There is a moment in the history of film, and specifically in the history of the Oscars that might be over looked by some but the truth is that is that it changed the shape of film forever.  The moment I am speaking of is Garret Brown high stepping on stage like a Morris dancer wearing a vest attached to a motion picture camera, the camera remained stationary.  Few things have changed film more than the steadicam, it freed the camera and cinematographer from the surly bonds of Earth and set them free to explore and investigate.  There are few films, if any, that do not take advantage of Steadicam technology in one way or another. It has also spawned an entire generation of cinematographers who have no concept of locked down cameras on tripods, static as the cliffs of Big Sur watching the world from an unchanging perspective.

I have always been facinated by the technology and have sketches of variations of it through my books.  I even built a low cost version using parts from OSH and plans from a “do it yourself camera mount” book that worked pretty well.  So it was only natural that when I learned of the iPhone stabilizer from Steadicam, the Smoothee, I began to activly covet it.

I finally got my own copy last week but haven’t been able to actually take it for a serious test drive. I wonder if it is because the lockdown, “2 heads and a teacup” cinematographer in me is holding me back? I know in some part it goes back to the physical shape I am in, which is mostly something like a pear. When they intially floated the MARY ROSE and were removing the remain from below deck they found a crew of marine, archers who would fire on opposing ships from the rigging.  They discovered that from years and years of training with longbows the marines and become deformed with enormous upper arms and chest muscles.  I have heard the same said about serious Steadicam operators, that they stand on short burly legs and move like Ninjas.  Being a good Scots/German boy and thus descended from a long line of broadsword wielders I have just the legs for these sorts of activity.  I just have to lose the gut…