Steadicam Operator

If you’ve ever made your own home movies, you know that they often look like they’ve been filmed by an epileptic in the middle of a surprise seizure. So, amateur Filmmakers often wonder, “Why don’t Hollywood movies look tremulous, too?” Oftentimes, the answer is “steadicams.”

As a Steadicam Operator, you’re a Camera Operator on a TV or film set who physically handles a steadicam — a special type of camera often used in filmmaking because it maximizes freedom of movement while minimizing camera shakiness.

Like other Camera Operators, a Steadicam Operator collaborates with the Director, Director of Photography, and Actors to set up and film the scenes in movies, documentaries, and television shows. This requires in-depth knowledge of photography, cinematography, and choreography to make sure shots are clear, in focus, and shot at the right angle with the right type of camera, lens, filter, and film.

Unlike other Camera Operators, however, your job is uniquely physical: While Hollywood cameras traditionally are mounted on camera dollies, then moved by Dolly Grips along pre-laid tracks, steadicams are mounted on you, the Steadicam Operator. Connected to you via a special body harness that restricts your movements, the apparatus combines the fluidity of a handheld camera with the stability of a dolly shot, allowing you to more easily track the movements of Actors and objects. While the result on screen is a more steady shot, on set it’s a day spent doing as much stretching, lifting, and positioning as you do filming (which means you’ve got not only a great eye, but also killer legs!).