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'The Art of Steadicam' Video Celebrates Long Single-Take Sequences

by Ethan Anderton
March 5, 2013
Source: Reddit

The invention of the steadicam has helped make cinema all the more engaging and visually striking. Garrett Brown introduced the tool back int he 70s and it has been perfected and tinkered with ever since, allowing for some truly amazing work behind the camera. In addition, the use of steadicam over tracking shots and other such technniques has allowed for some amazing and lengthy sequences to hit the big screen. From the unbelievable, crowded scene at Dunkirk in Atonement to long and moving dialogue takes in Before Sunset, and other such films like Pulp Fiction, GoodFellas, The Birdcage, Boogie Nights and much more, the steadicam gets its due diligence in this supercut The Art of the Steadicam. Watch!.

Here's The Art of Steadicam from Reddit via The Playlist:

In addition, if you're looking for more shots like the ones featured above, the website Steadishots has an entire listing of films with these kinds of sequences, and they give credit where its due with the cameramen and camerwomen who were behind the amazing work. The above video is a creation of Refocused Media, who used Steadishots rankings of the Top 50 sequences and put them altogether. The reason these sequences work so well, is many audiences don't even realize they're single takes, and that means they're truly immersed in the film itself. See the full list of all the clips used above right here. Pretty cool, right?

Filed under Cool Stuff, To Watch

From around the web:

http://twitter.com/txshurricane Jim

Love me some Steadicam.
Xerxexx

Children of Men and Atonement are two of the best. Why wasn't the former featured?
- http://www.refocusedmedia.com Refocused Media
  
  Not Steadicam, all traditional handheld.
  - Xerxexx
    
    It seemed to follow the same formula as Atonement...
    - http://www.refocusedmedia.com Refocused Media
      
      A testament to the quality of the handheld work in Children of Men, but ya.. not Steadicam.
Isildur_of_Numenor

It ends perfectly: The Shining.
- http://www.facebook.com/matt.peloquin.14 Matt Peloquin
  
  That scene was very important in regards to the history of steadicam. Kubrick knew what he wanted and forced his engineers to become inventors to get it. "The Shining pushed Brown's innovations even further, when Kubrick requested that the camera shoot from barely above the floor. This prompted the innovation of a "low mode" bracket to mount the top of a camera to the bottom of an inverted post, which substantially increased the creative angles of the system, which previously could not go much lower than the operator's waist height. This low-mode concept remains the most important extension to the system since its inception."
  - Isildur_of_Numenor
    
    Yep, it is truly amazing.
http://profiles.google.com/snears Nick Sears

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qE7WijeShQM
http://www.facebook.com/bert.kerremans Bert Kerremans

What are the first 2 movies?
- http://www.refocusedmedia.com Refocused Media
  
  Goodfellas and Fight Club
Simon Watkins

Kubrick...you da man! Full Metal Jacket steadicam shot still my favorite.
me

they missed out snake eyes