WASHINGTON— I’m always looking for
ways to educate my students on the latest
equipment and practices for successful
careers. In recent years, I’ve witnessed the
growth of DSLR and smaller camcorders
in television and
film production.
While these
cameras allow users
to capture shots
at angles that previously
were too
difficult to achieve,
they also put considerable
strain on
the cameraperson’s
body. The camera is
generally held out
front, using only
the arm and shoulder
muscles for
support; not the entire
skeleton. This
can lead to shaky,
blurry shots and a
sore body. To address
this, my students and
I use Anton/Bauer’s EgripZ camera grips
for much of our smaller-camera work.
I’ve used the EgripZ with many cameras
and find it especially helpful when
doing handheld work in the field. By positioning
the camera to allow the EgripZ
to rest on my left wrist, I can support the
camera with my right hand and make focus,
zoom and iris adjustments with my
left. This makes for very smooth shooting.
I also do a lot of documentary work
and it’s hard to keep the camera steady
after a long day. I’ve found that with the
EgripZ I experience much less fatigue in
such situations.
 |
| Larry Engel |
HELPS KEEP CAMERA AT EYE LEVEL
Another benefit of using the EgripZ is
that with standard shooting, you can keep
the camera up at your eye level, rather than
holding it low. When working with camcorders
or DSLR cameras, people tend to
cradle the camera down around their waist.
This is because holding something up, rather
than supporting it from below, is easier
to do. As the EgripZ can support the camera
closer to eye level, it minimizes “lookingup”
angles that are too sharp. Further, it’s
flexible enough to allow you to bend it all
the way under the camera, so that you can
achieve some pretty high angles.
My students and I have used the EgripZ
in all kinds of extreme environments,
from the steamy and humid weather of
the Galapagos Islands to the wilds of Alaska
and it’s never let us down. It’s very rugged,
and virtually impervious.
Anton/Bauer’s comprehensive
customer
support adds to the
great experience I’ve
had with the EgripZ.
I’ve used Anton/Bauer
batteries for years, and
their customer service
is just phenomenal.
Whenever I call
our rep, he’s able to
answer my questions
right away. Overall,
the customer support
team goes out of its
way to offer advice,
provide troubleshooting
and fix old or damaged
batteries and any
other type of equipment.
DSLRs ARE HERE TO STAY
Due to their ability to take stills and
capture video, I believe DSLR cameras will
continue to grow in popularity. They’re especially
useful in today’s complex, multimedia
production environment where broadcasters
and filmmakers—rather than burning
their productions to a disc for distribution—
may post that work on a Website along with
photography and commentary. Many also
do their own motion graphics and titling,
so we teach this to our students as well.
We want to arm them with the latest equipment
and gear and teach them both classical
and emerging production techniques. The
EgripZ, in its own way, makes this process
easier, especially given its modest price.
Larry Engel is a producer, writer, director,
and cinematographer with more than
35 years of filmmaking experience. He may
be contacted at larry.engel@gmail.com.
For additional information, contact Anton/
Bauer at 203-929-1100 or visit www.antonbauer.com.