Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
23/07/2026 11:57 AM AWST
23/07/2026 11:57 AM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Shoot material for screen productions under special conditions
Shoot material for screen productions under special conditions
Unit of competency
National Code
CUFCAM501A
CUFCAM501A
State Code
D1092
D1092
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
26/08/2009
Field of Education
100701 - Audio Visual Studies
Original Release Date
26/08/2009
Nominal Hours
60
Description
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to operate cameras under special conditions for film or television productions. No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
Plan shoot
- 1. Liaise with relevant production personnel to interpret and confirm overall production requirements
- 2. Collaborate with relevant production personnel to devise creative solutions for shoots to meet aims and needs of productions
- 3. Interpret camera plans, identify required special effects and create appropriate shot lists for use during rehearsals and actual shoots
- 4. Brief relevant production personnel assisting with shoot and determine an execution plan for specific shoots
- 5. Participate in pre-shoot safety briefings to ensure risks of shooting under special conditions are understood
- 6. Identify potential hazards and risks that may affect decisions to proceed with shoots and arrange to reduce problems where feasible
Select and set up equipment
- 7. Assess nature of special conditions and discuss issues with relevant production personnel
- 8. Select required equipment and accessories for shoots and install correctly and safely
- 9. Ensure equipment and accessories do not impede operations of other production personnel involved in shoot
- 10. Participate in rehearsals where feasible and agree to final camera shots and camera movements
- 11. Adjust shot lists as required
Capture shots
- 12. Communicate with relevant production personnel throughout shoot and operate camera according to instructions and cues received
- 13. Re-create and capture shots established during rehearsals and advise relevant production personnel of unavoidable variations from predetermined plans
- 14. Endeavour to minimise negative effects of movement of equipment and accessories on filming activity
- 15. Operate camera and special equipment to ensure safety of relevant production personnel and other participants involved in shoot
- 16. Work in cooperation with other personnel to achieve the desired camera movements and visual effects
- 17. Complete operations without damage to equipment and without interference to operators of moving equipment
- 18. Participate in debriefing sessions to evaluate effectiveness of shoots and to identify areas for future improvement
RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Production personnel may include:
director
director of photography
gaffer
grip
head of department
lighting personnel
news producer/director/chief of staff
other specialist staff
other technical staff
supervisor
technical director.
Production requirements may include:
artistic and style requirements
creative
lighting conditions
location of assignment
mood
news stories to be covered
script
special effects
technical.
Shoots may include:
digital
film
multi-camera
single-camera.
Productions may include:
animated productions
commercials
documentaries
EFP (electronic field production)
ENG (electronic news gathering)
feature films
filmed events or performances
live or prerecorded television productions
music video
short films.
Special effects may include:
explosions
flash pots
floods
gunshots
mechanical
pyrotechnic effects
rain
snow
storm effects, e.g. thunder, lightning
wind.
Execution plan may include:
chain of communication for execution of the filming
cues and signals to be used
emergency action to be taken in the event of accidents
route and timing of camera shots.
Special conditions may include:
filming of special effects
mounted to a crane
mounted to a dolly
mounted to, or filmed from a moving aircraft
mounted to, or filmed from a moving train
mounted to, or filmed from a moving vehicle, e.g. car, truck, bus
mounted to, or filmed from a moving vessel, e.g. ship, boat
underwater
use of a jib
use of a remote-control camera
use of a robotic camera.
Equipment and accessories may include:
autocue monitor
cables
cranes
cue card holders
digital cameras
diopter
film cameras
filter wheel
filters
fluid heads
headphones
lenses
lighting bulbs
lighting equipment
lights
mounts
pedestals
rigs and scaffolding
shot boxes
special camera housings
spreaders
talkback
tallies and return video
tracks and dollies
tripods
underwater camera
video split monitor
viewfinders.
Shots may include:
close-up
cutaway shot
establishing or master shot
extreme close-up
eye-level shot
high-angle
long shot
low-angle
mid shot
point-of-view shot
wide shot.
Camera movements may include:
crab
crane
dolly
pan
physical relocation
static
tilt
track in/out
zoom in/out.
Special equipment may include:
camera housings, e.g. underwater housing
communication equipment
diving equipment
harness equipment
protective clothing, e.g.:
helmet
wetsuit
identifying colour and/or signage on clothing
insulated clothing
fire-resistant clothing
special camera housings
rig, track and mount equipment
sealed cabling or battery equipment.
Other participants may include:
actors
ambulance and medical staff
boat crew
council staff
divers
driver of vehicle
fire brigade
general public, e.g. studio audiences, spectators
interviewees
interviewers
journalists/reporters
performers, e.g. stunt performers, actors
pilot
police
presenters
safety officer
train driver.
Operators of moving equipment may include:
boat crew
crane operator
dolly operator
drivers of vehicles
pilots
train drivers.
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Production personnel may include:
director
director of photography
gaffer
grip
head of department
lighting personnel
news producer/director/chief of staff
other specialist staff
other technical staff
supervisor
technical director.
Production requirements may include:
artistic and style requirements
creative
lighting conditions
location of assignment
mood
news stories to be covered
script
special effects
technical.
Shoots may include:
digital
film
multi-camera
single-camera.
Productions may include:
animated productions
commercials
documentaries
EFP (electronic field production)
ENG (electronic news gathering)
feature films
filmed events or performances
live or prerecorded television productions
music video
short films.
Special effects may include:
explosions
flash pots
floods
gunshots
mechanical
pyrotechnic effects
rain
snow
storm effects, e.g. thunder, lightning
wind.
Execution plan may include:
chain of communication for execution of the filming
cues and signals to be used
emergency action to be taken in the event of accidents
route and timing of camera shots.
Special conditions may include:
filming of special effects
mounted to a crane
mounted to a dolly
mounted to, or filmed from a moving aircraft
mounted to, or filmed from a moving train
mounted to, or filmed from a moving vehicle, e.g. car, truck, bus
mounted to, or filmed from a moving vessel, e.g. ship, boat
underwater
use of a jib
use of a remote-control camera
use of a robotic camera.
Equipment and accessories may include:
autocue monitor
cables
cranes
cue card holders
digital cameras
diopter
film cameras
filter wheel
filters
fluid heads
headphones
lenses
lighting bulbs
lighting equipment
lights
mounts
pedestals
rigs and scaffolding
shot boxes
special camera housings
spreaders
talkback
tallies and return video
tracks and dollies
tripods
underwater camera
video split monitor
viewfinders.
Shots may include:
close-up
cutaway shot
establishing or master shot
extreme close-up
eye-level shot
high-angle
long shot
low-angle
mid shot
point-of-view shot
wide shot.
Camera movements may include:
crab
crane
dolly
pan
physical relocation
static
tilt
track in/out
zoom in/out.
Special equipment may include:
camera housings, e.g. underwater housing
communication equipment
diving equipment
harness equipment
protective clothing, e.g.:
helmet
wetsuit
identifying colour and/or signage on clothing
insulated clothing
fire-resistant clothing
special camera housings
rig, track and mount equipment
sealed cabling or battery equipment.
Other participants may include:
actors
ambulance and medical staff
boat crew
council staff
divers
driver of vehicle
fire brigade
general public, e.g. studio audiences, spectators
interviewees
interviewers
journalists/reporters
performers, e.g. stunt performers, actors
pilot
police
presenters
safety officer
train driver.
Operators of moving equipment may include:
boat crew
crane operator
dolly operator
drivers of vehicles
pilots
train drivers.
EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Evidence of the following is essential:
ability to make creative contributions to the planning and execution of filming under a range of special conditions
strong teamwork ethic and ability to work under direction and to deadlines
ability to operate cameras and ancillary equipment in a multi-camera environment and under special conditions
knowledge and application of photographic principles
application of safe work practices when filming under special conditions.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure:
practical demonstration of skills through filming sequences under a range of special conditions
access to a range of professional equipment currently used in the film and television industry
opportunities to work on single-camera and multi-camera shoots that require filming under special conditions
access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required
use of culturally appropriate processes and techniques appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of learners and the work being performed.
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance
observation of the candidate filming under special conditions to assess candidate's ability to capture shots safely
evaluation of sequences filmed by the candidate to determine candidate's ability to meet creative production requirements
written or verbal questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit.
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:
CUFCAM403A Plan and implement installation of camera supports.
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Evidence of the following is essential:
ability to make creative contributions to the planning and execution of filming under a range of special conditions
strong teamwork ethic and ability to work under direction and to deadlines
ability to operate cameras and ancillary equipment in a multi-camera environment and under special conditions
knowledge and application of photographic principles
application of safe work practices when filming under special conditions.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure:
practical demonstration of skills through filming sequences under a range of special conditions
access to a range of professional equipment currently used in the film and television industry
opportunities to work on single-camera and multi-camera shoots that require filming under special conditions
access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required
use of culturally appropriate processes and techniques appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of learners and the work being performed.
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance
observation of the candidate filming under special conditions to assess candidate's ability to capture shots safely
evaluation of sequences filmed by the candidate to determine candidate's ability to meet creative production requirements
written or verbal questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit.
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:
CUFCAM403A Plan and implement installation of camera supports.
Replaces
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| C4140 | CUFCAM04A | Operate a camera under special conditions | Unit of competency |
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWJ69 | CUACAM501 | Shoot material for screen productions under special conditions | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| D201 | CUF50107 | Diploma of Screen and Media | Qualification |