Inside story: how to forge a career as a commercial videographer

Lights, camera, action! Filmmaking still holds the same enchanting allure conjured up by those iconic words from the golden age of cinema. Yet, while the thrill of producing moving images remains the same, the career path couldn't be more different. Online demand, user-friendly software and increasingly high-spec, affordable cameras are encouraging more and more solo operators into the commercial video industry.

But what's the best way to go about it? Here, former Canon Ambassadors Jörg Kyas and Quentin Caffier share their top tips for shooting professionally and the best way to get that all-important foot in the door.

1. Improve your business skills

Revered for his bold and creative aesthetic, Jörg runs a busy studio in his hometown of Hanover, Germany, where he specialises in portrait, fashion and commercial photography and video. Jörg got his break after photographing an assortment of music samples. The client commissioned him to compile a video using the photos he'd taken, which opened the door to the world of TV commercials.

"Today, everyone has access to the same standard of equipment that professionals use, so the only thing you need is talent," he says. "That said, talent doesn't just mean being good at making videos, but also networking, bookkeeping and social media. There are so many aspects of the business that you need to master to be successful today."

4. Don't work for free

There's fierce debate about whether you should work for free when you move into a different creative industry in order to build your portfolio. Jörg's view is unequivocal: "However you go about it, just remember it makes no sense to do jobs for free in the hope that you might get paid one day. All that does is lower the earning potential of the business you want to work in some day."

6. Take advantage of your suite of EF lenses

"If you have a tight budget, I'd recommend prioritising lenses over the camera body. If you do upgrade to a cinema camera later, you can still use your EF lenses," says Quentin. "This is one reason why it's a huge advantage to go for a brand like Canon, which allows you to update your workflow as your career progresses."

When shooting commercial video, he usually relies on the versatile Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens, and the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM, which is very effective in low light. "I've also tried the new Canon EOS R system and the RF lenses," he says. "They are amazing for video due to the fast AF and the intuitive design of the Control Ring. My advice is to buy an EF-EOS R adapter, so you can use the EOS R with EF lenses too."

Jörg favours prime lenses such as the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM and the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM for their "brilliant image quality and lovely wide open apertures". He teams this stripped-down kit with a gimbal, reflectors, and light and audio equipment for film shoots – "just a fraction of the equipment that we needed in the past," he adds.

7. Appreciate the nature of sequencing

According to Quentin, the key to technical success is appreciating the difference between photography and video. "With video, you write a story with multiple frames, while most commercial photography stands alone, without context. I had to learn how to tell a story with three, five or 20 frames, while being able to move the camera. You can learn this watching movies and commercials, but my biggest influence was comics, because graphic novels use consecutive frames to express emotion and meaning."

Understanding sequencing will help you to shoot better footage the next time around, he adds. "You need to have a clear understanding, when editing, of what kind of shots are mandatory to make your movie understandable. Working out what you need and what you don't helps you to hone your craft."

8. Learn lighting and colour grading skills

The simplification of editing software has removed a significant barrier to entry, but there are still lessons to be learned. "When you start colour grading films you'll realise why it's important to light a set properly," says Quentin. "Consistency is key, which means choosing your lighting wisely and keeping it the same throughout."

And learning the appropriate terminology can really help when you have to explain your vision. "I once worked with a director who asked for 'crispy' lighting," says Quentin. "It took me a while to understand that he wanted strong shadows and saturated colours."

Both professionals agree that the first thing enthusiasts need to learn is how to handle equipment properly. "You have to master the technical skills well enough to be able to forget them," says Quentin. "Only then can you think about expressing your concept in a visually creative way."