How to Become a Basketball Videographer

If you love nothing more than watching basketball, then it isn’t easy to imagine a better career than becoming a basketball videographer.

But to do that, you can be talented with a video camera, and you also need to be recognized for that talent, which requires developing relationships in basketball.

If you’ve ever wondered how to become a basketball videographer, you’re in the right place. This article will cover everything you need to know about pursuing this career and reaching your ultimate goal of becoming an NBA videographer.

What is a Basketball Videographer?

Basketball videographers use cameras to record live basketball games. They operate the cameras that film games so they can be shown on live TV. But that’s only part of what a basketball videographer can be.

In addition to filming live games, basketball videographers may assist with filming promotional videos, such as advertisements featuring basketball scenes. They help indirectly with sports marketing efforts in this way.

What Does a Videographer Do?

The responsibilities of a videographer can vary based on the role they’re hired for.

For example, an NBA videographer may work for a network that broadcasts NBA games. They would be responsible for going to games, sitting on the sidelines, and filming the action while using the best filters and settings to optimize how the content gets broadcasted to the viewing public.

Some basketball videographers film games at lower levels of the sport as well. For example, a videographer may film high school and low-tier college games to help create promotional materials for players who are looking to get recruited. They may also film impromptu pick-up games in parks and gyms.

These types of basketball videographers tend to retain creative control over their content. They may even edit and post the content on YouTube to earn advertising revenue and build a channel.

What Education is Needed to Become a Videographer?

Compared to many other professional sports positions, you may not need a degree to get hired as a videographer. The key is showing you can film basketball content at a high level. If you can prove that you can do that, many employers won’t care if you have a college degree.

That being said, it can be helpful to have a college degree if you’re trying to get your foot in the door in a competitive positive, such as becoming an NBA videographer. These jobs have tons of applicants, so a degree in videography can help you stand out.

However, skill matters most, even if you earn a degree in videography or a related field. You’ll need a lot of experience and a strong portfolio of work to get hired for the best basketball videographer jobs.

Average Basketball Videographer Salary

The amount you earn as a basketball videographer depends on your specific job. For example, the average basketball videographer’s salary is under $50,000.

However, NBA videographer jobs pay $66,192 per year on average, and NBA videographers that work for ESPN earn nearly $75,000 per year.

The bottom line is that as you move up in the profession and earn more exclusive jobs, you can expect to command a higher salary. The most experienced basketball videographers may even make six figures or more annually.

How Do I Get Into Sports Videography?

Given this industry’s competitiveness, it can be challenging to identify the path you should take if you want to become a professional sports videographer. These tips should help you get started.

Study the Field

First, you must learn the technical information required to become a great sports videographer.

That means developing a great understanding of cameras used to film sports, the best techniques for operating them, and the different settings, filters, and editing strategies you may need to use while creating basketball footage.

You can do this at a university by earning a degree in sports videography. But, as we mentioned earlier, the most important thing is having a high level of skill – not a degree.

Suppose you can learn the techniques and technical knowledge you need to become a great sports videographer on your own or from a mentor. In that case, that kind of informal studying will eventually turn you into a professional videographer.

Get Experience

There’s no substitute for experience. And if you want to get hired as a sports videographer, you’ll need a lot of it. One way to begin gaining experience when you have none is to offer to film high school and community college players who are trying to get recruited.

Many will put together highlight films as part of that process, and you can help them create them for free or at a low cost while gaining the experience you need to make a living as a basketball videographer.

Network

Networking is the most important thing you can do as an aspiring basketball videographer. Because this industry is so competitive, job decisions often come down to who you know, and that means the more people you know in the industry, the higher your chances of securing your first job.

The good news is that it’s always been challenging to network now that you can easily connect with other basketball fans online by sharing your content through sites like YouTube. If you build a following on YouTube by consistently sharing great content, you never know whose attention you might catch – potentially even someone who would hire you.

Look for Jobs with JobsInSports.com

When you’re ready to begin looking for professional basketball videographer jobs, JobsInSports.com is here to help. We’ll send you an alert each time a new position in this field gets posted so that you can always be one of the first to apply.

So why wait? Create an account with us today and tell us your job search preferences to get started.