History Main / SteadiCam

[[folder:{{Film}}]]

The [=SteadiCam=] is a camera stabilization device that isolates a hand-held camera from the movement of the operator, allowing the operator to move freely without jiggling the camera. The [=SteadiCam=] allows for stable shots in places where dollies and tracks cannot be used, such as along stairs, over obstacles, and during WalkAndTalk scenes. It combines the stabilization ability of a fixed tripod mount with the fluid motion of a dolly shot and the flexibility of hand-held camera work.

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* TheOner following Tony Jaa fighting his way up and through a gangster den in ''Film/TomYumGoong'' utilized a SteadiCam[[note]]Which required a local camera operator to spend months working out to be able to carry the rig while keeping up with the frenetic action. A western operator had been initially hired (at the time, there were no Thai operators who could physically handle the rig) but promptly gave up because he couldn't handle the strain[[/note]].

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* It was used extensively in ''[[Film/MurderOnTheOrientExpress2017]]'' for tracking shots through the train.

* In ''Film/GoodFellas'' director Creator/MartinScorsese uses a [=SteadiCam=] for a three minute shot that follows Henry Hill and his girlfriend as they enter though the back door of the Copacapana restaurant, through the kitchen and up to the bar, stopping to meet patrons all the way.* The [=SteadiCam=] operator Peter Robertson reportedly collapsed after [[http://www.steadishots.org/shots_detail.cfm?shotID=298/ filming the epic]] [[TheOner Oner]] [[http://www.steadishots.org/shots_detail.cfm?shotID=298/ on the Dunkirk beaches]] in ''Film/{{Atonement}}'', although the reports were exaggerated.

* Used extensively in ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm''.
* Also, ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', and even in effects shots.
** According to [[WordOfGod the DVD commentary]], in a lot of scenes the camera operator was operating without a [=SteadiCam=] harness, but was so good at operating handheld that it looked like he was using one.
** Supposedly, the reason the [[StarTrekShake shaking effect]] looks so real is that they could actually rock the ''Serenity'' sets back and forth. [=SteadiCam=] cares not.
* While we're at it, ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', too.

* The [=SteadiCam=] [[TheOner long take]] is a staple of ''Series/{{ER}}''[='=]s visual style.
* [=SteadiCam=] is the ''sine qua non'' of the WalkAndTalk, and hence are indispensable whenever Creator/AaronSorkin and Thomas Schlamme are on the other side of the camera. ''Series/SportsNight'' and ''Series/TheWestWing'' were particularly notorious.

* ''WesternAnimation/WallE'' was meticulously animated to contrast [=SteadiCam=]-like shots aboard the ''Axiom'' with [=JitterCam=]-esque shots on Earth to add another layer of Technology vs. Nature to the film.
* In ''Film/GoodFellas'' director Creator/MartinScorsese uses a [=SteadiCam=] for a three minute shot that follows Henry Hill and his girlfriend as they enter though the back door of the Copacapana restaurant, through the kitchen and up to the bar, stopping to meet patrons all the way.
* The [=SteadiCam=] operator Peter Robertson reportedly collapsed after [[http://www.steadishots.org/shots_detail.cfm?shotID=298/ filming the epic]] [[TheOner Oner]] [[http://www.steadishots.org/shots_detail.cfm?shotID=298/ on the Dunkirk beaches]] in ''Film/{{Atonement}}'', although the reports were exaggerated.

The [=SteadiCam=] was first used by its inventor, Garrett Brown, in the film ''Bound For Glory'', for which its cinematographer Haskell Wexler won an Oscar. Brown himself eventually won both an Oscar and an Emmy for his invention. It is frequently used to shoot TheOner, a long continuous shot with no edits.

* TheOner following Tony Jaa fighting his way up and through a gangster den in ''Film/TomYumGoong'' utilized a SteadiCam.

* Used extensively in ''Film/TheShining'', for an example Danny riding his bike through the corridors.

* Used extensively in ''Film/CurbYourEnthusiasm''.

* Used to great effect in ''Film/DasBoot'', where it enabled camera operators to work within the confines of a real-size replica U-Boat and produce tracking shots following crew members through bulkheads and around pipes.

* The [=SteadiCam=] [[TheOner long take]] is a staple of ''{{ER}}''[='=]s visual style.

[[caption-width-right:300:Creator/StanleyKubrick with Garrett Brown and his invention, the SteadiCam]]

* Steadicam harnesses were repurposed for the Smart Guns in ''Film/{{Aliens}}''. [[note]]The moment where Drake, out of ammunition for the Smart Gun, rips off the harness in one move? That's a genuine safety feature, put in place so the operator can ditch the entire rig quickly in an emergency.[[/note]]

* ''Film/{{Scream 1996}}'' has a scene which starts with a establishing crane shot, which then descends down to ground level and proceeds to follow the walking cast without a cut. This was done by having the Steadicam operator simply standing on a platform and stepping off when the crane reached the ground.

* Steadicam harnesses were repurposed for the Smart Guns in ''Film/{{Aliens}}''.

* While we're at it, ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|Reimagined}}'', too.

The [=SteadiCam=] was first used by its inventor, Garrett Brown, in the film ''Bound For Glory'', for which its cinematographer Haskell Wexler won an Oscar. Brown himself eventually won both an Oscar and an Emmy for his invention. It is frequent used to shoot TheOner, a long continuous shot with no edits.

** Rumour has it that Kubrick, due to his legendary perfectionism, kept screwing up shots by reaching in to adjust the camera. The operator, Garrett Brown, allegedly got him to stop by conducting a conversation - staged where he knew Kubrick would overhear it - in which he claimed to have punched out Sylvester Stallone for doing the same thing on Rocky.

A [=SteadiCam=] rig for a motion picture camera consists of a harness worn by the operator, which is attached to a mechanism containing the camera and a counterweight. Tiffen also manufactures smaller versions of the [=SteadiCam=] such as the [=SteadiCam=] JR and the [=SteadiCam=] Merlin. These devices may be used with DSLRs and camcorders and omit the harness due to their light weight.

[=SteadiCam=] is the trade name for the product manufactured by Tiffen. Panavision produces an equivalent called [=PanaGlide=], and [=GlideCam=] Industries has a variation known as GlideCam. One can also find [[http://14dollarstabilizer.org/instructions to build their own stabilizer]] if they have the necessary tools and supplies.

[[caption-width-right:300:Creator/StanleyKubrick with Garrett Brown and his invention, the steadicam]]

A device that stabilizes a hand-held camera so that the operator can move freely without jiggling the camera. The SteadiCam liberated camera operators from dollies and tracks -- the camera could move anywhere that the operator could walk.

The SteadiCam was first used by its inventor, Garrett Brown, in the film ''Bound For Glory'', for which its cinematographer Haskell Wexler won an Oscar. Brown himself eventually won both an Oscar and an Emmy for his invention.

A SteadiCam rig for a motion picture camera is very heavy and attaches to the operator's torso with straps; the operator "wears" the camera. Smaller versions (such as the SteadiCam JR) are available for video production, and these are often light enough to hold with one hand.

[[http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/steadicam.htm How the SteadiCam works]]

[[http://14dollarstabilizer.org/ It's pretty easy to improvise a Steadicam equivalent]]

* ''Film/{{Rocky}}'' was one of the first films to use a steadicam, specifically Rocky running up the steps.
* ''Film/{{Halloween 1978}}'' was another early film to use the steadicam (technically Panavision's equivalent [=PanaGlide=]). The whole opening (Michael's [=PoV=]) is told through the use of a steadicam.
* Used extensively in ''CurbYourEnthusiasm''.

** According to [[WordOfGod the DVD commentary]], in a lot of scenes the camera operator was operating without a steadicam harness, but was so good at operating handheld that it looked like he was using one.
** Supposedly, the reason the [[StarTrekShake shaking effect]] looks so real is that they could actually rock the ''Serenity'' sets back and forth. SteadiCam cares not.

* ''Film/DiaryOfTheDead'' is notably one of the few "guys carrying a camera during a disaster" films to make use of one, as the guy in question is actually a professional cameraman with proper gear rather than a camcorder, though it does have one JitterCam scene when the main camera's batteries die.

* The Steadicam [[TheOner long take]] is a staple of ''{{ER}}''[='=]s visual style.
* Steadicam is the ''sine qua non'' of the WalkAndTalk, and hence are indispensable whenever Creator/AaronSorkin and Thomas Schlamme are on the other side of the camera. ''SportsNight'' and ''TheWestWing'' were particularly notorious.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{WALL-E}}'' was meticulously animated to contrast SteadiCam-like shots aboard the ''Axiom'' with JitterCam-esque shots on Earth to add another layer of Technology vs. Nature to the film.
* In ''Film/GoodFellas'' director Creator/MartinScorsese uses a steadicam for a three minute shot that follows Henry Hill and his girlfriend as they enter though the back door of the Copacapana restaurant, through the kitchen and up to the bar, stopping to meet patrons all the way.
* The Steadicam operator Peter Robertson reportedly collapsed after [[http://www.steadishots.org/shots_detail.cfm?shotID=298 filming the epic]] [[TheOner Oner]] [[http://www.steadishots.org/shots_detail.cfm?shotID=298 on the Dunkirk beaches]] in ''{{Atonement}}'', although the reports were exaggerated.
* It was combined with a camera shooting at 1 frame per second to produce the backgrounds for the speeder chase in ''ReturnOfTheJedi''.

The SteadiCam was first used by its inventor, Garrett Brown, in the film ''BoundForGlory", for which its cinematographer Haskell Wexler won an Oscar. Brown himself eventually won both an Oscar and an Emmy for his invention.

* ''Film/{{Halloween 1978}}'' was another early film to use the steadicam (technically Panavision's equivalent PanaGlide). The whole opening (Michael's [=PoV=]) is told through the use of a steadicam.

* The Steadicam operator Peter Robertson reportedly collapsed after [[http://www.steadishots.org/shots_detail.cfm?shotID=298 filming the epic [[TheOner Oner]] on the Dunkirk beaches]] in ''{{Atonement}}'', although the reports were exaggerated.

[[caption-width-right:300:StanleyKubrick with Garrett Brown and his invention, the steadicam]]

* In ''Film/GoodFellas'' director MartinScorsese uses a steadicam for a three minute shot that follows Henry Hill and his girlfriend as they enter though the back door of the Copacapana restaurant, through the kitchen and up to the bar, stopping to meet patrons all the way.