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STUDIO & EQUIPMENT UPDATE

A Quarterly Newsletter

Volume 4, Issue 1 January 1996

Over 50 years of quality service

ATB right on track for Chrysler commercial

Mojave,CA--Chapman service technicians were put to the test, recently, when grips from a Chrysler- Plymouth commercial called for a last minute delivery.

"The customer needed 280 feet of running track, and needed an electric powered drive unit," said Chapman's Luis Martinez, who made the 2 1/2 hour trip from North Hollywood to Inyokern Airport.   Martinez, working with General Manager, Charles Huenergardt, recommended using the ATB electric camera dolly, which rolls perfectly on track. At Leonard Chapman's direction, a new Low Camera Drop Down attachment was designed to obtain a smooth, ultra-low camera angle shot at the necessary speed.

John Stabile, Key Grip, on the project said the ATB got just the shot he and Director of Photography, Bill Bennet, were looking for.

"It (the ATB) worked great," said Stabile, who has been a Key Grip for 15 years.   " The ATB allowed us to get really low to the ground. And the best part was that it's so easy to use.  We just rolled it right off the truck and went to work.   I'll definitely be using it again."

Best Boy Grip, Michael Barrera, said he was as pleased with Chapman's efficient service as with the ATB's performance.

"That was an awful lot of track to an isolated location in such a short time," Barrera said.  "It took a few days from the time we ordered it to the time it arrived."

The filming was part of a 30-second commercial scheduled to air this month.  A row of six cars was aligned at equal increments, with the camera acting as a radio dial moving up and down the runway.

Above: John Stabile (right) rides ATB for Chrysler commercial shoot