We are all born to be Steadicam operators

Camera Darwinism

It's in our hunter-gatherer genes to move, to change our perspective, to consider the world from other angles. It's the changes — the subtle shifts of perspective or dramatic moves — that reveal the world and stimulate us at some deep, primal level.

It's just not in our genes to be locked to a contraption bound to rails, or to move in exact straight lines. As audience members, we respond more to a camera that moves like we do and makes images that reflect our experience of the world. We want the camera to move as our moods take us, as our interest guides us.

Our hunter-gatherer genes also predispose us to enjoy being a Steadicam operator. Our species likes moving around, exercising both gross and fine motor activity. Sitting all day is boring. Working well with a sophisticated tool, moving about, sweating a little. Lots of sensory stimulus. Exotic locations. What could be better?

And forget being a one-man band. Several million years of evolution have made us supremely social animals. It's better to work with others than alone. Enjoy the help you get. Be helpful. Don't fight it. Fulfill your biological destiny!