Table 1Transition record

art directortodirector of photography

A art director already meets 52% of what the director of photography role asks for. The move turns on 8 required skills not yet in the profile.

From art director

52%

Overlap1

To director of photography

16 Skills carried over

8 Required, not held

54.1 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 54.1

This move: 54.1 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the director of photography role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the art director profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 16 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A director of photography role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a art director background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held work with pre-production team communication, collaboration and creativity
already held work with playwrights communication, collaboration and creativity
already held work with motion picture editing team communication, collaboration and creativity
already held read scripts information skills
already held cinematography arts and humanities
already held adapt designers’ work to the performance venue communication, collaboration and creativity

All 16 carried skills, including the 13 the director of photography role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 22 missing skills fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held adapt to type of media required
required, not held consult with production director required
required, not held design lighting required
required, not held watch scenes required

optional, not held adapt a script optional
optional, not held edit digital moving images optional
optional, not held liaise with event sponsors optional
optional, not held supervise script preparation optional
optional, not held attend rehearsals optional

02 management skills 3 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held supervise camera crew required
required, not held follow work schedule required
required, not held supervise sound production required

optional, not held hire human resources optional

03 information skills 1 required

required, not held study media sources required

04 working with machinery and specialised equipment 3 supplementary

optional, not held operate a camera optional
optional, not held select camera apertures optional
optional, not held set up cameras optional

05 arts and humanities 2 supplementary

optional, not held file-based workflow optional
optional, not held photographic processing techniques optional

06 working with computers 2 supplementary

optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
optional, not held perform video editing optional

1 further area in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a director of photography role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 16 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held adapt designers’ work to the performance venue skill
already held analyse a script skill
already held audiovisual equipment knowledge
already held cinematography knowledge
already held develop creative ideas skill
already held ensure visual quality of the set skill
already held film production process knowledge
already held finish project within budget skill
already held lighting techniques knowledge
already held photography knowledge
already held translate artistic concepts to technical designs skill
already held work with motion picture editing team skill
already held work with pre-production team skill
already held multimedia systems knowledge
already held read scripts skill
already held work with playwrights skill

The 1 learning area not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary

optional, not held ICT software specifications optional

14 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
optional, not held adapt a script optional
optional, not held edit digital moving images optional
optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
optional, not held file-based workflow optional
optional, not held hire human resources optional
optional, not held liaise with event sponsors optional
optional, not held operate a camera optional
optional, not held perform video editing optional
optional, not held select camera apertures optional
optional, not held set up cameras optional
optional, not held supervise script preparation optional
optional, not held attend rehearsals optional
optional, not held photographic processing techniques optional

66 held skills the director of photography role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role advertising techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role analyse the need for technical resources skill
not needed by the target role approve advertising campaign skill
not needed by the target role assemble an artistic team skill
not needed by the target role assess each stage of the creative process skill
not needed by the target role business strategy concepts knowledge
not needed by the target role carry out auditions skill
not needed by the target role carry out interviews to select artistic team members skill
not needed by the target role check material resources skill
not needed by the target role computer equipment knowledge
not needed by the target role consult with motion picture producer skill
not needed by the target role contact talent agents skill
not needed by the target role coordinate advertising campaigns skill
not needed by the target role coordinate artistic production skill
not needed by the target role coordinate technical teams in artistic productions skill
not needed by the target role coordinate with creative departments skill
not needed by the target role create new concepts skill
not needed by the target role create production schedules skill
not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
not needed by the target role cue a performance skill
not needed by the target role cultural projects knowledge
not needed by the target role define artistic vision skill
not needed by the target role design principles knowledge
not needed by the target role determine visual concepts skill
not needed by the target role develop design concept skill
not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
not needed by the target role digital marketing techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role direct an artistic team skill
not needed by the target role discover acting talent skill
not needed by the target role estimate duration of work skill
not needed by the target role evaluate advertising campaign skill
not needed by the target role evaluate art quality skill
not needed by the target role familiarise with personal directing styles skill
not needed by the target role follow time cues skill
not needed by the target role graphic design knowledge
not needed by the target role health and safety regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role history of fashion knowledge
not needed by the target role keep up with trends skill
not needed by the target role lead cast and crew skill
not needed by the target role liaise with cultural partners skill

26 further entries not listed here

3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
optional, not held file-based workflow optional
optional, not held photographic processing techniques optional

Index

Other moves recorded from art director

Full index of moves from art director

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.