May 8, 2009
Techno-Jib was recently called on to provide up close and personal moments of rapper Kanye West's performance for the VH1 series Storytellers. Following the show's format, West performs a variety of songs from his hit albums and then answers questions from the audience. 
Shot on a small theatrical stage set up at Sony Studios in Culver City California, the VH1 event was too intimate for a traditional jib, which usually sits at the side or back of the house or upstage. “Director Manny Rodriguez had the vision to place the Techno-Jib dead center where I could arm out and over the crowd. He understand that I would be able to give him the most coverage from that position,” explains Techno-Jib operator Devin Atwood. “I was on a small platform for added height and able to frame up a very dramatic shot, traveling the arm about 15 feet, across the light box looking down on the stage and Kanye to give the shot a lot of energy. “From my position I could cover about 180 degrees of movement, lead or follow Kanye's movements across the stage, go high or drop down or even boom around from my position without interfering with the audience or having them restrict my movements.
Atwood says, “In my 20 years of experience I have never seen another piece of camera equipment that offers such freedom and endless possibilities. The Techno-Jib allows an operator to have control over six functions: pan, tilt, zoom, focus, arm movement and arm extension and retraction. Add to this, the ability to change the center post height and dolly position, and you have a piece of gear that is unmatched by any standard.”
LA-based Atwood owns the Techno-Jib 24, which extends from a minimum reach of 9 feet (2.7 meters) to a maximum of 24 feet (7.3 meters) allowing him to make shots that would traditionally be achieved by a telescoping crane. Techno-Jib's arm can travel at speeds up to five feet per second and because of the unique “soft stop” makes each stop smooth. Each unit comes with a Mitchell Mount adapter and can accommodate a variety of remote heads either under-slung or over-slung.
Techno-Jib telescoping jib arms are available for purchase or rental. For more information, go to www.telescopicjib.com or contact: Telescopic LLC, in North Hollywood, California, at (310) 804-6113, fax (661) 265-0057; E-mail: technojib@telescopicjib.com
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