ANZSCO 212313
Director of Photography
General information, not immigration advice. Data as at 2026-10-22.
About this occupation
ANZSCO 2022Plans, directs and coordinates filming to control the quality and style of photography in films or videos.
Also called
- Cinematographer
Unit group 2123
Film, Television, Radio and Stage Directors
Film, Television, Radio and Stage Directors direct the artistic and production aspects of film, television, radio and stage productions.
Indicative skill level
In Australia and New Zealand
Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification. At least five years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification. Some occupations in this unit group require high levels of creative talent or personal commitment and interest as well as, or in place of, formal qualifications or experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).
Tasks include
- Studying scripts and scenarios to determine theme and setting
- Assessing locations and staging requirements for productions in association with specialist designers
- Overseeing creative aspects of film, television, radio and stage productions
- Determining lighting, film, shutter angles, filter factors, camera distance, depth of field and focus, angles of view and other variables to achieve desired mood and effect
- Viewing film and video tape to evaluate and select scenes and determine which scenes need to be re-shot
- Planning and organising the preparation and presentation of programs
Show all 9 tasks
- Supervising the positioning of scenery, props and lighting and sound equipment
- Assessing technical requirements of productions by studying scripts and discussing program content, set locations and stage directions with production team
- Creating, planning, writing scripts for, recording, videotaping and editing programs
Occupations in this unit group
- 212311 Art Director (Film, Television or Stage)
- 212312 Director (Film, Television, Radio or Stage)
- 212313 Director of PhotographyThis occupation
- 212314 Film and Video Editor
- 212315 Program Director (Television or Radio)
- 212316 Stage Manager
- 212317 Technical Director
- 212318 Video Producer
- 212399 Film, Television, Radio and Stage Directors nec
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ANZSCO 2022. CC BY 4.0.
ANZSCO 2022 (the edition the CSOL uses for the 482 and 186 visas)
Title in this edition: Director of Photography, skill level 1
- Major group
- 2 Professionals
- Sub-major group
- 21 Arts and Media Professionals
- Minor group
- 212 Media Professionals
- Unit group
- 2123 Film, Television, Radio and Stage Directors
The title and groups are the same in ANZSCO 2013 v1.2 and ANZSCO 2022.
Occupation Shortage List (2026)
- National rating
- No Shortage
- Confidence
- On-balance
- Rated on
- ANZSCO 2022
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List - 6 digit ANZSCO and OSCA, released 21 October 2026. CC BY 4.0.
Possible visa options
Visas that Director of Photography may be eligible for through its skilled list placement. Being on a list is one requirement; each visa has others (points, age, English, nomination or sponsorship).
| Visa | Stay | MLTSSL | STSOL | ROL | CSOL | Instrument |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) (subclass 494) - Employer sponsored stream | Temporary (5 years) | Not on MLTSSL | STSOL not used for this visa | On ROL | CSOL not used for this visa | LIN 19/219, s 5(1) |
✓ the occupation is on a list this visa uses · ✗ this visa uses the list but the occupation is not on it · — the visa does not use this list. Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, visa pages, CC BY 3.0 AU.
Average salary, May 2025
Unit group 2123 Film, television, radio and stage directors (ANZSCO 2022). all employees, Average weekly total cash earnings.
| Average weekly earnings | Average age | |
|---|---|---|
| All employees | $2,017.10 | 41.7 |
| Males | $2,023.60 | 43.3 |
| Females | $2,009.30 | 39.9 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, May 2025: data cube 63060DO011_202505 (Table 1), released 23 January 2026. CC BY 4.0.
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Scan to get the appSource: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ANZSCO (CC BY 4.0). Source: Department of Home Affairs, Skilled occupation list (CC BY 4.0). Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List. © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, May 2025. © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0. Search another occupation