I've often been asked, "how does someone become a great Jib Op"?
I know there are sometimes many paths to the same destination but one thing I've seen in common with all highly skilled and seasoned Camera Crane/Jib Ops I know is that they all became really good camera operators first. After a number of years doing camera work at sporting, entertainment and corporate events, on documentaries, commercials and a variety of other projects I became a Jib assistant to a very talented Jib/Camera Op. He taught me to apply my camera skills to a moving camera and I've never looked back.