticity and evoke emotion
- The type of mics and other equipment you’ll need to capture audio
- The art of color correcting, clipping, trimming, cropping, reframing, etc.
- How to edit your visual and audio footage and add things like captions, voice-overs, animations, transitions, special effects, and so on
All of these basics can come together in different ways, ultimately enabling you to not only develop great footage — but to also find and refine your signature style.
Understand Storytelling Techniques and Tactics
Top videographers know just how to combine filming techniques for unique storytelling that evokes viewer emotions. These are just some of the storytelling tactics to try as you become a videographer:
- Three-act structure (e.g., a setup, confrontation, and solution)
- Early hook to grab interest with a shocking scene or intriguing visual
- Non-linear storytelling like flashbacks / flashforwards or parallel timelines
- Foreshadowing / planting seeds
- Interviews, monologues, or narration
- Hero’s journey — a character’s transformation through challenges and triumphs
- Relatable themes or personas (protagonists)
- Perspective, e.g., first person (through the character’s eyes), third-person omniscient, subjective (a character’s emotions or state of mind)
- Strategic use of color (learn more about the psychology of color in videography) as well as lighting and music
Take Online or Local Classes
Learning how to become a videographer on your own is a go-getter move. However, learning the ins and outs of the craft from a professional in an online or real-life classroom allows you to fill your knowledge gaps and explore different concepts.
For a lot of videographers, combining these strategies is the best way to develop a signature style that screams “professional!” You can find videography courses through:
- Local community colleges
- Film or art schools
Universities - Or online via sites like MasterClass, Udemy, and Skillshare
And don’t forget about sites like YouTube! Whether you’re looking for a specific tip or trick or just some general knowledge, chances are you’ll be able to find a decent videography tutorial for it there.
Find a Mentor
Learning from a mentor is another route to sharpen your skills, especially if you find one willing to take you under their wing and guide you through any industry obstacles.
For example, they could help you find the right job for your niche and skillset if they have a strong network of connections. Or they can give you tips for the best way to set up your business, price your services, market yourself as a videographer, and more.
You can also get great tips by simply studying other professionals. Look up professional videographers on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook groups, and more, and study their work. What do you like about their style? What techniques do they use that you could implement in your work?
Work as an Assistant or Second Shooter
Another great option for becoming a videographer is to work as a videographer’s assistant. You’ll get first-hand knowledge about setting up video shoots, creating and editing footage, and building rapport with clients and subjects.
It’s also common for videographers to hire “second shooters” for important events like weddings or events where there are multiple priorities as far as the footage needed. Working as a second shooter to see how to become a videographer can be invaluable in understanding how to work with clients and getting tips for when you start a videography business of your own.
Get the Gear You Need to Become a Videographer
The best tools for becoming a videographer depend on your preference and niche. Obviously, you’ll need a good camera (and keep in mind that starting with a high-quality used video camera could save you a lot of money).
Here are more tools that will come in handy for virtually any specialty you choose:
- Equipment like gimbals, tripods, and lighting
- Supplies like batteries, memory cards (and extras for backup)
- Accessories like microphones and lenses
- Technology like external hard drives and editing software
- Gear like camera bags and rolling cases
And don’t discount the need for a good smartphone. For one thing, if you need a wi-fi hotspot to upload footage to the cloud, your smartphone could be a lifesaver.
Plus, many smartphones have incredible video shooting and editing capabilities. Some creators even choose to use them in lieu of traditional video cameras. Also, they’re a great last line of defense if your other equipment fails.
Check out some of the best smartphones for videography.
Protect Your Gear… and Career
The path to becoming a videographer and getting paid to do what you love can be all fun and games… until a mishap occurs and you’re left facing a pricey claim or lawsuit. For example:
An attendee trips over a tripod you set up at a corporate holiday party, requires medical care, and then sues you to pay their medical bills.
You’re shooting a commercial at a local business. A fog machine you rented for special effects leaves scuff marks on the floor, and now the client insists that you pay to repair or replace the damaged flooring.
Videographer’s insurance is designed specifically to cover claims like these (and more). The base policy includes general liability protection for third-party injury or property damage claims for as little as $12 a month. From there, you can customize your protection with camera equipment coverage, professional liability, and data theft protection.
Full Frame Insurance (FFI) has policies tailored to protect many different types of videographers, such as:
John Trang, co-founder and chief creative officer of video storytelling company SplitMotion, stresses the importance of having videographer insurance:
Create a Portfolio
To become a videographer, you’ll need a portfolio that showcases your work and style to grow your client base and land video shoots. You can use your portfolio to market and promote your services on social media, YouTube, your website, and more.
To get started, try creating a 60-90-second demo reel with clips of your best work to spotlight your desired niche (and attract your ideal clients). Or use it to showcase a wider range of filming capabilities to get the attention of more than one type of client.
Just make sure your portfolio aligns with your niche and goals. For example, to become a commercial videographer, your portfolio should have ads and promotional videos — not wedding clips, breaking event footage, or experimental films you did with friends.
Develop a Menu of Services
When pricing your services, you have different models to choose from. You may charge for some services by the hour, whereas for others, you have flat rates, optional add-ons, discounted bundles, tiered packages, and so on.
Here are some ideas for things to account for in your menu:
- Base services: Base services are standalone services and any minimum inclusions for a specific package, such as a 1-hour wedding shoot with a full video, one social media-friendly video, and two rounds of editing.
- Tiered pricing: Pricing tiers allow you to include more services or options in packages that increase in price, like a tier one package that includes a wedding video and two rounds of editing, tier two that includes a second shooter, additional editing rounds, and more footage, and a third tier that builds on that by including still photography.
- Bundles: Bundles are menu offerings that combine events or services — like a specially-priced package that includes a wedding’s rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception, or a bundle that includes both videography and still photography at a shoot.
- Add-ons: Some add-on services include same-day (or extra rounds of) editing, motion graphic intros, highlight reels, second shooters, still photography, and so on.
Promote Your Services
From the right tools, a solid niche, and a snappy business name, you have all you need to become a videographer — now you just need to get videography clients!
Here are some online and offline ways to promote your services:
- A website with a portfolio: Low-cost do-it-yourself website builders like Wix and Squarespace are go-to’s for creatives looking to build brand awareness online
- Social media: Social media channels like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Vimeo, and more are great for live-streaming, watch parties, and portfolio showcasing
- Online search visibility: Google business listings appear in online searches all the time — make a free Google Business Profile with your business address, phone number, website link, video samples, and Google reviews
- Job boards: Sites like LinkedIn, Behance, The Knot, Wedding Wire, FilmLocal, Upwork, Fiverr, Vimeo, and others have videographer job boards where you can source work, list your business, and advertise to land gigs
- Collateral: Business cards, brochures, and postcards can all drive people to your website and portfolio to learn more about your work
- Online reviews: Invite clients to leave reviews and testimonials on your Google page, website, or social media channels to gain more credibility and reliability for your business
- Incentivize word-of-mouth referrals: Past clients, photographer counterparts, and others in your network might all be excited to earn rewards by referring businesses your way
Build Your Network
Sometimes, videography can feel lonely. You may find it more rewarding to interact with or bounce ideas with other videographers in or out of your niche.
Here are a few ways to branch out and build your videographer network:
- Join associations: Rub elbows with your peers and stay up to speed on the latest trends of other videographers in associations like WEVSY (Wedding & Event Videographers Society), state-based videography or photography associations, or groups like the Filmmakers Alliance.
- Attend conferences or conventions: Learn tips and tricks and check out tech and new gear by trekking to videographer conferences, such as VidCon, SXSW, Northbound Videographer Conference, and the (iconic!) Sundance Film Festival.
- Connect through social media groups: Get inspiration, ideas, and practical advice by joining videographer social media/online groups like the Freelance Videographer Community (Facebook), Videographers Connect (Facebook), GoPro Videographers (LinkedIn), and more.
Common Questions About How to Become a Videographer
Do Videographers Make Good Money?
Yes, videographers can make good money. Per ZipRecruiter, the average videographer’s salary is $63,930 per year and $31 per hour. Keep in mind that salary and wages differ according to location, services, demand, the amount of time you want to work, and other factors.
Can I Become a Videographer Without a Degree?
You don’t need a degree to become a videographer — many are self-taught, take online classes, shadow a mentor, or study informally.
Is It Hard to Get a Job as a Videographer?
It can be hard to get a job as a videographer when just starting out. But you can up the odds by getting friends and family you’ve created videos for to leave reviews for you online, build your social following, extend special offers, and invest in marketing and advertising for your business.
