Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 80'000 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 61'250 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 78'975 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 70'490 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 77'056 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 68'900 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsCulture & Media
Kameramann/-frau
You create visual stories for film, television, and digital media.
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
You handle the visual design of film and TV productions. You work closely with directors and technical teams.
The camera is the eye of the production. As a Kameramann/-frau, you shape images, light, and color for cinema, television, or advertising. You plan shoots, coordinate with directors, and operate complex equipment. In journalism, you often work in small teams. This job requires creativity, technical understanding, and flexibility with irregular hours.
FieldCulture & Media
Education pathSpecialisation / Professional Function
IndustryAudiovisual Media
Swissdoc 0.814.40.0
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Exact salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Camera Operator. Based on 33 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
+21% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2017-2019 | CHF 65'147 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 70'000 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 78'975 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Media / Printing / Publishing | CHF 71'345 | 22 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
Swiss training pathway available in the full profile
- 🎓 Diplom
- ⏱ 3 Semester, berufsbegleitend
Official education path
You complete a 3-semester, part-time diploma. It gives you the technical and creative foundation needed to start your career.
Typical training path
Diplom
Prerequisites
- Completed vocational basic training or a university or Fachhochschule degree in a related field (photography, graphic design, media design, journalism, multimedia production, etc.)
Requirements
- Good vision and color perception
- Affinity for IT topics
- Physical fitness
- High social competence and ability to work in a team
Where this can lead
A bachelor's degree in film and video offers a solid theoretical and practical foundation for starting your career.
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Technical understanding
- Creative eye
- Teamwork skills
- Physical stamina
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
On set, you check the camera position. You adjust the frame with the director. Together with the lighting crew, you set the light to create the right mood for the next shot.
- You develop a dramaturgical concept with the director for the planned production.
- You coordinate the shooting schedule with the production manager and lighting crew.
- You assemble cameras, lenses, and lighting equipment for use on set.
- You test new technical gear to optimize image quality during shoots.
- You set camera positions and angles to achieve the desired image composition.
- You shape light and color to create moods and define spaces.
- You maintain the used equipment after shoots and fix technical faults.
Working conditions
You work on location, in studios, or in television journalism. You often travel with small production teams and move between different sites.
Where to learn
- Studio 1 GmbHRütistr. 12, 8952 Schlieren
- ssfv syndicat suisse film et video Josefstr. 106Postfach 2210, 8031 Zürich
- Filmstaff c/o C-Films AGHallenstrasse 10, 8008 Zürich
Strengths
- Technical understanding
- Creative eye
- Teamwork skills
- Physical stamina
Trade-offs
- Irregular working hours
- Freelance uncertainty
- Multifunctional demands
- Physical strain
06 · Similar
