Film crew hire/Manchester/Steadicam
Hire a Steadicam operator in Manchester. The long shot that moves, and never shakes.
Steadicam operators for adverts, brand films, music videos and events across Greater Manchester and the North, booked from our office in Ancoats. They wear the rig, fly the camera and walk the shot as many times as it takes. From £950 a day, paid to the operator in full, with their rig on its own line.
- 54 five-star Google reviews
- 48 hrs from enquiry to confirmed crew, on most Manchester bookings
- £10m employers’ liability on every crew member we book
- 2,800+ freelance crew on our books
Photos: Benjamin Wedemeyer, Jakob Owens and Here Now Films
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 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.
- One shot, no cut. Through a building, down a corridor or round a room, in a single move.
- A heavy camera, flown. An ARRI Alexa or 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
- 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 outside Greater Manchester, at cost
How our rates work, and the two ways to book: crew rates in Manchester.
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, or have us take the production 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 brand film in a converted mill: a walk-and-talk through the office, then a one-shot opening. Times are an example; the call sheet sets the real ones.
- 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: where the door opens, where the cast turn, where the camera stops.
- 09:45 Walk-and-talk Two people walking and talking down a corridor, the operator walking backwards ahead of them, a grip guiding.
- 11:30 Rest Out of the vest. Long takes on Steadicam are hard work, and the day is planned round it.
- 13:00 Lunch Rig on its stand, batteries charged.
- 14:00 The one-shot From the street, through reception and up the stairs to the studio floor. Eight takes, the last one clean.
- 18:00 Wrap Rig down, camera rebuilt for the main unit, and the takes logged.
Which rig
Steadicam, gimbal or something else?
Stabilised shots come from several kinds of rig. Here’s when each is the right one.
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.
Steadicam with a gimbal head The horizon locked Quoted on the brief
A three-axis gimbal on the end of the Steadicam arm, so the camera can roll, tilt and stay level while the operator walks.
Best for low-mode, step-off and vehicle work.
Handheld gimbal Light and fast From £529 a day
A DJI Ronin, RS or similar, carried by one person. Quicker to set up and cheaper; better for lighter cameras. See gimbal operators in Manchester.
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 too.
Best for documentary and run-and-gun days that still need to glide.
Dolly and track Precise, repeatable moves See grips
A dolly on tracks, pushed by a grip. Exactly the same move every take.
Best for slow, controlled moves on a flat floor.
What it’s for
What people book Steadicam for in Manchester
Adverts and brand films
The opening one-shot, or the hero move through a building.
Music videos
Long takes round the artist, often to playback.
Drama and short films
Scenes that walk and talk.
Venues and buildings
A route through a new office, a stadium or a hotel, in one shot.
Events and award nights
Moving among the guests with a heavier camera than a gimbal can carry.
Recent work
Stabilised shots on our jobs
Crew hire · Oxford · December 2025
A Steadicam operator, on the right rig for the day
A run-and-gun day for a US agency and a global tech company. We booked a Steadicam operator, who flew a Ronin 4D for it: lighter, quicker between set-ups, and right for the brief.
How we crew it · Manchester
Steadicam with a focus puller
On a cinema camera with fast lenses, we book a focus puller on a wireless follow-focus alongside the operator. The operator frames; the focus puller keeps it sharp.
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 tiring: breaks are planned into the schedule.
The rig
- The operator brings their own vest, arm and sled, priced on its own line.
- Tell us the camera and lenses when you book, so the rig is built for the weight.
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.
- 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.
- Most Manchester bookings confirmed within 48 hours
- 50% by card at booking, 50% on the final rushes
- Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours
Or call us on 07412 543822.
Reviews
What clients say about our crews
Straight from our Google Business Profile.
Book a Steadicam operator in Manchester.
Tell us the date, the camera, the lenses and the move you have in mind. Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Or call us on 07412 543822.
Check availability
The whole crew
Every role in Manchester, booked the same way
One brief, one quote, every role on its own line. Our day rates in Manchester, paid to the crew member in full:
Production 05
- 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 Manchester. Or start from a set-up: interview crews and units in Manchester.
Production support
Everything around the crew
Steadicam works best with a plan. Kit, a location, a studio: each gets its own line on the quote, or use the guides to sort them yourself.
Questions
Hiring Steadicam in Manchester: questions
How much does a Steadicam operator cost in Manchester?
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. 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.
Steadicam or gimbal: which do I need?
A gimbal is lighter, cheaper and quicker, and fine for a mirrorless or compact cinema camera. 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.
Do Steadicam operators bring their own rig?
Yes. Rigs are set up for the operator’s body and their own way of working, so the operator and the rig come together.
Do I need a focus puller with Steadicam?
With a cinema camera and fast lenses, yes: the operator frames and the focus puller keeps it sharp by wireless. With a deep stop or a wide lens, the operator can manage.
How far ahead should I book Steadicam in Manchester?
Most Manchester bookings are confirmed within 48 hours, but there are fewer Steadicam operators than camera operators. Give us a week if you can.