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The big 3-0 As Camera Revolution celebrates its 30th anniversary, managing director Ian Speed reflects on the last three decades, noting the continuous evolution in camera stabilisation tools, and shares his most memorable on-set moments 3 4 years ago, a man named Nick Phillips invented the Libra, the ‘very first self-stabilised remote head’
according to Ian Speed, managing director and co-founder of Camera Revolution. Built to sit atop a Land Rover as it drove across rocky, uneven terrain, the Libra helped DOP Harvey Harrison ( The Mummy , V for Vendetta ) film content for Camel Cigarettes’ clothing line. Though the initial Libra was ‘a bit basic’, says Speed, it worked well enough for Harrison, who continued collaborating with Phillips on stabilisation equipment. A few years later, Camera Revolution – as it’s known today – was born. Credit where it’s due Speed’s background in helicopter filmography allowed him to become Camera Revolution’s ‘on-set guy’, working as a technician on projects like the James Bond , Harry Potter and Mission Impossible franchises. “The best fun we ever had was on The World Is Not Enough because the opening sequence of that was a boat chase up the Thames,” he enthuses. “The camera was strapped to a powerboat and the national women’s powerboat champion was our driver. They literally closed the River Thames from Parliament all the way to Canary Wharf. We had the river for six weeks.” This is just the tip of the iceberg; Camera Revolution has hundreds of credits to its name, from feature films ( Paddington 2 , The Social Network , The Dark Knight , Saving Private Ryan , Love Actually ) to high-end TV series ( Game of Thrones , Black Mirror , The Crown ) and even sports broadcasts. Over the years, the company has been responsible for
some of film’s most iconic scenes, a notable example being Harry riding his first broomstick in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone . When a project calls, they answer, often customising bespoke equipment to the DOP’s needs. “For the current Mission Impossible , they came to us and said, ‘The existing underwater remote head’s not going to work.’ So we went and built them an underwater remote head which can be submerged up to 10m, enabling them to do some crazy stuff,” shares Speed. Big-picture progress For 30 years, Camera Revolution has watched the industry evolve, seeing what was once a luxury now become
commonplace. Speed recalls the invention of the telescopic crane, which required remote control – a perfect match for the Libra. “Over the years, the telescopic crane has become a standard piece of equipment on TV dramas, let alone for feature films,” he claims. “And more cranes need more heads.” As the world of camera stabilisation became more competitive, Camera Revolution kept pace by incorporating external manufacturers’ products – like the M7 Evo from SpaceCam and the Scorpio – as well as offering its own. “Everyone has their own preferences. We don’t ask why they want it; we just go with it,” Speed explains, though he suggests the ‘completely waterproof’ Libra to those submerging the camera in water.
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