Steadicam Versus Arri Trinity 2 

The question everyone asks is, 'what's the difference between Steadicam and Arri Trinity2?' Truthfully, a lot of investment.  The Trinity 2, with all the cables, plates and brackets is approx a $100k investment...  So is it worth it and what do you get for that?

Steadicam can do so much and a great time proven tool to tell stories.  The Trinity 2 is an extension of that. 

It gives you the opportunity to push past or over objects i.e. a table, allows you to go from low to high and vice versa all in one shot and even pull off 360 degree rotations which are sure to make your client smile, these are also programable for repetition.  

I had a shot last week in the Californian dessert, where the director wanted the camera to start across the hood of a Toyota Four Runner on the driver post crash, sweep across the broken windshield, down the passenger side of the damaged car, over some debris on the floor keeping the lens 3inches (7.62cm) off the ground revealing a door open from another vehicle where a pair of leather boots exit the car, lead the feet to reveal a crystal, the lady leans down and picks it up and the camera booms up with her, revealing her identify in a mid shot and slowly pushes in to a MCU as she looks up past camera.  

Steadicam could have done a version of this shot, but wouldn't have been able to go across the hood of the vehicle, or be three inches off the ground and boom up to eye height.  

The only other way I can think to have successfully pulled this shot off would have been with a telescopic crane.  Which would have involved more people power, a Crane Tech, Head Tech, Grip and still myself a camera operator to lead the shot and pan and tilt the head. 

I love a crane, but it's not always feasible to bring one in.   I did it with just myself, a grip to watch my back oh and of course a focus puller, the true unsung hero in the film industry!