Tailor-made Ronford-Baker Underslung Rig

Here at Shift 4, we like to bend over backwards to help our clients’ projects come to life. We call it our “extra mile” approach and we’ve become renowned for it.

On a recent docu-drama, the DOP wanted to achieve a very low tracking shot tilting up from ground level and asked us to tailor-make some kind of underslung rig especially for him using a Ronford-Baker 6ft Slider. The schedule for the shoot was especially tight so whatever we created needed to be simple enough to transform back into a regular slider quickly and easily.

We love challenges like this; the knowledge and expertise of our in-house technicians and engineers means we’re able to come up with solutions and fast.

We experimented and finally came to rest on a set up involving two sets of Ronford-Baker Heavy Duty Baby Legs , two G-clamps, a Ronford-Baker F7 Mark III Fluid Head and some extra pieces of wood.  The Slider, with the F7 Head attached, was turned upside down and clamped at either end to the Baby Legs. Wood on both sides prevented the clamps marking the Slider.  The F7 Head allowed the camera (here a PMW-F55) to be less than an inch from the ground whilst retaining full tilt and pan control.

Done! One happy customer.

The tailor-made rig, here shown with our Ronford-Baker 3ft Slider.

Friday, May 30th, 2014