Boston Camera Operator and DP for Hire
When a network or an out-of-town production needs a local shooter in Boston, that's the call I take, and I show up as the camera operator or director of photography with the camera, the sound and the light. I was a director of photography on HBO's Murder in Boston, which won the 2024 Emmy for Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary. These days I run ENG camera for Dirty Water Media's series on NESN, and I'm the director of photography on Cardillo's World for NBC Sports Boston. I own all of my kit, so nobody has to make a rental house run before call time.
Camera operator and DP crew hire
Most crew calls I get are one of two kinds. The first is run and gun ENG, where I'm operating the camera and recording the sound at the same time, which is how I covered The Summer Stroll in Newport and the World Cup watch party at Clery's for Dirty Water Media. The second is a planned, lit day where the frames and the light have to fit a show that already has a look. On Murder in Boston I led a crew of camera operators, ACs and gaffers, and I built the camera and lighting plans to match the visual grammar of the cut that already existed.
I'm happy to take direction, and when the producer has their hands full I'll go find the shot on my own. Michael Roper at the Museum of Fine Arts brought me on as the handheld camera for a cinéma vérité documentary he directed, and his words on how that went are further down the page.
You can hire just me, or me with a crew. On a bigger day I bring a sound op, a gaffer, a 2nd camera or a PA I've worked with for years, and each one is its own line on the quote. If what you need is an interview lit, shot and cut rather than a crew member, that's my interview and testimonial video work.
An owner operator package
If your show shoots Canon, I can match it. A Canon C300 owner operator package is a rare find in the Northeast, and mine comes with Canon EF glass and the B4 broadcast zoom. The full list, and how I use each piece on set, is on the gear page.
What a producer gets on the call
Every voice on its own track. On the ENG package the boom on the camera and up to three wireless lavs go into the four XLR channels on the FX9. Your editor gets each person on their own channel instead of a mix they can't undo.
Live picture for the producer and the client. Wireless video goes to a director's monitor and up to three phones, so you can watch the shot live from your own screen. Nobody has to stand at my shoulder to see what I'm getting.
Timecode on everything. I put Tentacle Sync on the cameras and the recorder. A second camera or a roaming gimbal drops into the timeline already in sync, with no lining up by hand.
Shot by someone who edits. I hand NBC Sports Boston a 28:30 master of Cardillo's World every episode, so I plan my field days around the edit: the segments, the B-roll list, and sound that lands on the camera. I cut my own footage too, so I know what your editor is going to reach for and I make sure it's there.
A clean handoff. You get the raw footage organized and backed up, so your own team can pick it up and start working.
Shows and films I've shot
Murder in Boston
A three part documentary series on the Stuart case. I oversaw the cinematography for the three principal interviews and led the camera, AC and gaffer crew.
Cardillo's World
A sports and lifestyle program. I'm the show's director of photography, and I also cut it to broadcast spec.
The Summer Stroll
Memorial Day weekend at The Landing in Newport, all run and gun. I had the camera, the sound off a handheld mic, and B-roll at every stop.
World Cup at Clery's
USA against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a packed Boston bar. I ran camera and sound on my own, on the Panasonic EVA1.
PMC Unpaved Living Proof Toast
Three cameras and two drones by the lake in Lenox. I ran two of the cameras on a toast that only happens once.
PMC Unpaved Fireside Chat
Dana-Farber's CEO on a stage by the lake at night. I ran the locked two-shot on the FX9 and the close ups on the a7 IV, then cut the multicam.
16 and Recovering
A four part documentary series at a recovery high school. I spent more than 250 hours on set as a camera operator and focus puller.
I've also run camera for NESN in Chatham on Cape Cod, and on a Cardillo's World episode we filmed in New York City and on Long Island. Every project I've worked on, and what I did on each one, is in the portfolio.
How a crew day is quoted
I quote every crew call to what it actually needs: the package, the hours, any crew you add like a sound op, a gaffer, a 2nd camera or a PA, and the travel. There's no travel charge in Greater Boston or on the North Shore.
Send me the date, the call time and what you're shooting on through the contact form, and I'll get you an exact quote within a business day, itemized so it's easy for your line producer. If you want to see how I build it first, here's how I put a quote together. For local work closer to home, I also have pages for Boston and the North Shore.
“I needed an experienced handheld cameraperson for a documentary I directed for MFA Boston, and Michael's camerawork and initiative proved crucial to the success of the film. This was a true, cinéma vérité shooting situation, and Michael was able to quickly find the story and capture well-framed shots I could use in post. In addition to finding great shots on his own, he took direction very effectively as well. It's one thing to know how to operate a camera, it's another thing to understand what you're filming and make moment-to-moment decisions that make the difference between beautiful footage and footage that ends up on the cutting room floor.”Michael Roper, Producer, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Hiring a camera operator in Boston
Do you bring your own camera package?
Yes, I'm an owner operator. I bring a Sony FX9, a Panasonic EVA1, a Sony a7 IV and a Canon C300 Mark II, along with lenses, sound, lighting, grip and wireless video. The camera, the sound and the light all show up with one person, on one line of the quote.
Our production shoots Canon. Can you bring a Canon body?
Yes. I own a Canon C300 Mark II and Canon EF glass: the 24-70mm f/2.8L, the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, the 24-105mm f/4L and the 70-200mm f/4L. A Canon C300 owner operator package is a rare find in the Northeast, so just let me know when you book and I'll build the package around it.
Do you travel outside Boston?
Yes, all over New England and into New York. Travel is included in Greater Boston and on the North Shore. Anywhere else in New England or New York, I quote the drive with the job, and anything that needs a flight or a hotel is quoted at cost. I've run camera for NESN in Newport and Chatham, and for Cardillo's World in New York City and on Long Island.
Can you run sound as well as camera?
Yes. On ENG days I operate and record sound at the same time, with a boom on the camera and up to three wireless lavs. For a sit-down or a bigger room, I'd add a sound op so I can stay on the frame. I also take sound only days with the boom, the lavs and a location mix.
How do I hold a date?
A signed agreement and a 20% deposit hold the date, and the balance is due at delivery. Two to four weeks of notice is comfortable, and I lock in the crew one week before the shoot. If your timeline is tight, ask anyway and I'll tell you honestly what's possible.
Boston, New England and New York
Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Quincy, Burlington and Worcester. On the North Shore, Peabody, Salem, Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Swampscott, Lynn, Gloucester and Newburyport. Across the region, Providence, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and New York.
Tell me about your crew call
If you've got a crew call coming up in Boston, send me the dates, the call time and what you're shooting on, and I'll have a quote back to you within a business day.