Rory Giddings

Video Assignment – Technical Roles

Roaming Camera Operator:

The person that is assigned to go around filming the task being undertaken, usually with a shoulder mount for ease of filming. They would normally work closely alongside the director, but primarily the vision mixer so that they can collaboratively decide what roaming camera shots they want to cut to.

Static Camera Operator:

The person assigned to operate the camera and film from a fixed location, such as a tripod, pole or machine. The static camera operator can only pan around the event being filmed, as the camera always remains in one location throughout the event. They would work closely with both the director and also the vision mixer, so that they can decide which area they want panned/filmed during that particular shot.

Vision Mixer:

The person in charge of operating the machine that allows them to cut and edit the shots together in a continuous sequence, occasionally switching between the roaming camera and the static camera, in order to provide an equal amount of coverage from both camera angles. They would work closely with the director for many reasons, one being so that they can decide how they want the event to appear to audiences, and another example would be so that they can choose the duration of each shot. They would also work closely alongside the playback operator, so that the vision mixer can see how the shots are looking, before cutting to that certain shot.

Playback Operator:

The playback operator is responsible for ensuring that all the required images are successfully captured by video playback. They would work closely with the director, who watches the video monitor during each take. Before the cameras start rolling, the playback operator must check that all their equipment/electrical devices are fully-functioning, such as the playback system, recording unit, video monitor screens, etc.