1998: The Year In Review

North Hollywood, CA-A Variety of motion picture, television, commercial, music video and infomercial spots utilized Chapman / Leonard's camera cranes, arms, bases, dollies, pedestals and remote camera systems.  The following stories are a brief view of some of the many productions that went on throughout the year...

MUSIC VIDEOS:       The End, Inc. producers of a music video for European singing sensation, Anouk, selected the scenic, craggy shore of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California to film their latest music video.  Key Grip, David Winner, led his crew in the construction of a plywood deck that would support the ATB,  Lenny Arm II and Power Pod Preston Remote Head.  The shoreline had a flat shelf, dotted with boulders and rimmed by caves.  The ATB had to be descended 200 feel from the parking lot above onto the platform built by David Winner and his crew.   From this position, the self-propelled ATB crane arm base with the Lenny Arm could project the Power Pod into the mouth of a cave for several takes.  The ATB was then driven from the platform to a rock jetty overlooking the sea for the remainder of the scenes.  Columbia Records enlisted the producers to film the performance of Anouk's hit CD, Together Alone, feeling that a rugged coastline matched the distinctive style of the young Dutch performer.  It took the ingenuity of the grips and the toughness of Chapman / Leonard's gear to tame the location.

FEATURE FILMS:        The Hi Lo Country's Key Grip Pat Daly, with Jeff "Moose" Howry utilized the CS Base with a Lenny Arm III in the manned configuration #14 to support DP, Oliver  Stapleton, and Camera Operator, Chris Lombardi, along with a camera.  The combination of CS Base and arm was dollied on I-Beam Track to shoot a sequence for the film.  The Lenny III configuration #14 allows a payload of up to 700 pounds to extend to a reach of up to 23 feet with a maximum height of 23 feet as well.  The location pictured was set in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

TELEVISION:              ER used the Chapman / Leonard Zeus stage crane in combination with the Steadi Cam, and Chapman's new Steadi Platform, item #8499 (Item #6877 for the crane package).  DP Hector Figueroa, along with Steadi Cam Operator, Dave Chameides, were pleased with the results for the ER episode.  The idea of the shot was to make a continuous move beginning from an overhead view of a couple of firemen coming out of a fire truck and then following them to a warehouse where two men who were carpeting the floor had been glued together.   They needed a shot that would start high and then allow a camera to come off the nose of the crane and follow the two firemen.

COMMERCIALS:         Pictured left is Chapman's Hybrid camera dolly with the High Post Kit, the Lenny Mini and the Power Pod remote camera system supporting an Arri camera.  All this equipment was placed in the back of a Running Shot camera car for a special setup during the filming of a Samsung Motors commercial.  The spot starred professional golfer, Seri Pak.   The Gaffer was Tom Wheatley, Key Grip was Toj Lowry and Director of Photography was Kye O. Lee.  The commercial was produced by Tony Moon and directed by Hansu Kim.   It was filmed on location in Florida.  Production Manager, Lori Turchin, said "the shot worked out great."

SITCOMS:                     From the Starling Stages in Paris, France comes photos from the set of the sitcom, A Blague A Part.  This French sitcom is now utilizing the new Lencin® pedestals from Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment, Inc.