Film crew hire/Brighton/Steadicam
Hire a Steadicam operator in Brighton. A Steadicam operator films smooth moving shots with a cinema camera on a stabilised rig.
People book a Steadicam operator in Brighton for offices at New England House, conferences at the Brighton Centre and shoots on the seafront. The operator wears the rig and flies the camera through doors, up stairs and across rooms in one smooth move, once the building, the venue or the Sussex Film Office has said yes. Our Steadicam operator day rate starts at £950, and the operator gets all of it. Their rig goes on the quote as its own line.
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Photos: Here Now Films, Benjamin Wedemeyer, Jakob Owens and Maciek Wróblewski
The role
What a Steadicam operator does on your shoot
A Steadicam operator flies the camera on a stabilised rig. The rig is 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 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.
There are fewer Steadicam operators than camera operators, in Brighton as anywhere. We book a Steadicam 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. Tell us where the camera is coming from, and the operator plans the rig to its weight.
- One shot can cover the whole move. The camera goes through the street door, across the lobby and into the lift in a single move, without a cut.
- The rig carries a heavy camera. That might be an ARRI Alexa or a RED with cine lenses, which a handheld gimbal can’t carry for long.
- The move is rehearsed with the cast. The operator walks, times and marks it, so the actors and the camera hit the same spot.
- A focus puller pulls 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
- Breaks 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 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 Steadicam 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 Steadicam operator
A brand film for a company in an office near Brighton station. The morning is a walk-and-talk across the office floor. The afternoon is a one-shot that starts on the pavement outside and ends in the boardroom. The times are an example. The call sheet sets the real ones.
- 07:00 Security and the unload Building security checks the crew names and the kit list. The van parks in a suspended bay, booked with the council 7 working days ahead. Brighton has no emission charge for vans.
- 08:00 Build and balance The operator strips the camera down for the sled, then balances and tunes it. They pair the wireless focus and the video sender.
- 09:00 Walk the route The operator rehearses the move with the director. It runs through the street door and the security gates, into the lift and on to the final mark.
- 09:45 Walk-and-talk Two people walk and talk across the floor. The operator walks backwards ahead of them, with a grip guiding.
- 11:30 Rest The operator takes the vest off. Long takes on Steadicam are hard work, and the day is planned round it.
- 14:00 The one-shot The shot starts on the pavement outside, goes through reception and ends in the boardroom. Filming on the pavement needs permission from the Sussex Film Office, which handles council land in Brighton and Hove. The crew shoot eight takes, and the last one is clean.
- 18:00 Wrap The rig comes down and the camera is rebuilt for the main unit. The takes are logged, and the van comes back for the load-out.
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 stabilised rig we book
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
Steadicam is a vest, arm and sled that carries a full cinema camera. The movement is smooth and natural, and it suits long, complex moves.
Good for adverts, drama, music videos and one-shot sequences, in a studio or through a venue like the Brighton Centre.
Handheld gimbal Light and fast From £529 a day
A handheld gimbal, such as a DJI Ronin or RS, is carried by one person. It’s quicker, cheaper and smaller in the Lanes or on a busy exhibition floor. See gimbal operators in Brighton.
Good for walk-and-talks, events and social content on a smaller camera.
Ronin 4D Stabilised camera, built in Quoted on the brief
The Ronin 4D is a full-frame camera with stabilisation built in, operated by one person. Many Steadicam operators own one. On our Oxford job, the Steadicam operator flew one.
Good for documentary and run-and-gun days that still need smooth movement.
Dolly and track Precise, repeatable moves See grips
A grip pushes a dolly along tracks, so the move is exactly the same on every take.
Good for slow, controlled moves on a flat floor. Track on a Brighton pavement needs permission from the Sussex Film Office first.
What it’s for
What people book Steadicam for in Brighton
Founder and customer films
A single move follows people through 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
Steadicam moves among the guests and round the stage, with a heavier camera than a gimbal can carry.
Adverts and fashion on the seafront
Long takes follow the cast 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
Steadicam follows people through the buildings at the University of Sussex at Falmer and the University of Brighton.
The Downs and the coast
Steadicam operators film long takes on the paths at Devil’s Dyke, Ditchling Beacon and Seven Sisters.
Recent work
Stabilised shots on our jobs, and how we crew them in Brighton
Crew hire · Oxford · December 2025
A Steadicam operator, on the right rig for the day
A run-and-gun day in Oxford, for a US agency and a global tech company. We booked a Steadicam operator, who flew a Ronin 4D for it. The Ronin 4D was lighter and quicker between set-ups, and right for the brief.
How we crew it · Brighton
Steadicam at Brighton station, or through an office lobby
Brighton station is managed by Southern, part of GTR. GTR asks for permission in advance to film at its stations, and commercial filming requests go to its business development team. In an office building, the landlord says yes first, and security wants every crew name and the kit list. On the street, the Sussex Film Office needs to hear about the rig before it goes out. On a full production we apply. On a crew hire we tell you who to ask, and when. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with GTR and the Sussex Film Office.
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.
The rig and the building
- 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.
- Office buildings and venues want crew names and the kit list in advance. We send them.
Location and travel
- Travel and any hotel for an operator from London or outside Brighton go on the quote before you confirm.
- Brighton station is managed by Southern, part of GTR. GTR asks for permission in advance to film at its stations.
- 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 GTR and 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.
From £950 a day
There’s no APA/Bectu card rate for Steadicam. Operators set their own, with the 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% 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 Steadicam operator in Brighton.
Tell us the date, the camera, the lenses, the move you have in mind, and where in Brighton it happens. 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 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
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 Steadicam day in Brighton needs the building or the venue to say yes. The street needs the Sussex Film Office’s permission, and the station needs GTR’s. 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 Steadicam in Brighton
How much does a Steadicam operator cost in Brighton?
Our Steadicam operators start at £950 for an 11-hour day, and the operator gets all of it. Their rig goes on its own line. We add our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, so the operator’s day comes to £1,064 + VAT, before the rig and any travel from London. There’s no APA/Bectu card rate for Steadicam.
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 you use Steadicam at Brighton station?
With permission. Brighton station is managed by Southern, part of GTR. GTR asks for permission in advance to film on its trains or at its stations. Commercial filming requests go to businessdevelopment@gtrailway.com. On a crew hire the booking is yours. On a full production we make it. Check with GTR for the latest.
Do we need a permit for Steadicam 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, such as an office forecourt, needs the owner’s permission as well. There’s more in filming permits in Brighton. Check with the Sussex Film Office for the latest.
Can you fly Steadicam at the Brighton Centre?
Yes, with the venue’s agreement. The event team and the venue set the route, the get-in and the power. Tell us the venue and the date, and we ask before the day.
Do I need Steadicam or a gimbal?
A gimbal is lighter, cheaper and quicker. It suits a mirrorless or compact cinema camera in the Lanes or on a busy exhibition 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 Brighton?
We book a Steadicam operator who lives 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. There are fewer Steadicam operators than camera operators, so tell us the date early. 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.
How far ahead should I book Steadicam in Brighton?
Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. The location usually sets the date. A suspended parking bay for the van needs 7 working days’ notice, and GTR wants to hear about filming at the station in advance. Check with Brighton and Hove City Council and GTR for the latest.
Can we use Steadicam at the Royal Pavilion?
With permission from Brighton and Hove Museums. The Royal Pavilion’s filming conditions ask for at least £10m public liability, electrics PAT tested in the past year, and any on-site power agreed in advance. If the shoot also uses a dolly, it has to run on laid track, with rubber wheels only. Check with Brighton and Hove Museums for the latest.