Film crew hire/Steadicam operator
Hire a Steadicam operator, anywhere in the UK. One move, from the street door to the last mark.
Steadicam operators for adverts, brand films, music videos and drama across the UK, from a stage in west London to a hall at the NEC or the concourse at Glasgow Central. We book them, with their rig, wherever the shoot is, and plan the move with the building, the venue or Network Rail before the day. From £950 a day, paid to the operator in full, with the rig on its own line.
- 54 five-star Google reviews
- 2 hrs for our team to read your brief, in working hours
- £10m employers’ liability on every crew member we book
- 2,800+ freelance crew on our books, across the UK
Photos: Benjamin Wedemeyer, Here Now Films and Jakob Owens
The role
What a Steadicam operator does on your shoot
A Steadicam operator flies the camera on a stabilised rig: a vest, an articulated arm and a sled that balances the camera. The shot can follow people through doors, up stairs and across a room, smoothly, at walking pace or faster, with a full-size cinema camera on it.
Steadicam is a brand name that became the name of the job. Operators own their rigs, which are expensive and set up for their own bodies, so the operator and the rig come as a pair. Bectu’s outside broadcast rate guide (April 2023) has Steadicam invoices itemising the labour, the equipment hire and the assistant’s rate, and we quote them the same way: the operator, the rig and any assistant, each on its own line.
There are fewer Steadicam operators than camera operators across the UK, so we start from the camera and the date. The camera package often comes from a rental house: Panavision in Greenford or ARRI Rental in Uxbridge, the houses at Space Studios in Manchester, Films at 59 in Bristol and Cardiff, or No Drama in Glasgow. Tell us which one, and the operator plans the rig to the camera’s weight. More in film equipment hire in the UK.
- One shot, no cut. From the street door, across the lobby and into the lift, in a single move.
- A cinema camera, flown. An ARRI Alexa or a RED with cine lenses: more weight than a handheld gimbal carries for long.
- Rehearsed with the cast. The move walked, timed and marked, so the actors and the camera hit the same spot.
- Focus by wireless. A focus puller on a monitor pulls focus, so the operator only has to frame.
What’s included
What the day rate covers
In the day rate
- An 11-hour day: ten working hours and an hour for lunch
- Operating the camera on the rig, every take
- Building, balancing and tuning the rig for your camera and lenses
- Rehearsing the moves with the director and the cast
- Rest between long takes, planned into the schedule
On top, each on its own line
- Our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, on the whole quote
- The rig and its accessories, quoted with the operator
- A Steadicam assistant or a focus puller, for long days and wide-open lenses
- Travel, mileage and hotels when the shoot is away from the crew member’s home city, at cost
- Parking, and any clean air zone or Congestion Charge for the operator’s van, at cost
How our rates work, overtime and the APA/Bectu card: film crew rates in the UK.
Two ways to book
Crew hire or full production: who’s the producer of record?
One question sets the price: who’s the producer of record? Book a Steadicam operator for your own shoot anywhere in the UK, or have us take the production on, with the building, the film office and Network Rail sorted for you.
Crew hire
You run the shoot.
10% + 2% booking fee and insurance, on everything we book for you: crew, kit and travel.
We do
- Find, book and brief the crew, and pay them
- Book kit, travel and hotels too, if you want them
- Send the full price before anything is booked
- One person to call all day
- Employers’ liability for the crew we book, and insurance on kit we hire in
You do
- Run the shoot, or your producer does
- The plan, the schedule and the call sheet
- The location, its permission and its public liability
- Responsibility for the production: you’re the producer of record
What the 2% insures: employers’ liability for every crew member we book, and the kit we hire in for you. Nothing else on the shoot. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
Full production
We’re the producer of record.
15% + 5% production fee, plus insurance and contingency, on the whole production budget. Quoted as a production.
We do
- Our producer plans it with you and runs the day
- Locations, permits, kit, studio, travel and hotels, booked and paid in our name
- Insurance for the whole shoot, public liability included, plus the risk assessment and the call sheet
- One contract and one invoice, so overseas teams need no UK company
You do
- The creative calls
- Signing off the plan and the budget
What the 5% pays for: our production insurance across the whole shoot, £10m public liability included, and the contingency.
Not sure which you need? If your own producer or director will run the day, it’s crew hire. If you want us to take the production on, it’s a full production quote.
On the day
A day with a Steadicam operator, call to wrap
An example: a brand film that opens on the concourse of a mainline station and ends in a boardroom across the road. Times are an example; the call sheet sets the real ones.
- Days before Network Rail The small-scale filming agreement for a crew of ten or fewer, with a £10m public liability certificate. Its kit list allows Steadicam or similar, but not an Easyrig, and no boom pole, so sound is on radio mics (checked October 2026).
- 07:00 Check in Crew names and the kit list checked by the station team and by the office building’s security. The van unloads and leaves.
- 08:00 Build and balance The camera stripped down for the sled, balanced and tuned. Wireless focus and the video sender paired.
- 09:00 Walk the route The move rehearsed with the director inside the filming area the station has picked: the entrance, the departure boards, the final mark.
- 10:00 On the concourse The walk across the concourse, the operator moving backwards ahead of the talent, the director on a wireless monitor.
- 11:30 Rest Out of the vest. Long takes on Steadicam are hard work, and the day is planned round them.
- 14:00 The one-shot Across the road, through reception and up to the boardroom: the pavement on the council’s say-so, the building on the landlord’s. Eight takes, the last one clean.
- 18:00 Wrap Rig down, the camera rebuilt for the main unit, the van back for the load-out.
Which rig
Steadicam, gimbal or something else?
Stabilised shots come from several kinds of rig. The camera, the move and the location decide which.
Steadicam Heavy cinema cameras, long takes From £950 a day + rig
A vest, arm and sled carrying a full cinema camera. Smooth and organic, and good for long, complex moves.
Best for adverts, drama, music videos and one-shot sequences, on a stage or through a building.
Handheld gimbal Light and fast £529–656 a day
A DJI Ronin, RS or similar, carried by one person: quicker, cheaper and smaller in a crowd. See gimbal operator hire UK.
Best for walk-and-talks, events and social content.
Ronin 4D Stabilised camera, built in Quoted on the brief
A full-frame camera with stabilisation built in, operated by one person. Many Steadicam operators own one.
Best for documentary and run-and-gun days that still need to glide.
Dolly and track Precise, repeatable moves See grips
A dolly on track, pushed by a grip: exactly the same move every take.
Best for slow, controlled moves on a flat floor. On a pavement, track usually needs the council’s permission where a handheld camera might not.
What it’s for
What people book Steadicam for across the UK
Adverts on stages
The hero move on a stage in west London, at Space Studios in Manchester or at The Bottle Yard in Bristol, often to playback.
Brand films in big buildings
One shot from the street through a lobby in the City of London, Spinningfields or Colmore Row, up to the boardroom.
Stations
Network Rail’s small-scale agreement allows Steadicam at 18 stations, from London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central.
Music videos and drama
Long takes round the artist or the cast, in warehouses in east London, Digbeth or Ancoats.
Events and launches
Moving among the guests with a heavier camera than a gimbal carries, at ExCeL, the NEC or the SEC in Glasgow.
How we crew it
How we crew Steadicam across the UK
How we crew it · UK
The operator, the rig and the camera, matched before the day
We start from the camera: the body, the lenses, wireless focus and video, and the rental house building it. That decides the rig, and the rig decides the operator. Where the right operator is near the shoot, we book them; where they live in another city, the travel and any hotel go on the quote before you confirm. On long days we suggest a Steadicam assistant, and with wide-open lenses a focus puller, each on their own line.
How we crew it · UK
A station concourse, a tube platform or a City lobby
At Network Rail’s managed stations, ten people or fewer apply under the small-scale filming agreement, with £10m public liability; its kit list allows Steadicam or similar, a tripod and a wireless monitor, but not an Easyrig or a boom pole. On the London Underground it’s TfL’s permission, three weeks ahead or a £600 late fee. In an office tower the landlord says yes first, and security wants every name and the kit list (checked October 2026). On a full production we apply; on a crew hire we tell you who to ask, and when.
Before you book
Things to know
The day
- 11 hours, including an hour for lunch: ten working hours.
- Overtime by the hour at the APA card’s rate for the role, agreed with you before it happens.
- At least 11 hours between wrap and the next day’s call.
The rig and the location
- The operator’s own vest, arm and sled, priced on its own line.
- Tell us the camera, lenses and rental house, so the rig is built for the weight.
- Network Rail’s small-scale agreement: ten people or fewer, £10m public liability, Steadicam allowed, no Easyrig (checked October 2026).
- In London, TfL’s conditions of carriage allow no tripods or camera supports on the network without permission, so the rig travels by van (checked October 2026).
Paying and changes
- Nothing to pay until you confirm the Steadicam operator.
- 50% by card when you book, 50% on receipt of the final rushes.
- Every line on the quote: day rate, booking fee, kit, travel.
- Moving the date? Tell us as soon as you know.
- Cancellation terms are on every quote.
What our insurance covers
- Employers’ liability for the Steadicam operator we book: £10m.
- Kit we hire in for you is insured. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
- Nothing else on a crew hire. Public liability, the location and your own kit stay with you, and your venue will want your certificate. When we’re the producer of record, our policy covers the shoot.
From £950 a day
There’s no APA/Bectu card rate for Steadicam: operators set their own, with the rig on top.
| Operator, 11 hours | £950 |
| Booking fee, 10% | £95 |
| Insurance, 2% | £19 |
| Rig | Quoted with the operator |
| One day, before the rig and travel | £1,064 + VAT |
The 2% is employers’ liability for the Steadicam operator we book, and cover on kit we hire in. Insurance for a UK shoot
You won’t pay anything until you confirm the Steadicam operator.
- 50% by card at booking, 50% on the final rushes
- Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours
- Every line on the quote before anything is booked
Or call us on 07412 543822.
Reviews
What clients say about our crews
Straight from our Google Business Profile.
Book a Steadicam operator, anywhere in the UK.
Tell us the date, the camera and lenses, the move you have in mind, and where in the UK it happens. Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Or call us on 07412 543822.
Check availability
The whole crew
Every role across the UK, booked the same way
One brief, one quote, every role on its own line. Our UK day rates, paid to the crew member in full:
Production 06
- Director From £500
- Producer From £450
- Production manager £504–627
- 2nd AD £355–448
- Production assistant £400
- Runner £245
Camera 09
- DOP From £850
- Camera operator £529–656
- Lighting camera operator £529–656
- Videographer £529–656
- Focus puller (1st AC) £461–575
- Clapper loader (2nd AC) £355–448
- Steadicam operator This page From £950
- Gimbal operator £529–656
- Drone operator From £750
Data and playback 02
- DIT £527
- Video playback £334–518
Sound 01
- Sound recordist £550
Hair, make-up and costume 02
- Hair and make-up £398
- Costume £519–694
Art department 02
- Art director £675–878
- Set builders £341–512
Post-production 01
- Editor From £350
How our rates work: crew rates across the UK. In one city? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cornwall have their own role pages.
Production support
Everything around the crew
A Steadicam day needs a building or a station that says yes, a rig matched to the camera, and travel when the operator comes from another city. Each goes on its own line of the quote, or the guides show you how to sort them.
01
Crew rates in the UK
Day rates for every role, the APA/Bectu card, overtime and what a day covers.
02
Kit and equipment hire
Rental houses across the UK, wet hire and dry hire, and the crew’s own kit.
03
Insurance for a UK shoot
Employers’ liability, public liability, kit cover, and what can leave you uninsured.
Questions
Hiring a Steadicam operator in the UK: questions
How much does a Steadicam operator cost in the UK?
Our Steadicam operators start at £950 for an 11-hour day, paid to the operator in full. The rig goes on its own line. On top go our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, so the operator’s day comes to £1,064 + VAT, before the rig and any travel. There’s no APA/Bectu card rate for Steadicam: operators set their own. Film crew rates in the UK
What does the insurance on a crew booking cover?
Two things. Employers’ liability for every crew member we book, up to £10m, and insurance on the kit we hire in for you. That’s what the 2% pays for. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote. The 2% doesn’t insure the rest of the shoot: public liability, the location, your own kit and anything you book yourself stay with you, because you’re the producer of record. If you’d rather we were, it’s quoted as a full production, and our insurance covers the whole shoot, public liability included.
How long is a day, and when does overtime start?
A day is 11 hours, ten of them working and one for lunch. After that, overtime is paid by the hour at the APA card’s rate for the role: 1.5×, 1.25× or single time on an hourly rate of a tenth of the day rate, graded by day rate, and we agree it with you before it happens. Between wrap and the next call there are at least 11 hours. Film crew rates in the UK
Steadicam or gimbal: which do I need?
A gimbal is lighter, cheaper and quicker: fine for a mirrorless or compact cinema camera on a busy pavement. Steadicam carries a full-size cinema camera, holds long takes better and moves more naturally. For an advert or a one-shot sequence, book Steadicam. Gimbal operator hire UK
Can we use Steadicam in a railway station?
At Network Rail’s managed stations, yes, with permission. A crew of ten or fewer uses the small-scale filming agreement, with a £10m public liability certificate and a non-refundable fee. Its kit list allows Steadicam or similar but not an Easyrig, and boom poles are out, so sound goes on radio mics. It covers 18 stations, among them London Euston, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street, Bristol Temple Meads, Leeds, Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central (checked October 2026).
Do we need a permit for Steadicam on a street?
It depends on the city. In London, five people or fewer filming handheld without obstructing anyone need no permission on the public highway, though Film London recommends telling the borough. A Steadicam operator with a focus puller and a grip behind them is usually more than that, and the City of London charges £95 plus VAT even for a small handheld crew. Edinburgh needs no permit for street filming that causes no obstruction. Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham want a permit or a fee for small crews too (checked October 2026). More in filming locations and permits in the UK.
Are your Steadicam operators near us?
We crew from near the shoot where we can, from the 2,800+ freelance crew on our books across the UK. There are fewer Steadicam operators than camera operators, so tell us the date early. Where the right operator lives in another city, the travel goes on the quote before anything is booked. Our team books from London, with bases in Manchester, Bristol and Cornwall. City detail, from local permits to kit houses: Steadicam operators in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cornwall, and in New York if the shoot goes there too.
We’re booking from outside the UK. How does it work?
You contract with us, a UK company, so you don’t need one of your own: we book and pay the operator and invoice you once. If your own director and DOP are flying in, it’s crew hire; if you want us to run the shoot, we’re your production service company. Working with a UK production service company
More on crew across the UK
- Film crew hire UK
- Film crew rates in the UK
- Steadicam operator hire in London
- Steadicam operator hire in Manchester
- Steadicam operator hire in Birmingham
- Steadicam operator hire in Bristol
- Steadicam operator hire in Cornwall
- Steadicam operator hire in New York
- Gimbal operator hire UK
- Focus puller (1st AC) hire UK
- How we select our crew
- Our crew hire case studies