If you have ever watched a concert or awards show and seen the graceful camera shots that can go from floor to ceiling in one sweeping move, you were probably seeing the work of a camera jib. This is known as “flying the camera” in the industry lingo.
A jib is more than a camera on a pole, however. Its an example of precision mechanical engineering. The jib is precisely balanced with standard weight-lifting discs on the short side so that it can be moved very easily. The camera is mounted on a motorized swivel that allows the operator to pan and tilt the camera while doing a jib move. External servos or motors inside the lens allows the focus, zoom, and iris to be adjusted.
DCI recently added a Jimmy Jib Lite to our remote production capabilities. Our jib has an up to 18 foot arm and can accomodate a full-size ENG camera or a compact camera. The tripod has a large base, or truck, allowing another axis of movement. It is equipped with two monitors- a 17″ LCD and a 8″ LCD with integral waveform display for critical focus and iris adjustment. The jib also has a battery power supply to allow it to operate independent of AC power.
The system is easily portable in tripod cases and can add a high-end look to your next video shoot! Contact DCI’s Remote Productions department to inquire about using our new Jimmy Jib. And as always, DCI’s transmission assets are available to send your production world-wide, or just record to disc.
