Creative jobs for foreigners?

[伏藏龙]

I watched Serpentza's jobs for foreigners video, if you haven't seen it he basically says foreigners have opportunities to work in creative industries as foreigners are seen as being more creative than Chinese due to upbringing/schooling.

That said, is wedding photography/videography considered a creative field in China? Do many Chinese people hire photographers or videographers to cover their wedding? If so, do you think Chinese couples would consider hiring a foreigner (if they were/weren't fluent?).. In my city the most popular wedding photograppher is a swede, he speaks english very well but not perfectly.

What about film and TV? Do you think a foreigner could get a job as a camera operator?

I am in my early 20s I'd like to one day work abroad (no rush as I've only just started learning Mandarin) I do have a successful business already working as a wedding videographer and am also completely comfortable doing photography. I've always wanted to work abroad at some point, just trying to see if working in this industry would evem be wn option.

THANKS

[stoney]

There is no shortage of skilled, creative, photographers/wedding photographers in China. In any of the cities I've been in, wedding photography is already a well established industry. I don't think the fact that you are a foreigner would impress anybody enough to overcome the fact that you can't speak Chinese. This is just my opinion from what I've seen after living there for a few years.

[Lu]

Not to mention that

1) wedding proceedings and the expectations of the marrying couples wrt photos are different from those in other countries, so you would have a bit of a learning curve adjusting to those matters. The first few assignments will likely leave you frustrated and the couple unsatisfied, or you would need to learn these things from an already-established wedding photographer.

2) Chinese wedding photographers (and cameramen etc) work for Chinese salaries. Are you willing to do that?

[伏藏龙]

I don't think I said I'm looking to go over their without a grasp of the language. I also did not imply that I was planning to use the color of my skin to makeup for a lack in fluency (which again I did not say I would try and do either of these things) I was however curious if China would be similar to here (regarding the swede who has a basic understanding of English but is still extremely successful) Or if they'd be reluctant to hire anyone who wasn't fluent.

I accept there would be a learning curve to the format of the day I doubt it's a very big curve though. I would definitely not shoot a Chinese wedding without knowing the customs but I doubt it would make the day any more difficult once these are learnt.. As far as "Chinese salaries" is concerned, I did do a little research with the help of a friend tonight (curious because of your comment) I think you may be as surprised as me to find that the difference between what photographers/videographers are charging in China and Australia are not so different.. To be more specific, if you think they are charging a lot less.. They aren't.. A little less at the top end, but on average (from what we saw) several thousand a wedding. So yes I'd be fine with a Chinese salary, and no those prices were not in CNY.

[imron]

I would definitely not shoot a Chinese wedding without knowing the customs but I doubt it would make the day any more difficult once these are learnt..

The majority of Chinese wedding photos do not happen on the day.  It's all done beforehand (sometimes even a year before) often in a studio, or on site somewhere (beach, forest, etc), with dress up clothes and lots of soft-focus shots.  It's very different from how things happen in the west.

[kdavid]

RE: jobs for foreigners in China

 

In most cases, a company is looking to hire a foreigner because:

 

1. The foreigner brings a unique and marketable talent set which is uncommon amongst Chinese.

2. The foreigner brings "prestige" to the organization.

 

Another things to consider is that it's extremely difficult if not near impossible for a foreigner to introduce a new trend/product/market to China without considerable local assistance and support.

 

So, to answer your questions:

 

"South Korean" studios have a pretty good grasp on the photography scene. This is an established, mature market.

 

Finding a position as a "camera operator" would likely be difficult as a local would work for much less than you'd like to. I'd also assume that the director would rather not have to work through a language barrier.

 

If you're keen on sticking with the photography angle, I'd suggest you (if you haven't already) get a degree/experience in visual marketing mediums, graphic design, etc., and tailor your studies to the Far Eastern market (e.g. trends in China, Japan, and South Korea).

 

You may want to start at looking for internship possibilities with western magazines/firms which already have a presence in one of these countries, and then work from there. If you already have a successful company, I'm assuming your financially secure, which means you may be willing to take a pay cut, or work for free, in order to get some valuable work experience in one of these industries so as to familiarize yourself better with what's going on "on the ground."

 

Best of luck to you!