First Assistant Camera (1st AC)
Impact: Visual storytelling, technical execution
Manages and maintains camera equipment, ensuring focus and proper exposure during filming. Collaborates closely with the Director of Photography and camera crew to achieve artistic and technical goals.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 80% Team / 20% Solo
- Client facing
- Rarely
- Impact visibility
- High
- Travel
- 20-40% domestic, sometimes international
- Schedule flexibility
- Rigid
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 50-70 hours/week
- Stress level
- High
At a glance
- Median salary
- $75,000
- Entry-level
- $40,000 - $60,000
- Senior
- $100,000+
- Growth by 2033
- 5% (average)
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- High
- Salary growth potential
- High to 100-150% growth from entry to senior
- Typical student debt
- $20,000 - $50,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Camera Operation
- Lens Maintenance
- Focus Pulling
- Exposure Control
- Cinematography Principles
- Equipment Troubleshooting
Soft skills
- Attention to Detail
- Problem-Solving
- Communication
- Adaptability
- Teamwork
- Pressure Management
Technical complexity: High
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's Degree or Certificate/Vocational Training
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 3-5 years
- Years to senior
- 7-10 years
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
Where you can go from here
Typical progression
- 2nd AC
- 1st AC
- Director of Photography (DP)
- Cinematographer
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- 10% to low risk due to nuanced technical and artistic judgment
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 3.5/10
- Meaning
- 3.8/10
- Work-life balance
- 4/10
- Prestige
- 6.5/10
- Social perception
- High