Audio and Video Technicians
Impact: Audience engagement
Set up, maintain, and dismantle audio and video equipment, such as microphones, sound speakers, connecting wires and cables, sound and mixing boards, video cameras, video monitors and servers, and related electronic equipment for live or recorded events, such as concerts, meetings, conventions, presentations, podcasts, news conferences, and sporting events.
What do Audio and Video Technicians do?
What the work is really like
You set up microphones, cameras, mixing boards, projectors, and cables before the event starts, then monitor every feed and signal while it happens, then break it all down and pack it up when it ends. The work follows a rhythm of arrival, assembly, operation, and teardown, whether you are supporting a corporate conference, a live concert, a podcast recording, or a sports broadcast. You solve problems in real time: a wireless mic cuts out during a keynote, a video feed flickers during a panel, a cable stops transmitting signal ten minutes before doors open. The job rewards people who can think under pressure, troubleshoot without drama, and work quickly with their hands while staying alert to what is happening on stage or on camera.
Most of your day is physical and technical. You run cable, position lighting rigs, calibrate audio levels, align camera angles, and test every connection before the audience arrives. During the event, you sit at a mixing board or a control station and watch levels, cue transitions, and adjust settings as the situation changes. After the event, you coil cable, pack cases, and load equipment into a truck or a storage room. The work is rarely glamorous, and much of it happens in back rooms, loading docks, and control booths where the audience never sees you.
Skills and strengths that matter
You need working fluency with electronics, signal flow, and the software that runs mixing consoles, video switchers, and encoding systems. The technical knowledge is not abstract: you should be able to identify a balanced audio signal, diagnose a faulty cable, configure a camera for the right frame rate, and patch a backup source when the primary feed fails. You also need to monitor multiple inputs at once and notice when something drifts out of spec before it becomes a visible or audible problem.
Coordination matters as much as technical skill. You work closely with event producers, stagehands, camera operators, and talent, often under tight timelines and with little room for error. Service orientation is essential because the work exists to make someone else look good, and your success is measured by how invisible the technical layer remains. You need the kind of calm that holds steady when a client panics, a speaker goes off schedule, or equipment fails in the middle of a live broadcast. Manual dexterity, attention to detail, and the ability to lift and move heavy cases are also part of the baseline.
Who tends to thrive here
People who thrive in this work tend to like solving tangible problems with their hands and their heads at the same time. If you are drawn to understanding how systems work, enjoy troubleshooting under pressure, and feel satisfied when everything runs smoothly because you set it up correctly, this role will feel natural. The work suits people who prefer variety over routine: no two events are identical, and the settings change from week to week.
You will spend most of your time working as part of a team, often with tight coordination required across multiple people and departments. The role demands flexibility with hours, including early mornings, late nights, weekends, and travel. People who need predictable schedules or who dislike repetitive physical work tend to find the rhythm exhausting. The role also carries moderate stress: when something goes wrong during a live event, you are the one who has to fix it in front of hundreds or thousands of people, and the margin for error is slim.
How people get into the role and grow
Most entrants hold a bachelor's degree in a field such as broadcast technology, media production, or a related technical discipline, though some break in through internships, volunteer work at community radio stations, or assistant roles at production companies. You typically start as a runner, a cable puller, or a junior technician, where you learn the equipment, the workflow, and the unwritten rules of event production. Early roles involve a lot of setup and teardown, and you build skill by watching more experienced technicians work under pressure.
After five to eight years, you can move into more specialised positions such as broadcast technician or film and video editor, or step into supervisory roles such as media technical director or manager. Some people pivot into camera operation, lighting design, or sound engineering, where the work becomes more creative and less focused on logistics. Others move into corporate roles, supporting internal communications or training content for large organisations, where the hours are more predictable and the work is less event-driven. A smaller number transition into freelance work, where they control their schedule but accept the financial unpredictability that comes with project-based income. The long term outlook is stable but not growing quickly, and automation is beginning to replace some of the simpler monitoring and switching tasks that once required a human operator.
From people working as Audio and Video Technicians
Day-to-day, you're constantly problem-solving, whether it's a rogue cable, a buzzing mic, or a video feed glitch. It's a mix of careful setup, quick troubleshooting during live events, and then the satisfying tear-down. You need a sharp eye for detail and a calm head under pressure, especially when the show must go on. It's physically demanding, but the thrill of a flawless production makes it all worthwhile.
Drawn from r/VideoEditing, Audio Engineering Society (AES), Creative COW
Attribution: Composite
Composite · Synthesised from r/VideoEditing, Audio Engineering Society (AES), Creative COW
A day in the life of Audio and Video Technicians
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 90% Team / 10% Solo
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- Moderate
- Travel
- Minimal
- Schedule flexibility
- Flexible
- Remote work
- Mostly Remote
- Typical work hours
- 40-50
- Stress level
- Moderate
Audio and Video Technicians salary, education and outlook at a glance
- Median salary
- $142,422
- Entry-level
- $97,000
- Senior
- $192,500
- Growth by 2033
- +3.3%
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- High
- Salary growth potential
- 116%
- Typical student debt
- Moderate
Skills you need as Audio and Video Technicians
Hard skills
- Computers and Electronics
- Operations Monitoring
- Graphics or photo imaging software
Soft skills
- Coordination
- Service Orientation
- Monitoring
Technical complexity: Low
Tools Audio and Video Technicians use
Core tools
- Adobe Audition (Software): Edit and mix audio for various media productions.
- Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve (Software): Perform video editing, color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production.
- Shure SM58 (Hardware): Capture high-quality vocal and instrument audio in live and studio settings.
Commonly used
- Avid Pro Tools (Software): Record, edit, and mix audio for music, film, and television production.
- Sony Alpha Series Cameras (Hardware): Capture high-resolution video and still images for professional productions.
Specialist tools
- OBS Studio (Software): Stream live video and record screen content for online broadcasts and presentations.
How to become Audio and Video Technicians
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's Degree
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 3-6
- Years to senior
- 12-18
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where Audio and Video Technicians come from
- Broadcast Technician: Individuals often transition from maintaining broadcast equipment to broader audio and video technical roles.
- Sound Engineering Technician: Specialized sound technicians may broaden their skills to include video aspects for diverse events.
- Lighting Technician: Lighting professionals can pivot to audio and video by expanding their technical expertise in event production.
Where Audio and Video Technicians go next
- Film and Video Editor: Audio and video technicians often move into editing roles, leveraging their understanding of production workflows.
- Media Technical Director: With experience, technicians can advance to directing and overseeing technical aspects of media productions.
- Live Event Producer: Technicians with strong organizational and technical skills can transition to managing entire live events.
Typical Audio and Video Technicians progression
- Motion Picture Projectionists
- Audio and Video Technicians
- Media Technical Directors/Managers
- Film and Video Editors
- or Broadcast Technicians
Audio and Video Technicians job outlook and future demand
- Automation probability
- 0.6398
- AI disruption risk
- High
- Demand trend
- Stable
Job satisfaction as Audio and Video Technicians
- Overall satisfaction
- 7/10
- Meaning
- 8/10
- Work-life balance
- 6.5/10
- Prestige
- 6.5/10
- Social perception
- High
Where Audio and Video Technicians find community
Professional organisations
- Audio Engineering Society (AES): The professional body for audio engineers, providing standards, education, and events.
Podcasts and media
- Production Expert: Provides news, reviews, and tutorials for audio and video production professionals.
Reddit communities
- r/VideoEditing: A community for video editors to share tips, ask questions, and discuss industry trends.
Online communities
- Creative COW: An online community and resource for digital video, audio, and motion graphics professionals.
Questions people ask about Audio and Video Technicians
How much do Audio and Video Technicians earn?
Pay for Audio and Video Technicians starts around $97,000 at entry level, reaches $142,422 at the median and climbs to $192,500 for the most experienced.
What qualifications do Audio and Video Technicians need?
Most employers look for a Bachelor's Degree, no licensing is required and reaching mid-career takes about 3-6 years.
Can Audio and Video Technicians work remotely?
Most of the work happens remotely.
What is the job outlook for Audio and Video Technicians?
Projections put employment growth at +3.3% through 2033, with demand rated Stable.
How exposed are Audio and Video Technicians to automation and AI?
This work carries a high risk of disruption from AI.
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