As useful as the pedestal mounting is for everyday productions, there will always be situations where you need even greater flexibility. When you are shooting a dance sequence, a rock group, a drama production, or an orchestra for example, you often want:
• Greatly increased camera heights – positioning the camera some 10 ft. (3 m) or more above the action.
• Rapid vertical movements – which allow the camera to rise quickly and soar over the action; or to swoop down from a height; or to move in from a high distant viewpoint to join the performers.
Sideways movements – in which the camera gently repositions its viewpoint; or dramatically sweeps across as the action develops.
The camera cranes originally developed for film production provided this flexibility, and have been used successfully for many years in larger television studios. However, they had drawbacks. They can take up a lot of floor space and need unobstructed height to maneuver. They require a coordinated camera team of up to four people to operate and guide them. So several other types of mounting were developed for TV production.
This is a counter-balanced beam or jib arm supported on a pedestal, tripod, or wheeled base. At one end of this mounting, the remotely controlled lightweight/portable camera is hung in a cradle. The camera’s controls are arranged at the other end of the jib arm, together with a picture monitor/viewfinder. With this arrangement, one operator can not only adjust pan, tilt, focus, and zoom while framing the shot to follow the action, but raise/lower the jib arm (crane or boom up/down), move the jib sideways (tonguing left/right), and move the entire dolly (dollying/tracking in and out; trucking/crabbing left/right). Further moves (tongueing the sideways jib in/out; arcing round a subject) are also possible.
How much any single operator can reasonably be expected to do, depends on the occasion! The jib arm is mainly used to provide a higher viewpoint from a stationary mounting (e.g. to about 10 ft. (3 m)), with occasional height changes in shot. Swinging the jib sideways is often much quicker, safer and more convenient than trucking the entire dolly.
Small camera cranes are used, where the director requires both height variations (e.g. 1½ to 10 ft. (0.46 to 3 m)) and considerable mobility. Several forms of studio crane are available, from ‘lightweight’ collapsible mountings to giant cranes requiring experienced specialist operators.
Jib arm
A counterbalanced beam mounted on a pedestal, tripod, or wheeled base. The video camera at its far end may be operated manually, or controlled remotely at its lower end, using an attached picture monitor.
Small crane
A lightweight crane (Vinten) for remotes and studio use. The height range (0.6 to 2m; 2 to 7 ft) with 360° seat and camera rotation, offer considerable shot flexibility.