What A VT Operator Does On Set: Crew Breakdown

In this Crew Breakdown video, let’s take a look at the VT Operator and go over what their role is, what their average day on set looks like, and a couple tips that they use to be the best in their field.

MERCH:

SOCIALS:

GEAR:

MUSIC:
Ottom - 'Quiet Street'
Some Were At Sea - 'Another Year'
Laban - 'Portion'
Ottom - 'Ikigai'
Ottom - 'Yugen'
Ottom - 'Raining In Kyoto'
Ottom - 'It'll Be Alright'
Chill Winston - 'The Truth'

0:00 Introduction
1:01 Role
4:53 Squarespace
6:04 Average Day On Set
9:59 Tips
12:20 Conclusion

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[ItalianAnarkistGamrs]

I'm a VT from Italy, great video as always! I just want to say that while in most countries the VT is a separate department, often working with cable men to do the wiring and moving the monitors, in Italy we're still considered the 3rd member of the camera department, after the 1st and 2nd AC. Also here productions still rent everything from rentals, we usually don't own any of the equipment. Might be cool to compare US/UK standards to other countries!

There is a very good interview of a VT operator on (the great) Roger Deakins podcast, "Team Deakins". His name is Richard Shean and he is a very down to Earth guy. Besides talking about his job, he raises some interesting concerns about "video villages" and how a live feed to the studio can be a bad thing, because studio heads are now able to keep watching what everybody is doing on set, and interfere with creative decisions.

[PwnGamers]

In Germany the Video Operators Duties is a mixed bag, depending on the budget of the production. It can range from a mere camera department trainee who is starting out in the cam deptartment up to Qtake operators who are specifically booked for certain productions. Most of the time however there is a video operator who ranges as the "3rd AC" and is soley responsible for any kind of playback other than the onboard or 1st AC Monitor. I often do that on medium sized productions and since i am not a Qtake Operator i try my best to imitate the possibilites one has with Qtake like taking notes on shots, fast playback from weeks ago through my own little database of the shoot on my tablet or laptop and all around just consistent playback and quality.

[lefagabonthone]

I feel like In Depth Cine should consider making a filmmaking course which would include practical advise that most filmmakers don't include other than the text-book theory. I have learned a lot from you guys just from your YouTube videos, you are the best....

[johnmcnally]

Worth pointing out that on a set with a livegrade DIT, it will often be the DIT Assistant who is responsible for getting the image from the camera to the DIT. The Video Op will then take that image and distribute it as you described above.

[efe_aydal]

I hope u make more crew breakdowns. They're very important for people like me.

[benjamingentile]

11:30 I’d love to read the copy for that commercial, “Coca-Cola, tastes as good as WWI was bad. Like imagine how bad WWI was, well the good version of that badness, that’s how good Coca-Cola is.”

[leanderofcourse]

In Germany it's mostly called "Video Operator" and I just did that on a feature production two weeks ago :D

[kali_o_mali]

I do VTR in Atlanta and this is literally what it is like over here except it’s usually just 1 of us maybe 2

[ocean]

Can you make a video on script supervisor? It could be great! It's such an underrated member of the troupe

[ahmadbani]

Just wanna say I appreciate your videos :) do more of these role videos please...

[xavieryt]

Can't get enough of those videos.

[riffbaama]

one man army is as great as industry settup... I love small crews but having a full team is also so cool!

[inzaneartworks]

Love learning more about the process. Thanks!

What an awesome content on a fresh and interesting topic! Thank you for sharing it!

[joaquincarrizo]

Thanks for this free, valuable and enjoyable content. I´ve learnt a lot from ur channel, and it motivates me to keep trying to become a great cinematographer one day.

[Cinecave]

in canada, either the camera assistants do this job, usually the 2nd ACs, or its a shared job with the Digital Image Technician <-- the onset colorist/ data wrangler, depending on the show, for example "A Million Little Things". that show has a dedicated Video assist ( Video Playback) people taking care of that position.

[JanitzioFigueroa]

I loved it. Please make more videos about the crew!! 👍✌🏻

[Joe_Edits]

Great video as always, so much value!

[jourdanbrasil]

This was great bro would love 2 c more stuff like dis