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OaSIS 2025 Version 1.0
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51120.07 – Directors of photography

Directors of photography coordinate and direct the photography of motion pictures.

Overview

Example job titles

  • Cinematographer
  • Director of photography

Core competencies

  • Coordinating to ensure all visual elements, belonging to various departments such as the production design team, lighting crew or camera operators, work together harmoniously
  • Decision Making and Critical Thinking to analyze script requirements, anticipate challenges on set and adapt their creative vision in real-time to ensure the visual narrative aligns with the intent and the overall production goals
  • Fluency of Ideas to generate a diverse range of creative visual concepts and solutions swiftly, translating scripts into compelling visual narratives through expert knowledge of lighting, camera techniques, and composition
  • Colour Perception to accurately assess, modify and enhance colour palettes within the framework of lighting, camera settings and post-production processes, ensuring the visual storytelling aligns with the director's vision
  • Attention to Detail to inspect every aspect of visual composition, lighting and camera movement, ensuring every shot aligns with vision through precise colour grading, framing and texture
  • Knowledge in Arts to understand photography principles of composition, colour theory and visual storytelling to create compelling and visually coherent images

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Coordinate and direct the photography of motion pictures, supervise camera operators and other crews and determine lighting, lenses, camera angles, backgrounds and other elements to achieve desired visual effect.

Additional information

  • Membership in a related guild or union may be required.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Announcers and other broadcasters (52114)
  • Audio and video recording technicians (52113)
  • Broadcast technicians (52112)
  • Film and video camera operators (52110)
  • Graphic arts technicians (52111)
  • Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts (50011)
  • Motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and performing arts assistants and operators (53111)
  • Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts (52119)
  • Photographers (53110)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

5 – Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport

TEER

1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

Major group

51 – Professional occupations in art and culture

Sub-major group

511 – Professional occupations in art and culture

Minor group

5112 – Creative and performing artists

Unit group

51120 – Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations

Occupational profile

51120.07 – Directors of photography

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.