52113 Audio and video recording technicians

What this occupation covers

Audio and video recording technicians operate equipment to record, mix and edit sound, music and videotape, for motion pictures, television and radio programs, videos, recordings and live events. They are employed by multimedia companies, film, video and concert production companies, sound recording firms, theatre and dance companies, educational establishments, clubs, hotels, bands, radio stations, television networks and video production and editing companies.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 6 main duties for this code.

• Set up, prepare, operate and adjust audio, recording, editing and reproducing equipment to record, edit and reproduce sound input or feed of pre-recorded material from tapes, records, compact discs, digital audio devices, and input from live microphones, satellites or microwave trucks for films, videos, radio and television programs and recordings
• Prepare and operate videotape recording and playback equipment to record videos, television programs, concerts and live events, and to edit video tape after production
• Operate electronic equipment to generate program titles, credits, sub-titles, graphic backgrounds or animation for television programs
• Operate audio consoles or computers, tape machines, microphones and sound processing equipment to mix, combine and edit music and sound at concerts and live events
• Operate dubbing machines to play back edited dialogue, music and sound effect tracks from different sources, in synchronization with motion picture film
• May supervise and coordinate the work of other audio and video recording technicians.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 6 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 52112 Broadcast technicians
• 52110 Film and video camera operators
• 51120 Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations
• 52119 Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts
• 53111 Motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and performing arts assistants and operators

Excluded from this code

• Broadcast technicians (See 52112 Broadcast technicians)
• Film and video camera operators (See 52110 Film and video camera operators)
• Film editor (See 51120 Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations)
• Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts (See 52119 Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts)
• Recording assistant - recording studio (See 53111 Motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and performing arts assistants and operators)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

assistant sound editor · audio engineer - recording studio · audio operator · audio operator assistant · audio recording studio operator · audio technician · audiovisual (AV) technician · colour timer - video · digital effects specialist · dubbing machine operator · electronic news gathering (ENG) editor · electronic video graphics operator · film technician · film technician - motion picture · imagery technician - Canadian Armed Forces · master record cutter · multimedia sound technician · multimedia sound-effects supervisor · music editor - recording studio · music mixer · music or sound mixer · playback operator · postproduction technician · production sound recordist

Employment requirements

• Completion of a college or other program in recording engineering, audiovisual technology or a related field or experience as a recording studio assistant is usually required.
• Senior occupations in this unit group, such as recording and sound engineers, require experience.