whats on your business card?

[ian515]

For the freelancers who have cards, what do you call your self? videographer? video producer? DoP?

currently, I have videographer on mine, but every now and then I wonder if its "proffesional" enough to hand out to the big companies.

 

[Nino]

TeeVeeographer

I just made that one up, but has potential.

We are kind of orphans when it comes to tell people what we are as it relates to what we do. I use "TV Photographer" and "Director of Photography", never videographer or cameraman

 

[Flaca Productions]

Freelance Photographer
(but there's a picture of a Tee-Vee camera, so you know i'm not a stills guy....)

 

[dhart]

Name and serial number that's it. Seriously, I do not use a title on my business card because I do lots of different things; shooting, editing, directing and producing.

 

[ian515]

Name and serial number that's it. Seriously, I do not use a title on my business card because I do lots of different things; shooting, editing, directing and producing.

which is my problem too. I will produce, shoot and edit. might not be a bad idea to not label myself this time around.

 

[2000lux]

Mine says TV Photographer / Audio Technican / Editor / Field Producer.

I've been uncomfortable using the term Director of Photography because I've though of it more as a film term - like Cinematographer - but people seem to use often in this business, so I'm starting to use it.

A client can call me a D.P, TV Photographer, photog, shooter, cameraman... whatever as long as they sign the check!

 

[Baltimore Shooter]

Mine says Gigolo.


...Oh wait, wrong card.

Warren

 

[Nino]

which is my problem too. I will produce, shoot and edit. might not be a bad idea to not label myself this time around.

If you do all those then just put down "producer". Then put a little slogan underneath with something like"Video production from start to finish" or anything that will convey the message that you do it all.

Don't over complicate your business card, when I hand mine out I do it so they can have my phone number, email and web site.

And BTW, I make my own.

 

[news-shooter]

I put "Photographer/Editor/Truck with a black and white picture (same as my avatar) Phone# and Nextel DC

 

[Chugach3DGuy]

Mine has the name of my business, followed by "Video Production and 3D Animation" as a brief description. Of course, I have my name and all my contact info as well. Like Nino said I found it easier to say the 2 overall names of the services I provide instead of trying to list off all the individual things I can do. For most of us, that would be a long list!

 

[2000lux]

Yeah, I printed out some new cards over the weekend. They're a bit text heavy listing all the hats I wear. I will have to edit it down for the next time.

 

[your boy]

Owner/Camera Operator

I think the DP term is overused, and sometimes intimidating to clients. Owner says that if I own a High Def Production company I can either do or get someone to do what you need.

A cast of hundreds, a payroll of 1.

 

[mikeandcamera]

why?

I don't want to hijack this thread, but being a german "cameraman"... why is noone using the term over there on your side of the pond? Here, and in most parts of Europe, a "cameraman" covers anything from studio jobs to ENG, from corporate to TV. Any reason?

Michael

 

[Greybeard]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but being a german "cameraman"... why is noone using the term over there on your side of the pond? Here, and in most parts of Europe, a "cameraman" covers anything from studio jobs to ENG, from corporate to TV. Any reason?

Michael

A matter of personal preference really. Like you, I use Cameraman. To me, the simplest, most descriptive term for what we do.
We're not photographers, (similar, but a different skill-set), because we don't take photographs. I blame this misconception on our co-workers, the reporters and producers we generally work with. They picked the term "photographer" because they are familiar with it, as many of them have a print media background.
DP is valid, on occasion. But mostly we're only "directing" ourselves, and it seems a trifle pretentious. On the other hand, "Videographer" is appropriate, but through usage it has come to imply "wedding cameraman", therefore those that don't share this specialty seem to shun the term.

Language changes over time. The old Hollywood DPs called themselves "cameramen" because it was the traditional term, even though many of them were masters of the cinematic image. But whatever you want to call yourselves, fine, just don't call me a "shooter". Then you're going to have trouble.

 

[wtv]

Cameraman/Producer

 

[Shootblue]

Mine says "complete eng/efp production services"...but that may vary by your market or willingness to do certain things.

 

[zac love]

I'm thinking of just having "video" under my name when my box of 100k cards run out. But I'll probably come up with something better by that point.

 

[2000lux]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but being a german "cameraman"... why is noone using the term over there on your side of the pond? Here, and in most parts of Europe, a "cameraman" covers anything from studio jobs to ENG, from corporate to TV. Any reason?

Actually that is the reason. It covers too many things. It doesn't define some one who does lighting and story telling from some one who just does studio camera work.

When I'm talking to regular people I say that I'm a cameraman or a television photographer. When I'm talking to other professionals I use D.P.

I'm a little uncomfortable calling my self a D.P. because I think it does sound a bit pretentious and more of a "film" term, but it seems to be generally accepted around here. I won't call my self a cinematographer.

 

[Berkeley Shooter]

In a large market that's loaded with video professionals like San Francisco's where I live, it's important to set yourself out as a specialist. I use Director of Photography under my name. If I didn't have as much gray hair or shot just news, I'd probably use cameraman. That said, who knows, maybe I'd make more money if I did it all.