Motion picture film developer
Also known as: film laboratory technologist, film developer, motion picture film expert, film laboratory specialist, film lab developer, film lab expert
About this occupation
Motion picture film developers develop film material into visible videos and material. They develop the footage into different formats, such as 65-70mm and 8mm, and presentations, such as black and white and colour. They work small cine-films per request of clients.
Essential skills and knowledge
- remove film negatives from processing machine
- store negatives
- handle chemicals
- photographic processing techniques
- identify customer's needs
- mount photographic film in processing machine
- quality standards
- post-processing of photographs
- monitor film development baths
- develop film
- remove photographic film from camera
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Motion Picture Projectionists (O*NET 39-3021.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Monitor operations to ensure that standards for sound and image projection quality are met.
- Start projectors and open shutters to project images onto screens.
- Open and close facilities according to rules and schedules.
- Operate equipment to show films in a number of theaters simultaneously.
- Perform regular maintenance tasks, such as rotating or replacing xenon bulbs, cleaning projectors and lenses, lubricating machinery, and keeping electrical contacts clean and tight.
- Set up and adjust picture projectors and screens to achieve proper size, illumination, and focus of images, and proper volume and tone of sound.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Artistic
Top skills: Operations Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking
US median pay: US$38,270 a year (2025), 1,480 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsVery important (4.1)
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.2)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.2)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers
- Lighting Technicians
- Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers
- Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
- Audio and Video Technicians
- Prepress Technicians and Workers
- Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
- Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers
- Sound Engineering Technicians
- Broadcast Technicians
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.