Camera car rental
A traditional camera car is any self-propelled vehicle engineered for mounting and manning cameras and other equipment, for filming from a stationary or moving vehicle. Moving Shot lists 32 vendors across 12 states.
What is a camera car?
- A traditional camera car is any self-propelled vehicle engineered for mounting and manning cameras and other equipment, for filming from a stationary or moving vehicle. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
- Specialty tracking vehicles such as motorized process vehicles, ATVs, golf carts, camera bikes and rally cars fall outside that definition. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
When it is used
- The safety committee lists cases for a camera car instead of letting a performer drive: when the action interferes with driving, when vision is impaired by dust, spray, lights, smoke or a covered windshield, when speed or terrain is beyond normal, near aircraft, or when vehicles run close together. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
Typical crew
- The camera car driver/operator decides final operation and can stop the vehicle for any safety reason. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
- Who rides is set by the driver with the 1st AD and the Key Grip. Generally no more than nine people including the driver, and never over the manufacturer's GVWR. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
Typical package
Gear the listed vendors publish on their own sites. Check each vendor for current inventory.
Biscuit Jr · C-2 Chase Car · Edge Crane · Escalade · Maverick · MTV with Crane · Porsche Camera Car · Process Trailer · Push Pull Rig · Remote Drive POD · Arm cars · Cinebike · Cable cam · FPV drones · Heavy lifter drones · MoVI · Motocrane Radical · Porsche Cayenne S · Ronin 2 · INS2
Safety notes
- Inspect the camera car before and after use, or at least daily: brakes, tires, steering, engine, drive train, electrical, towing gear and safety equipment. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
- Rigging and rigging changes are done by qualified people in a secured area away from traffic, discussed with the driver, and checked by the driver afterward. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
- Everyone riding gets a secure place to ride, such as a railing at the right height or a properly secured harness. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
- Hold a shot-specific safety meeting with a walk-through or dry run, and agree on abort signals. Meet again whenever the choreography changes. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
- The driver signals movement with two short horn taps or the onboard PA. Nobody gets on or off while the car is moving. Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
- Anything extending beyond the camera car brings in the power line distance rules (Addendum C). Source: CSATF Safety Bulletin #8, Guidelines for Traditional Camera Cars (rev. 07/19/06)
Permits and police
- In the City of Los Angeles a filming permit is required for commercial on-location filming, with at least three full business days of processing. Source: FilmLA, Area Requirements: City of Los Angeles
- LAPD minimums in the City of Los Angeles: insert car without trailer, 2 motorcycle officers; with a process trailer, 3; Russian Arm, 2. Each also needs LAPD review of location, time and traffic. Source: FilmLA, LAPD Motion Picture Officer Hire Assignments
Camera cars vendors
Filmotechnic LA
Los Angeles, CA
U-Crane arm cars and Flight Head remote systems. USA sales and support for Filmotechnic.
- Camera cars
- Remote heads
- Gyro-stabilized
Camera Car Systems
Los Angeles, CA
Filmotechnic U-Cranes (formerly Russian Arm), Flight Heads, and Technoscopes. Site also lists Motocrane, Edge Arm, and Ultimate Arm.
- Camera cars
- Motocrane
- Technocrane
- Remote heads
CineMoves
Los Angeles, CA
Telescopic cranes, arm cars (Porsche Cayenne and TRX), and Matrix / Oculus remote heads.
- Camera cars
- Technocrane
- Remote heads
Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment
North Hollywood, CA
Camera vehicles, Hydrascope telescoping cranes, Taurus MTV, and Libra remote heads.
- Camera cars
- Technocrane
- Remote heads
Pro-Cam Systems
Chatsworth, CA
Technocrane 15 and 22, Techno-S and Libra heads, Patriot Car, and Taurus MTV. Now a Chapman/Leonard company.
- Camera cars
- Technocrane
- Remote heads
Pursuit Systems
North Hollywood, CA
High-performance camera cars, insert car, process trailer, and a gyro-stabilized crane.
- Camera cars
- Process trailers
- Remote heads
- Gyro-stabilized
Camera Cars Unlimited
Agoura Hills, CA
Insert cars, process trailers, and tow dollies. Open since 1979.
- Camera cars
- Process trailers
Chase Car Inc.
Valencia, CA
Insert car, Porsche Cayenne Gemini Crane, process trailer, tow dolly, and Black Unicorn remote system.
- Camera cars
- Process trailers
- Remote heads
Camera Car
Gardena, CA
On- and off-road camera cars paired with Black Unicorn cranes and remote heads.
- Camera cars
- Remote heads
UltraArm SF
San Francisco, CA
Northern California camera car with MotoCrane Ultra and FreeFly Movi XL.
- Camera cars
- Motocrane
- Gyro-stabilized
Focus Media
San Diego, CA
MotoCrane Ultra on a Toyota Tundra, with crew, for Southern California.
- Motocrane
- Camera cars
Metro Camera Cars
New York, NY
Arm car, Technoscope F17, chase truck, tow rig, Flight Head, and Libra options.
- Camera cars
- Technocrane
- Remote heads
- Process trailers
Xizmo Media
Brooklyn, NY
MotoCrane on a chase vehicle with a gyro-stabilized remote head.
- Motocrane
- Camera cars
- Gyro-stabilized
- Remote heads
Midwest Camera Car
Chicago, IL
Telescopic U-Crane 6, F27 Technoscope, process trailers, and tow dollies.
- Camera cars
- Technocrane
- Process trailers
- Remote heads
MotoCrane
Minneapolis, MN
Builds ULTRA, RADICAL, and HYPER remote arms, plus suction speed-rail grids for mounting to vehicles.
- Motocrane
- Camera cars
- Car mounts
New Mexico Film Rentals
Albuquerque, NM
50-foot Supertechnocrane plus stabilized and non-stabilized remote heads. Site also lists camera cars and motion control.
- Technocrane
- Remote heads
- Camera cars
- Motion control
Southwest Camera Car
Phoenix, AZ
Porsche Cayenne Turbo with Motocrane Ultra and MoVI XL. Site says they will travel.
- Camera cars
- Motocrane
- Remote heads
- Gyro-stabilized
Performance Filmworks
Oxnard, CA
EDGE gyro-stabilized camera crane vehicles and Edge, Arch, Pi, and Micro heads.
- Camera cars
- Remote heads
- Gyro-stabilized
The Media Standard
Miami, FL
South Florida camera cars with Tilta Hydra Arm Mini on Porsche, GMC, and BMW platforms.
- Camera cars
- Remote heads
Cranium
Sylmar, CA
MovieBird and Scorpio telescopic cranes, remote heads, and an in-house electric camera car.
- Technocrane
- Remote heads
- Camera cars
- Motion control
Nashville Camera Car
Nashville, TN
Arm car on a Porsche Cayenne and Viking SxS. Site names Motocrane and MoVI XL.
- Camera cars
- Motocrane
- Remote heads
- Gyro-stabilized
Above Summit
Boston, MA
Boston shop posting Motocrane arms on a BMW X6 and Polaris RZR.
- Camera cars
- Motocrane
Easy Peasy Films
Los Angeles, CA
Motocrane Hyper and Radical arms on a Mercedes ML63 AMG, with ARRI SRH-360 and MoVI XL.
- Camera cars
- Motocrane
- Remote heads
- Gyro-stabilized
Driver's Eye
Los Angeles, CA
Arm car with Motocrane Hyper on a Porsche Cayenne and Flighthead Mini 4.
- Camera cars
- Motocrane
- Remote heads
ArmCar
Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh shop listing Motocrane Titan, Titan LT, and Ultra isolator arms.
- Camera cars
- Motocrane
- Gyro-stabilized
Unique Producers
Miami, FL
Miami insert car and process trailer. Site lists SuperTechno crane capacity on the Ford F-450.
- Camera cars
- Process trailers
- Technocrane
Action Camera Cars
Yonkers, NY
Yonkers camera cars, process trailers, chase vehicles, and tow dollies.
- Camera cars
- Process trailers
Covert Camera Vehicles
North Hollywood, CA
Tracking vehicles including a TRX with Filmotechnic U-Crane 6 and Flight Head 6s.
- Camera cars
- Remote heads
- Gyro-stabilized
Allan Padelford Camera Cars
Santa Clarita, CA
Camera cars, insert cars, process trailers, the Escalade with the EDGE crane, and the Biscuit rigs. Founded in 1988.
- Camera cars
- Process trailers
VidMuze Cinema
Asheville, NC
Camera movement shop with arm cars, a cinebike, cable cams, drones, and MoVI operators. In business since 2012.
- Camera cars
- Gyro-stabilized
Method Media Arm Car
Kansas City, MO
Porsche Cayenne S arm car built on the Motocrane Radical system with a Ronin 2 remote head and INS2 gyro stabilization.
- Camera cars
- Motocrane
- Remote heads
All-In-One Truck
Stevenson Ranch, CA
Camera car and process trailer rental for film, TV, commercials, and music videos since 2005.
- Camera cars
- Process trailers
MotoCrane field guides
Related rig types
Questions
Questions
- Where can I rent a camera car?
- Moving Shot lists 32 vendors that publish camera cars on their own sites, based in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee.
- What is a camera car?
- A self-propelled vehicle built for mounting and manning cameras and equipment to film from a moving or stationary vehicle, per CSATF Safety Bulletin #8.
- How many people can ride a camera car?
- CSATF Safety Bulletin #8 says generally no more than nine including the driver, never over the manufacturer's GVWR, and only people needed for the shot.
- Who decides if a camera car shot is safe?
- The camera car driver/operator has final say and may suspend operation for any reason he or she deems unsafe.