On of the ways FDMX likes to help freelancers and SMEs in the Film and TV industries is by making expensive resources accessible for non-commercial use. We’ve bought a Steadicam Flyer system and brought in Steadicam trainers Optical Support to train freelancers and tutors.

The Steadicam Flyer Workshop took place at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, and was supported by Screen East. It was the first such course open to freelancers in the East of England.

FDMX had previously bought a Steadicam flyer system (as well as HDV Shooting kit) specifically for freelancers and industry camera operators to experiment and use for non-commercial projects.

We looked around and found what we considered to be the best Steadicam trainers in the country, Optical Support. They regularly run training courses for the National Film and TV School and the Guild of Cinematography.

We felt this course was needed to invigorate what is becoming an in-demand role in film and tv.

The course is organized was run by Barney Davis, who was the Steadicam operator on the BBC’s Life on Mars and Dead Ringers. In Film, Barney was Steadicam operator on Chocolate, and the soon to be released Michael Winterbottom film Genova. Barney also worked in various other capacities on Bridget Jones Diary, Tomb Raider and The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.

Barney was partnered by Sam Goldie, who started out as a camera trainee on Blackadder, and was a camera assistant on Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, and TV’s Hustle series.

They were joined by assistant Alex Campbell, making an excellent ratio of 3 tutors, 3 Steadicam kits, and 3 students to each.

Now we have a good bunch of operators trained up, we hope to train more folk up. Want to learn how to use the Steadicam Flyer? Get in touch!