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Industry Overview
Television, Film & Video Careers

courtesy of the Internet Archives www.archives.org Interested in a film or television career? Already in school earning your film/tv degree? Don't have a degree, but still interested? The first thing to understand about television and film is that they are part of a bigger industry, entertainment. Most of what you see on TV is actually filmed, and there are many more opportunities in radio, audio recording, multimedia and more. You can even start a career at your local television station, with or without a degree.

You have to look at the bigger picture here. Whether you want to be a film director, cinematographer or even work in a recording studio, you are employed in the Entertainment Industry. That's important to remember, because most employees in this industry are freelance or part-time workers. Because of this, many employees migrate between film and television work because the jobs are so similar.

Though mostly digital, some smaller stations still use tape. Find out more!Even if you want to be an audio recording engineer, you'll gain valuable experience working part-time at the audio board on the local news. And if you are working at that local news station, you'll probably pick up other skills like camera operation, computer graphics and more. Great skills to help pay the bills as you start your audio recording career, because that work will probably be part-time as well.

See how it works? The best part is that you can begin your career with or without a degree. Of course a degree is the best path to take if your aspirations are to become a famous Hollywood director. While that path is difficult, it can be achieved with money, passion, perseverance and a lot of hard work.
But the more you learn about how the industry works, the more you'll understand there is a place for anyone to do what you love best. To get there, you'll learn skills you hadn't expected, and may find other interests along the way. You may even find that you have a better chance of doing what you aspire in a local market. It's about understanding the difference between your aspirations and expectations.

These articles are for those who just want to make a living doing what they love.
click to read the entire articles
Starting a Career in the Television & Video Industry
General overview of how the industry works. Includes often overlooked opportunities in this large industry, with or without a degree.
Surviving a Career in the Television & Video Industry
Many employees in this industry are part-time contract freelancers. This article offers suggestions on how to keep food on the table.