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Have you ever watched your favorite television program and thought about how the show was made? What you see on television or at the movies is the end result of many complex operations that take place behind the scenes.Key elements in any media production are the photography (video or film) and editing. Camera operators and editors are in demand at television stations, news organizations, film production studios, advertising agencies, and even corporate video communications divisions. With the right career training, you could enter the exciting world of video or film production and enjoy a rewarding career. Here is a look at some dynamic media career choices and the training you might need to get started.Camera operators capture the story on television, film, or video cameras. They work in film studios, on location, and for news organizations in the field. They may also work for corporations as in-house content producers. Some camera operators are self-employed and are hired to videotape special events including weddings and conference program sessions. Camera operators in television studios use large cameras on rolling mounts to videotape a program.Producing a high-quality image requires having technical knowledge of digital camera systems, selecting the right equipment, and knowing how to set up a shot.News camera operators work as part of a team with an on-air field reporter. The challenge is to get to the scene of a newsworthy event and get the story on video in time to be edited for the next news program. Occasionally, news teams including the camera operator are required to "camp out" at a location (such as at a lengthy trial or the scene of a missing-persons case) for days or even weeks.Physical fitness is required to carry heavy equipment. Steadicam operators, who work for film production companies, wear a special harness that supports the camera. The harness and the camera are specially designed provide a smooth picture while the camera operator moves with the action. For some dramatic scenes the director may specify a hand-held camera that mimics what a real person might see.Film and video editors take the "raw footage" that has been delivered on film or as a digital file and assemble the finished product. They select from many different shots and blend the edits together to tell the story seamlessly. Nowadays, most of the editing work is done on a computer. The editor works closely with the film or news director to create an effective visual narrative.Education and Training Production companies and news organizations seek camera operators and editors with creativity, imagination, and a thorough technical understanding of how cameras and editing equipment operate. Many people get their training at accredited vocational schools, colleges, universities, or photographic institutes. For some positions a bachelor's degree may be required, particularly film and video editors.Reputable career and broadcasting/media colleges offer many quality television production career training programs that could prepare you for exciting entry-level positions. Basic courses usually cover the use of video camera and editing equipment, digital processes, and editing techniques. Many programs provide training in computer technology. Film schools also may provide instruction on the artistic or aesthetic aspects of filmmaking, including the study of the history of film as an art form.How Large Is the Industry?According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) Career Guide to Industries, 2010-11 Edition, in the United States about 47,000 jobs are held by camera operators and editors in television, video, and motion pictures. Video editors hold about 21,000 jobs, while about 27,000 are camera operators. Many are employed by local affiliate stations of television networks, while others work for independent television stations, cable and television networks, corporations, and small

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Digital video editing is the future, and the future is now. Without a doubt, digital video editing is a technological advancement of huge proportions, but we must not lose sight that it is not an advancement in the art of editing, but rather a monumental advancement in the tools available to the editor. Film, tape and digital video editing are different formats in which the editor works, but the basic art of editing remains the same. Editing is taking visual and audio and arranging them in a concise orderly manner in order to tell an entertaining story. That process takes place in editing any of the formats mentioned above.When film first became available, picture was cut with a pair of scissors and then the spliced together with glue on a hot splicer. Later on the technology changed and clear tape was used to join the cuts. After the editing was done on the work print and everyone was satisfied with the editing, the negative was cut to match the work print and hot spliced together. From the cut negative, prints were made that were projected in the theatres. In those days, music was added by a piano player in the theatre as the movie was projected on the screen. When sound came to the movies, the audio tracks were cut just like the picture and printed on the edge of the film when the prints were composited.Video tape was the next major advancement in editing but in essence it was not very different from film. It was still a physical delivery system for the video image. The process remained the same: edit the project, lock it down and then lay down from the master tape.Digital video editing brought a totally unique ability to edit and finish your project at the same time. Unlike video which lost quality as copies were laid down, the digital process lost nothing. If you were editing in the best quality mode, your project was complete when you were done with your editing session. All you had to do was convert the file if you were putting it on the internet, or out put your project to DVD and you are finished with perfect (no quality loss) copy.Digital video editing provides the editor with the tools to title, create effects, color correct and more all in the same session. Digital editing is the biggest addition to the tool box since the creation of the moving picture started the whole process. Digital video editing has opened the door to affordable editing for anyone that can afford a computer. Home movies will never be the same again, thanks to digital video editing.

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If you turn on the TV and watch news, play video games, or see a movie, chances are you are going to see something that was created with CGI animation. There are many childrens shows that use some sort of 3D software in their creation. While the quality of these shows are probably not up to par with the latest Pixar movies, they have improved greatly in the past few years. Have the animators gotten better? Maybe, but even if they have not, the software has.While programs such as Flash are used primarily to create 2d animation, there are a couple of 3D powerhouses in the software world. One of those powerhouses is 3D studio max or 3Dsmax for short. The major buzz around 3Ds max is that it is very new user friendly. So if you are novice just getting started, you may have better luck with this program than others out there. The company behind 3Dsmax is Autodesk and they are huge in the 3D world. Alot of video games are made with 3D studio max.Autodesk also develops 3Dsmax's biggest competitor, Maya. Maya is geared towards the more advanced 3D user. It has great animation capabilities, but it has a steeper learning curve. Most of the movies you see in the theater that feature some type of computer generated images will be using Maya.For those of you who aren't super rich, but still want to learn how CGI Animation is created, you can use a program called Blender 3D. Blender is basically a freeware 3D and animation software. Its also not dumbed down. It constantly being updated with the latest features and techniques used in the world of animation today. Many beginners tend to gravitate towards this software as well because novice animators usually do not have the money to spend on expensive 3D software.So there you have it, entertainment is everywhere and is turning to 3D to enhance the involvement of the user. The 3D trend is moving to overturn the 2d one of the old. Now, more than ever, companies are investing in these types of software to create CGI Animation.