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First of its kind Chris Lynch explains how, when the Caerus system hits the market, disabled filmmaking will change forever – and for the better D eveloped by disabled filmmaker Chris Lynch and colleagues at his production
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company Diverse Made Media, the Caerus system is the first of its kind: a Segway-based Steadicam alternative that puts wheelchair users and other disabled creatives in the driver’s seat. Born out of Lynch’s own experiences and observations, Caerus addresses issues often faced by disabled camera operators – namely speed, flexibility and manoeuvrability. Game-changing chair Five years in the making, Caerus has been a ‘work in progress’, according to Lynch. “It’s a lot more agile than an electric chair; it has a smaller footprint as well,” able to move at a top speed of 15mph. Combining powerful image stabilisation with cine cameras and lenses, provided in part by CVP, Caerus allows its user ‘to control the gimbal and the focus at the same time’. The operator can either do this manually or – in cases of particular disabilities, such as a person who doesn’t have arms – automatically via tracking technology. “We’ve thought about all the different applications and controller interfaces to make it as familiar as possible with ACs and operators on- set,” concludes Lynch.
ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL The Caerus system allows disabled users to operate and manoeuvre cameras independently
Though designed with disabled filmmakers in mind, the Caerus system could appeal to anyone. “People without disabilities will take this on,” predicts Lynch. “Obviously, the more unit sales, the cheaper the cost will be for the end user, which is great.” The Caerus set-up is competitively priced but promises good value for money, available for less than an ARRI Trinity for instance, and includes a RED KOMODO-X. “It’s a full starter kit to get someone going,” says Lynch. After debuting at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Caerus is finally consumer ready. “It has taken quite a bit of time to
refine it,” shares Lynch. “We’ve covered all the bases in terms of production requirements, and given that there are quotas on the number of disabled crew that broadcasters and brands are looking for, I think that all helps get this integrated within the industry.” Lynch will attend the Paralympics with Caerus and demonstrate it on the sets of ITV’s Coronation Street and Emmerdale . “It’s just a case of trying to get in front of as many people as possible,” he admits. “We’ve got a mammoth task ahead of us now; we’re trying to get people to listen and hopefully embrace it.”
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