C-Span Camera Operator Skill Level

[prosheditor]

Does C-Span use fulltime camera operators or do they just use locals with little experience or volunteers when they travel? I've never watched C-Span at length before but after watching a few presidential candidate interviews in the last week, I just couldn't believe how bad the lighting, audio and framing was in some of them.

 

[Icarus112277]

Pay peanuts, get monkeys

 

[Focused]

Exactly

Icarus112277: Pay peanuts, get monkeys



Exactly. 8 years ago, leading up to the 2008 election, I kept getting calls to shoot candidate appearances and speeches for C-span. They offered a generous $50/hr with YOUR gear. Mileage not included. Travel Time ignored.
Pay = length of recorded tape.

 

[Run&Gun]

When I first got into this business in the 90's, I did a shoot for them: Some speech/presentation type deal. I don't know what they really paid, I was working for someone else and paid by them.

Pay peanuts, get monkeys

Icarus, I love it. I may have to add that to my sig, too.

 

[svp]

I can't speak for C-SPAN in the field but when I worked on Capitol Hill, almost all of their crews operated remote control cameras. The crew sit in the hallway with monitors, a switcher, and camera controls. When they did have a manned camera in a hearing, it was usually locked down and didn't move much. C-SPAN isn't exactly where you go to work of you have experience unless you just want to be lazy and get a paycheck.

 

[BluesCam]

Yep. Cheap locals. Pas moi.