Film crew hire/Brighton/Gimbal operator
Hire a gimbal operator in Brighton. A gimbal operator films smooth moving shots with a camera on a motorised stabiliser.
People book a gimbal operator in Brighton for offices at New England House, conferences at the Brighton Centre and shoots on the seafront. The operator builds the camera on a stabiliser, balances it and films walk-and-talks, events, sport and brand films on the move. Our gimbal operator day rate starts at £529, and the operator gets all of it.
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- £10m employers’ liability on every crew member we book
- 2,800+ freelance crew on our books, across the UK
Photos: Here Now Films, Emmanuel Ikwuegbu, Daniel Tafjord, Rafa Sanfilippo and Young Jeffrey
The role
What a gimbal operator does on your shoot
A gimbal operator runs a camera on a motorised stabiliser, such as a DJI Ronin 2 or RS 4 Pro, that keeps the picture level and smooth while they move. It’s the quickest way to get a moving shot, such as a walking interview, people tracked through a building, or the action at an event.
Balance is most of the job. A camera that isn’t balanced fights the motors and drifts, so a good operator rebuilds and rebalances every time the lens or the rig changes.
We book a gimbal operator who lives in Brighton or Hove first. If nobody local is free, or the shoot needs more people, we bring crew down from London. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. Then there’s the route. In Brighton one moving shot can cross more than one permission. The streets, the beach and the council’s parks go through the Sussex Film Office, and an office, a venue or the pier has its own owner. We check the route against each before the day.
- Moving shots come quickly. The operator builds and balances the rig and starts filming in minutes. A dolly and track takes about half an hour.
- Walk-and-talks stay steady. The operator walks backwards ahead of two people and keeps them framed all the way along the seafront.
- The gimbal fits into tight spaces. It goes through doors and up stairs, and into lifts, cabs and kitchens.
- The rig is ready for wireless focus. Wireless focus and video let a focus puller or the director watch on a monitor.
What’s included
What the day rate covers
In the day rate
- An 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch
- Building and balancing the camera on the gimbal
- Operating every moving shot
- Rebalancing for lens and set-up changes
- Rehearsing moves with the director
- Working with a focus puller, if one is booked
On top, each on its own line
- Our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, on the whole quote
- The gimbal kit, theirs or hired in, at a day rate
- The camera, if it isn’t yours or the DOP’s
- Travel from London or outside Brighton, and mileage, parking and a suspended bay where the day needs one, at cost
Read how our rates work and the two ways to book in crew rates in Brighton.
Two ways to book
Crew hire or full production
The price depends on who is the producer of record. That’s the company responsible for the shoot. You can book a gimbal operator for your own shoot, or ask us to run the whole production.
Crew hire
You run the shoot.
10% + 2% booking fee and insurance on everything we book for you, including 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
- You’re the producer of record, so the production is your responsibility
The 2% covers employers’ liability for every crew member we book and the kit we hire in for you. It doesn’t cover anything else on the shoot. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line.
Full production
We’re the producer of record.
15% + 5% production fee, plus insurance and contingency, on the whole production budget. We quote it 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
The 5% pays for our production insurance across the whole shoot, including £10m public liability, and the contingency.
If your own producer or director will run the day, book crew hire. If you want us to run the production, ask for a full production quote.
On the day
An example day with a gimbal operator
An interview series for a company with offices near the seafront. The morning is walking interviews on Hove Lawns, and the afternoon is in the office. The times are an example. The call sheet sets the real ones.
- 08:00 Build and balance The operator puts the camera on the gimbal, chooses the lens, balances it on all three axes and tunes the motors.
- 08:45 Walk the route The operator walks the route along Hove Lawns with the producer. They agree where the talent starts, where the conversation turns, and where walkers get past. Filming on the seafront needs permission from the Sussex Film Office, which handles council land in Brighton and Hove.
- 09:30 Walking interview The operator walks backwards ahead of the talent. A runner watches the path behind them and the walkers coming the other way.
- 11:00 Inside The shot goes through the lobby, into the lift and along the office floor. The operator rebalances the gimbal for a wider lens.
- 13:00 Lunch The operator changes the batteries and hands the cards to the producer.
- 14:00 Details and B-roll The operator films slow push-ins and reveals of the beach huts and the West Pier from the seafront, then the street outside the office.
- 17:30 Wrap The cards go to the DIT or the producer, and the kit goes back to the van. The van is in a suspended bay, booked with the council 7 working days ahead. Brighton has no emission charge for vans.
We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with the Sussex Film Office and Brighton and Hove City Council.
Types
Types of gimbal set-up we book
The camera decides the gimbal, and the route decides who you ask.
Handheld gimbal DJI RS 4 Pro or similar From £529 a day + kit
A handheld gimbal carries a Sony FX3, FX6 or a mirrorless camera. One person runs it, and it’s fast, light and small enough for the Lanes or a crowded exhibition hall.
Good for walk-and-talks, events, social content and B-roll.
Large gimbal DJI Ronin 2 or Movi Pro From £529 a day + kit
A large gimbal carries a cinema camera with cine lenses, often on an Easyrig or a support vest for long days, with wireless focus.
Good for brand films and adverts with heavier cameras, in a studio or a location you control.
Vehicle and car mounts On a car, a quad or a bike Quoted on the brief
The gimbal goes on a car mount or a tracking vehicle, built with a grip and operated from inside the vehicle. On a public road, the Sussex Film Office advises on road closures.
Good for driving shots and fast action on a closed road.
Ronin 4D Camera and stabiliser in one Quoted on the brief
The Ronin 4D is a full-frame camera with built-in stabilisation and autofocus. One operator can work at documentary speed. On our Marylebone job we hired one the evening before.
Good for run-and-gun days that still need smooth movement.
Steadicam Heavier cameras, longer takes From £950 a day
Steadicam carries a full-size cinema camera through long, complex moves. See Steadicam operators in Brighton.
Good for adverts, drama and one-shot sequences with a heavier camera.
What it’s for
What people book a gimbal operator for in Brighton
Founder and customer films
Gimbal operators film walk-and-talks with founders in offices at New England House and round the station, where many of the city’s tech and games companies work.
Conferences at the Brighton Centre
The gimbal moves through the crowd, round the stage and backstage, with interviews filmed between the sessions.
Adverts and fashion on the seafront
Reveals and tracking shots run along the beach, Hove Lawns and the piers. The Sussex Film Office handles the beach, and the pier’s owner handles the pier.
University and research films
Walking interviews are filmed across the campuses of the University of Sussex at Falmer and the University of Brighton.
The Downs and the coast
Tracking shots follow people along the paths at Devil’s Dyke, Ditchling Beacon and Seven Sisters.
Recent work
Gimbals on our jobs, and how we crew Brighton
Full production · Marylebone, London · May 2025
A Ronin 4D round Marylebone
A brand film for a property development, shot around Marylebone by our director, a cinematographer and an assistant, on small cine cameras and lenses, with no big rigs. We hired a DJI Ronin 4D from a kit house in east London the evening before, with a lens adapter and two 1TB SSDs. A restaurant on the route gave written permission to film inside, for web, social and limited paid use, with no TV or outdoor advertising.
How we crew it · Brighton
A walk-and-talk on the seafront, or in the Lanes
The seafront, the beach, the streets and the council’s parks are council land, so a walk-and-talk there goes through the Sussex Film Office. It prices each application, and the permit goes on our quote. Brighton Palace Pier, the Royal Pavilion and Brighton Marina are private, so their owners say yes first. We check the route against each when we plan the day. Then we book a gimbal operator who lives in Brighton or Hove, or one from London when the date needs it. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with the Sussex Film Office and Brighton and Hove City Council.
Before you book
Things to know
The day
- The day is 11 hours, including an hour for lunch.
- Overtime is paid at card rates, and we agree it with you before it happens.
- Half days are available on request.
Kit and the route
- The operator brings their own gimbal, or we hire one in. It goes on the quote at a day rate, as its own line.
- Tell us the camera and lenses when you book, so the gimbal can carry them.
- On the street, the beach or in a council park, the Sussex Film Office gives permission. Brighton Palace Pier, the Royal Pavilion and Brighton Marina need their owners’ permission. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with the Sussex Film Office and Brighton and Hove City Council.
Parking and travel
- Travel and any hotel for an operator from London or outside Brighton go on the quote. A suspended parking bay for the van needs 7 working days’ notice.
- Brighton’s low emission zone only covers buses, so there’s no charge for a crew van. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Brighton and Hove City Council.
Paying and changes
- You pay nothing until you confirm the operator.
- We take 50% by card when you book and 50% when you receive the final rushes.
- The quote shows every line, including the day rate, booking fee, kit and travel.
- Cancellation terms are on every quote.
What our insurance covers
- Our insurance covers employers’ liability for the operator we book, up to £10m.
- Kit we hire in for you is insured. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
- On a crew hire, it doesn’t cover anything else. Public liability, the location and your own kit stay with you, and your venue will want to see your certificate. When we’re the producer of record, our policy covers the shoot.
- Private venues usually ask to see it. The Royal Pavilion, for example, asks for at least £10m public liability. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Brighton and Hove Museums.
£529 a day
There’s no card rate for gimbal operators. The APA/Bectu camera operator card is £529–656.
| Day rate, 11 hours | £529 |
| Booking fee, 10% | £52.90 |
| Insurance, 2% | £10.58 |
| One day, before kit and travel | £592.48 + VAT |
The 2% covers employers’ liability for the operator we book and the 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
These reviews come from our Google Business Profile.
Book a gimbal operator in Brighton.
Tell us the date, the camera, the moves you need, and the route. Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Or call us on 07412 543822.
Check availability
The whole crew
Every crew role we book in Brighton
Send one brief and we send one quote, with every role on its own line. These are our day rates in Brighton, and each crew member gets their full rate:
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 From £950
- Gimbal operator This page £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
See how our rates work in crew rates in Brighton, or start from one of our crew set-ups in Brighton.
Production support
Everything around the crew
A gimbal day in Brighton can need the Sussex Film Office for the street, the beach or a park, an owner’s permission for private places, or a grip for a car mount. Each goes on the quote as its own line, or you can sort them yourself.
01
Kit rental
Where to hire camera, lighting and sound kit for a Brighton shoot, and when the crew bring their own.
02
Locations and permits
The Sussex Film Office, private places such as the pier, filming on the beach and the drone rules.
03
Studios and set builds
Studios in Brighton for interviews and product shots, and where to go for a bigger set build.
04
Props and wardrobe
Where props and costume come from, and the stylists and hair and make-up artists we book.
Questions
Questions about hiring a gimbal operator in Brighton
How much does a gimbal operator cost in Brighton?
Our gimbal operators are £529–656 for an 11-hour day, and the operator gets all of it. There’s no separate card rate for gimbal work, so we use the APA/Bectu camera operator range. We add our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, so one day comes to £592.48 + VAT. The gimbal kit and any travel from London are extra, and each goes on the quote as its own line.
What does the insurance on a crew booking cover?
It covers two things. The first is employers’ liability for every crew member we book, up to £10m. The second is the kit we hire in for you. That’s what the 2% pays for. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line. On a crew hire, you’re the producer of record, so public liability, the location, your own kit and anything you book yourself stay with you. If you want us to be the producer of record, we quote it as a full production, and our insurance covers the whole shoot.
Can we film a walk-and-talk on Brighton seafront?
Yes, with permission. The seafront and the beach are council land, so filming there goes through the Sussex Film Office. It prices each application, and we add the permit to the quote. Brighton Palace Pier is private, so the pier decides. If anyone goes into the sea, the council asks for at least 10 working days’ notice, a risk assessment and extra safety cover, such as a lifeboat. Check with the Sussex Film Office and Brighton and Hove City Council for the latest.
Do we need a permit for a gimbal shot on a Brighton street?
Usually. The Sussex Film Office handles filming on council land in Brighton and Hove, including streets, the beach, the seafront and parks. It prices each application, and we add the permit to the quote. Private land needs the owner’s permission. There’s more in filming permits in Brighton. Check with the Sussex Film Office for the latest.
Should I book a gimbal or Steadicam?
A gimbal is quicker, lighter and cheaper. It suits most corporate, event and social work, especially in the Lanes or on an exhibition floor. Steadicam carries a heavier cinema camera and holds long, complex takes better.
Can a gimbal shot be filmed from a car in Brighton?
Yes, with a car mount or a tracking vehicle built by a grip. On a public road, start with the Sussex Film Office, which advises on road closures and parking suspensions. A road closure can take up to 12 weeks to arrange. Check with Brighton and Hove City Council for the latest.
Are your gimbal operators from Brighton?
We book gimbal operators who live in Brighton or Hove first. If the brief or the date needs someone else, we book an operator from London, about an hour away by train. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. Our own base is London, at 124 City Road, and we have bases in Manchester, Bristol and Cornwall.
Can a gimbal operator use our camera?
Yes, if the gimbal can carry it. Tell us the camera body, lens and any accessories when you book, and we’ll match the rig to the weight. If the camera is coming from a kit house, tell us which one.
When is Brighton busiest for a walk-and-talk on the street?
Brighton is at its busiest for the Brighton Marathon in April, the Brighton Festival and Brighton Fringe in May and early June, and Pride in early August. On those days, keep the unit small. A gimbal operator, a sound recordist and a producer is about as small as a unit gets. If the shot doesn’t need the crowds, another week is easier on the schedule and quieter for sound. Check the organisers’ dates for the latest.