Is there an innovator in the steadicam industry?

[evince]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm new to the world of Steadicam and excuse my potential ignorance.

 

I was wondering if there is a person/company/team of people who are the driving force behind innovation with the Steadicam?

 

Anyone care to enlighten me?

 

Thanks,

 

evince

[evince]

Update,

 

I do know that Tiffen manufactures the steadicam (they do, don't they?). Is there a group of people within Tiffen or a single person? Has Tiffen always manufactured the Steadicam?

 

I'm just looking to be educated on everything I guess! :D

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

http://www.steadicam-ops.com/soamanual.shtml

 

 

Look under "resource materials."

This should go a long way to answering your historical questions anyway.

[evince]

Alec! Thank you for this. It's a very good start for the type of info I was looking for.

 

I have a lot of reading to do :)

[Mitch Gross]

In the last five to eight years there's been a number of copycat companies that have manufactured designs that simply borrowed on past concepts without particularly advancing them. Otherwise, pretty much EVERYBODY involved with Steadicam type stabilizers is and was an innovator!

[Jason Williams]

I keep hearing a lot about MK-V, a friend of mine visited their offices in Manchester, and he was in awe of the systems they produce, and from what I understand work off the Steadicam principle, but seem to be able to produce alternative systems which work extremely well (the MK-V was used in the Matrix trilogy).

 

I don't know too much about MK-V as a whole but have heard a lot of good things about Howard and his highly sucessful company.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Jason

[JamieSilverstein]

Mk-V is but one of the innovators in the field, but the one that for one reason or another seems to be getting the most press of late. Cinema Products was the first and the originator, George Paddock And PRO were also brave pioneers, venturing into newer terrain. Greg Bubb and XCS took the technology one full step further. As I have mentioned before, there have been many, from the people at Seitz and then Preston, all the way to Jim Bartell. Walter Klassen has to be mentioned, along with Jerry Hill, as does Bob Derose. Need I mention Misters Brown and Holloway. The list goes on and on, and each innovator is worthy of praise and admiration. Its not just one company and one rig or piece of equipment, each has its own merits and qualities. The thing that is so cool is that these guys went out and made this stuff and each one has made their stuff really really well.

For that they all receive my unwavering admiration

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Everyone is praising the obvious but there is one man that has done more for steadicam then anyone mentioned here.

 

Lynn Nicholson

 

If you don't know what he's done you will and if you do know what he's been doing then you will agree.

[Charles Papert]

Meaning that Lynn has done more for Steadicam than Garrett...?!

[Brant S. Fagan SOC]

Gents--

 

Let's not forget who were the pioneers that not only fostered the early growth of Steadicam, but also led the way in defining the job description (and the rates that go with it) such as Ted and Jack Churchill, Larry and Jim McConkey, Tas Michos, Toby Philips, Janice Arthur, Rusty Geller, Randy Nolan.

 

While there are many more, and no slight intended to anyone!, let's give credit where credit is due. Sir Isaac Newton gets a healty nod for deducing what made this all possible!

 

Steadicam is possible because people made the jump from rocket science to the prototype and on to the many pieces available today. Steadicam operators are by very definition problem solvers.

 

Keep on asking questions of yourself and of your equipment and don't forget to learn something in the process!

 

Best,

 

Brant "Do It Yourself" Fagan, SOC