Establishing Shot an interview with Dave Levisohn, SOC by Kate McCallum
Dave Levisohn, SOC on the set of DANCING WITH THE STARS. Photo courtesy Dave Levisohn, SOC
Dave Levisohn, SOC is this year’s recipient of the SOC Lifetime Achievement Award Camera Operator Live & Non-Scripted and it’s super obvious why. Levisohn has had a very successful career in television for 50 years, has been nominated for Emmys 54 times, and has been the winner of 19 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Limited Series, Movie or Special. That must be a record! Camera Operator: Congratulations on receiving the SOC Lifetime Achievement Award for Camera Operator Live & Non-Scripted, Dave. Can you share a bit about your background? How you get started in your illustrious career? Levisohn: I was born in the Bronx, New York and spent my teen years in Massapequa, Long Island. I took a lot of photos when I was growing up in public school, and was the kid who used to operator the projector for all the classrooms. After one year of college at Michigan State University I left there to go to, RCA Institute in New York City and enrolled in a six-month course in the basics of television production. I actually got my first break into operating when I was in the Army.
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Before I was drafted, I could not get into the business. I spent two years operating at Fort Bliss, Texas. CO: Where you truly got to start following your ‘bliss.’ How appropo! How did you end up on camera in the Army? Levisohn: When I was drafted into the Army I had an interview… maybe the third day I was in. They asked what I did as a civilian. I said I was schooled as a camera operator. Lucky for me—they needed one at Fort Bliss, Texas, so after basic training, I was assigned to the Fort Bliss Educational Network. Fort Bliss was a missile school for the Army and foreign countries. I basically just shot a lot of classroom stuff. Not that exciting, but better than the alternative at the time. CO: Did you have mentors who helped you along the way towards breaking into Hollywood? Levisohn: After I got out of the Army, I moved to Los Angeles and got a job working at Video Tape Enterprises. At the time, it was the only independent mobile unit in Los Angeles. There I met Dean Hall, a freelance camera operator, who had worked at ABC. He took me under his wing, and today is still a good friend.
SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG