Film crew hire/Bristol/Steadicam
Hire a Steadicam operator in Bristol. Through the doors and down the stairs, in one unbroken move.
Steadicam operators for adverts, drama, music videos and brand films across Bristol and Bath. They fly the camera through a built set at The Bottle Yard, the ship interiors at Bristol Dockyards or Temple Meads station, once the venue, Bristol Film Office or Network Rail has said yes. From £950 a day, paid to the operator in full, with their rig on its own line.
- 2,800+ freelance crew on our books across the UK
- 150+ of them in and around Bristol and Bath
- 54 five-star Google reviews
- 2 hrs for our team to read your brief, in working hours
Photos: Jakob Owens, Benjamin Wedemeyer and Jarred Kyle
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. It lets the shot follow people through doors, up stairs and across rooms, smoothly, at walking pace or faster, with a full-size cinema camera on board.
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.
We’re a crew agency with 2,800+ freelance crew on our books across the UK, 150+ of them in and around Bristol and Bath, so we can scale a crew from one person for a morning to a full unit for a week. There are fewer Steadicam operators than camera operators in any city, Bristol included, so on many dates the right one comes from across the South West, Cardiff or London, with the travel on the quote before anything is booked. Tell us where the camera is coming from, Films at 59, VI Rental at The Bottle Yard or a London kit house, and the operator builds the rig to its weight.
- One shot, no cut. From the street door, through the hall and up the stairs, in a single move.
- A heavy camera, flown. An ARRI Alexa or a RED with cine lenses, which a handheld gimbal can’t carry 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. With a focus puller on a monitor, the operator only has to frame.
What’s included
What the day rate covers
In the day rate
- An 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch
- Operating the camera on the rig, every take
- Balancing and setting up the rig for your camera
- Rehearsing the moves with the director and cast
- Rest between long takes, planned into the day
- Their own vest, arm and sled
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 focus puller, for wide-open lenses
- Travel from outside Bristol, and mileage, parking and the Clean Air Zone charge where the day needs them, at cost
How our rates work, and the two ways to book: crew rates in Bristol.
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 production, or have us take the whole film on.
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
A music video on a stage at The Bottle Yard in Whitchurch: a one-shot through a built set, then the band. Times are an example; the call sheet sets the real ones.
- 07:30 On site The van into one of the 210 secure spaces at TBY1 on Whitchurch Lane (checked October 2026), so the rig goes in on a trolley.
- 08:00 Build and balance The camera stripped down for the sled, balanced and tuned; wireless focus and video sender paired.
- 09:00 Walk the route The move rehearsed with the director through the set: doorway, corridor, stairs, the last mark on the singer.
- 10:00 The one-shot Take after take, the operator walking backwards ahead of the singer, a grip guiding from behind. Take eight is the one.
- 11:30 Rest Out of the vest. Long takes on Steadicam are hard work, and the day is planned round them.
- 14:00 The band Circling the band on the floor, low and close, with playback synced to the slate.
- 18:00 Wrap Rig down, camera rebuilt for the main unit, takes logged, the van loaded in the car park.
Which rig
Steadicam, gimbal or something else?
Several rigs make a moving shot. The weight of the camera, the length of the move and the floor decide which.
Steadicam Full cinema camera, long moves From £950 a day
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 at The Bottle Yard or through a venue like Bristol Beacon.
Gimbal Lighter cameras, quicker set-ups £529 a day
A DJI Ronin, RS or similar, carried by one person: quicker, cheaper and smaller on a crowded Harbourside or a market floor. See gimbal operators in Bristol.
Best for walk-and-talks, events and social content.
Stabilised cinema camera Ronin 4D and the like
A full-frame camera with stabilisation built in, operated by one person. Many Steadicam operators own one too.
Best for documentary and run-and-gun days that still need to glide.
Dolly and track The same move every take
A dolly on track, pushed by a grip. Exactly the same move on every take.
Best for slow, controlled moves on a flat floor. On a Bristol pavement the track needs Bristol Film Office’s permission, and any cable crosses the footway flown 2.6m up or under matting (checked October 2026).
What it’s for
What people book Steadicam for in Bristol
Adverts and drama on a stage
The hero move on one of The Bottle Yard’s 11 stages, up to Tankhouse 3 at 65ft high.
Music videos
Long takes round the artist, on a stage in Whitchurch or in the small studios of Bedminster and Barton Hill.
Heritage interiors
One move through the First Class Dining Saloon and the engine room of the SS Great Britain, at Bristol Dockyards.
Stations and big buildings
Temple Meads, under Network Rail’s rules, and the halls of Bristol Beacon and the Victoria Rooms.
Overseas productions
US and European teams with their own director and DP, landing at Bristol Airport, which flies daily to Amsterdam and Paris.
Recent work
Steadicam in Bristol, and how we crew it
How we crew it · Bristol
The operator, the rig and the camera, matched first
We start from the camera: the body, the lenses, wireless focus and video, and the kit house building it, whether that’s Films at 59, VI Rental at The Bottle Yard or a house in London. That decides the rig, and the rig decides the operator. Where the right operator lives in or near Bristol, we book them; where they come from across the South West, Cardiff or London, the travel and any hotel go on the quote before you confirm. On long days we plan rest between the takes.
How we crew it · Bristol
Through Temple Meads, or a ship’s engine room
Bristol Temple Meads is a Network Rail managed station: corporate and commercial filming is £750 an hour for up to ten crew, two hours minimum, plus VAT, on weekdays 10:00 to 16:00 or 20:00 to 06:30, with up to £10m public liability (checked October 2026). Under five working days’ notice adds £500, a shoot can’t run into the peak hours, and more than ten people need a staff escort. At Bristol Dockyards, the SS Great Britain Trust hires out the ship interiors and the dry dock, with power and Wi-Fi on site. Out on the street, the rig goes on a Bristol Film Office permit. 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.
- Overtime at card rates, agreed with you before it happens.
- Long takes are hard work: rest goes into the schedule.
The rig and the location
- The operator brings their own vest, arm and sled, priced on its own line.
- Tell us the camera, lenses and kit house, so the rig is built for the weight.
- Venues want crew names and the kit list in advance. We send them.
Filming in Bristol
- Bristol Film Office asks for at least £5m public liability and a full risk assessment with every application.
- Network Rail asks for up to £10m public liability at Temple Meads, and running into the peak isn’t permitted: the surcharge is £5,000 (checked October 2026).
Travel and parking
- An operator from Bristol or Bath where we can; from across the South West, Cardiff or London where the date needs one, with the travel on the quote.
- Bristol’s Clean Air Zone is Class D, so it charges cars as well as vans: £9 a day for a car or van below Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol, £100 for an HGV or coach, around the clock. Bath’s zone is Class C and doesn’t charge private cars (checked October 2026).
Paying and changes
- Nothing to pay until you confirm the 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 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, rig included or on top.
| Operator, 11 hours | £950 |
| Booking fee, 10% | £95 |
| Insurance, 2% | £19 |
| Rig | Quoted with the operator |
| One day, before the rig | £1,064 + VAT |
The 2% is employers’ liability for the operator we book, and cover on kit we hire in. What it covers
You won’t pay anything until you confirm the 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 in Bristol.
Tell us the date, the camera and lenses, the move you have in mind, and where it happens. Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Or call us on 07412 543822.
Check availability
The whole crew
Every role in Bristol, booked the same way
One brief, one quote, every role on its own line. Our day rates in Bristol, 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 07
- DOP From £850
- Camera operator £529–656
- Focus puller £461–575
- Clapper loader £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 in Bristol. Or start from a set-up: interview crews and units in Bristol.
Production support
Everything around the crew
A Steadicam operator brings the rig; the camera from Clifton or The Bottle Yard, a stage in Whitchurch and permission at Temple Meads or on the street each get their own line on the quote, or you can sort them yourself.
02
Locations and permits
Bristol Film Office, Bath Film Office, the harbour, the bridge and the drone rules.
03
Studios and set builds
The Bottle Yard’s stages, green screen and blackout studios, and set builds.
Questions
Hiring Steadicam in Bristol: questions
How much does a Steadicam operator cost in Bristol?
Our Steadicam operators start at £950 for an 11-hour day, paid to the operator in full. Their 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 from outside Bristol. There’s no APA/Bectu card rate for Steadicam.
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.
Can you use Steadicam at Temple Meads?
With Network Rail’s permission. Bristol Temple Meads is a Network Rail managed station: corporate and commercial filming is £750 an hour for up to ten crew, two hours minimum, plus VAT, on weekdays 10:00 to 16:00 or 20:00 to 06:30, with up to £10m public liability (checked October 2026). Weekends and bank holidays are usually open at any time. Under five working days’ notice adds £500, a shoot runs 12 hours at most, and running into the peak isn’t permitted. On a crew hire the booking is yours; on a full production we make it.
Do we need a permit for Steadicam on a Bristol street?
Usually. A Bristol Film Office street permit is £84 plus VAT for a crew of up to ten and £163 for 11 to 40, with at least seven days’ notice and £5m public liability (checked October 2026). Kit on the highway means hi-vis, and cables flown or matted. Private land, such as an office forecourt, needs the owner’s say-so on top, and Bath has its own film office. More in filming permits in Bristol.
Can you fly Steadicam on Clifton Suspension Bridge?
Ask the Bridge Master first. The bridge belongs to the Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust: handheld cameras are welcome, a tripod needs a word with a Bridge Attendant and a filming indemnity form, and commercial filming is considered case by case, with a charge on request and more to close the bridge to the public (checked October 2026). A Steadicam is neither a handheld camera nor a tripod, so we ask before the day.
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 Harbourside or a market floor. 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.
Are your Steadicam operators from Bristol?
We’re a crew agency with 2,800+ freelance crew on our books across the UK, 150+ of them in and around Bristol and Bath, so we can scale a crew from one person for a morning to a full unit for a week. Steadicam operators are fewer than camera operators in any city, so tell us the date early. We book one from Bristol or Bath where we can; when the brief or the date needs someone else, they come from across the South West, Cardiff or London, and the travel goes on the quote before anything is booked. Temple Meads is 1 hour 19 minutes from London Paddington on the fastest trains, 11 minutes from Bath Spa, 48 minutes from Cardiff Central and about 1 hour 25 from Birmingham (checked October 2026).
How far ahead should I book Steadicam in Bristol?
Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. The location usually sets the date: at least seven days’ notice for a Bristol Film Office permit, and five working days at Temple Meads before Network Rail’s late fee applies (checked October 2026).