How Are High-Quality Low-Cost Cameras Disrupting the Video Job Market?

How are high-quality low-cost cameras disrupting the film/video job market?

The impact of technology on the video and filmmaking industry

Until a couple of decades ago a business that was able to shoot videos or to take high-quality photographs were in high demand. This was a relatively exclusive market that required a person to obtain very expensive equipment and to have adequate experience and training in the industry in order to be able to make an adequate income out of this industry. Those people with the necessary expertise and those with the most sophisticated equipment were always the ones that were able to attract the most lucrative offers. 

The latest technological advances have changed all of this because there are dozens if not hundreds of types of high-quality photographic equipment available that can be obtained at a relatively low cost. This allows a person with very little, and in some cases no photographic experience, to compete very successfully with people who have been in this industry for decades. It is now possible to shoot videos which are of sufficient quality for distribution on the World Wide Web and for screening in theaters. There are many ways to produce great content for marketing products and for entertainment.

The door to more affordable film production has been blown off its hinges in a very spectacular fashion. This is not good news for people who are earning their living within the film industry and technological advances have seriously reduced job opportunities within the entertainment industry.

The advances in smartphone technology

Who could have predicted two decades ago that we would reach a situation where a relatively cheap smartphone could be used to record video which would be of sufficient quality for distribution on the Internet or screen in theaters? 

This is exactly what is happening all over the planet every single day. Literally millions of videos which were produced by use of a smartphone are clogging up the social media networks. On top of that, the more successful the video is and the more times it is viewed, the more money a person could make through that video upload. The reality is that there is a huge demand for interesting viewing material on the Internet and such videos are shared over and over again between family and friends. There can be no doubt that the amateur video producer can accomplish a lot with the available technologies. 

The question is how does this impact the film and video job market?

The creation of a successful documentary

The reality is that possessing a high-quality camera and shooting some extraordinary footage is still only one part of the overall end product. There are a lot more involved in making a documentary film that will be able to draw the attention of specialists in the industry and also a sufficient number of viewers. A truly successful documentary video will require very high-quality footage, professional editing and also professional and interesting narrating. Even though it may be true that a picture speaks a 1000 words it will still be necessary to have someone who can guide the viewer through the available content by making available additional information which may not be readily accessible to the viewer when only the video footage is watched. 

There can be no doubt that technological advances have been successful in placing technology in the hands of amateurs which is allowing them to accomplish astonishing results with that equipment. However, it will still require a true profession to put everything together into a well-finished package that will successfully speak to millions of viewers all over the globe.