Preface
What is the difference between a camera operator and a cameraman?
In 2006, I found myself working on a TV show for Intuitive Entertainment with cinematographer I-Li Chen. He was the first person I had ever encountered who could not only sum up the difference but also the importance of this difference. His explanation was as follows:
“Camera operators shoot what they’re told, when they’re told; they are more or less a tool with little or no creative input. Cameramen are a bit of a director as well. They are always watching and listening to everything that is happening. They are looking for moments, feeling the energy in a room, and identifying the story in what they are shooting. A cameraman will always capture the best moments.”
I-Li ...
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