Steadicam

Steadicam

by Serena Ferrara
Released January 2013
Publisher(s): Focal Press
ISBN: 9781136055935

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

In this unique study, Serena Ferrara examines the revolutionary impact of the Steadicam on filmmaking.

The Steadicam has freed-up the camera operator to follow a film's movement, wherever it is happening. Serena Ferrara explains the principles by which the Steadicam is operated and the impact it has on filmmaking, including the effects it can produce on screen, on a film's narrative, on its audience, and on the director's creativity.


Also featured are interviews with movie industry professionals, in which a variety of views of the Steadicam are presented in an open discussion. Interviewees include:

Garrett Brown
Giuseppe Rotunno
John Carpenter
Mario Orfini
Larry McConkey
Nicola Pecorini
Haskell Wexler
Ed DiGiulio
Vittorio Storaro
Caroline Goodall

Anyone involved in, or fascinated by, the process of filmmaking with find this an enlightening and inspirational study.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Dedication
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright
  6. Contents
  7. Foreword
  8. Preface
  9. Acknowledgements
  10. Part One: History and Techniques
    1. 1. The moving camera
      1. Camera movement: an historical overview
      2. Types of camera movement
      3. The function of camera movements
    2. 2. The Steadicam
      1. Invention of the Steadicam
      2. The first-generation Steadicam
      3. Steadicam structure
      4. Basic principles used in the Steadicam
      5. The potential of the Steadicam
      6. The great variety of shots that can be obtained with the Steadicam
      7. Early use of the Steadicam in the movie industry
      8. Using the Steadicam
      9. The Steadicam configuration: high mode and low mode
      10. The mounted Steadicam: hard mount and soft mount
      11. Shooting with the Steadicam
      12. Limitations on use of the Steadicam
      13. Evolution of the Steadicam
      14. New tools developed from the idea of Steadicam
      15. The Steadicam’s accessories
      16. The Steadicam in fields other than cinema
      17. The workshop experience
  11. Part Two: Semiotics and Narrative
    1. 3. The Steadicam as a creator of effects and as a narrator
      1. The camera and points of view
      2. Subjective vision
      3. The quality of movement in a point of view shot
      4. Structural evolution in Steadicam use from the earliest movies to the present
      5. The gaze of the narrative voice
      6. The Steadicam as a narrative voice
      7. The Steadicam and cinematographic space
      8. The Steadicam and real time
      9. The Steadicam and remakes
      10. The beginning and end of a movie
      11. Conclusions
  12. Part Three: The Steadicam: Different Opinions
    1. 4. Open debate and interviews with movie industry professionals
      1. Open debate
      2. Interviews
      3. Garrett Brown
      4. Giuseppe Rotunno
      5. John Carpenter
      6. Mario Orfini
      7. Larry McConkey
      8. Nicola Pecorini
      9. Haskell Wexler
      10. Ed DiGiulio
      11. Vittorio Storaro
      12. Caroline Goodall
  13. Appendix
    1. Introduction to the analysis of a film
    2. Watching a movie
    3. Maps of The Shining
  14. Filmography
  15. Bibliography
  16. Index

Product information

  • Title: Steadicam
  • Author(s): Serena Ferrara
  • Release date: January 2013
  • Publisher(s): Focal Press
  • ISBN: 9781136055935