For many students aspiring to work in the film industry, Steve Wojcik is the man to talk to. A 1978 NIU alumnus, Wojcik is now a director of photography and has worked on about 40 films and eight TV shows.

The Chicago native, who has a bachelor’s degree in radio, TV and film, began his career right here at NIU by working on productions on campus.

“I started off in the art department, and after a lot of studio classes I found myself asking ‘What the hell am I doing here?” Wojcik said.

He got a work study and started shooting footage of games and practices for the sports teams.

“I thought, ‘I can make a living doing that,’” he said.

After college, Wojcik got a job at a camera rental shop where he learned the ins and outs of the camera. The shop rented cameras for commercial productions and TV movies, and it is here where Wojcik made the connections he needed to get his foot in the door of the industry.

His first big job was shooting a commercial for Joe Sedelmaier, the same man who gave us the famous “Where’s the Beef?” tagline. After working on several commercials, Wojcik transitioned
his way into TV and film.

His favorite project he ever worked on was “The Dark Knight,” because he was one of four cameras who captured the flipping semi-truck and the hospital explosion started by Heath Ledger as the Joker.

“The last time I saw Heath Ledger he was wearing a nurse’s outfit and smoking a cigarette in the Joker make-up,” Wojcik said.

Although Wojcik’s favorite thing about working primarily in Chicago is the people (and being able to sleep in his own bed at night), he would recommend to any students looking to get into the industry to move to Los Angeles.

He said it is sad but true, but most production companies will bring in people they know from L.A. before looking elsewhere. “Even though it is hit or miss in this industry, I have had more hits than misses in the past 20 years,” he said.

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