Slow and "steady" wins the race

Before 1976, the film industry generally had two options when filming a moving or “tracking” shot. Either set up a dolly and track, or play it “hand-held” and hire the steadiest camera operator you can find.

Often times, however, these methods proved costly in both time and money (laying and leveling dolly tracks on uneven ground is not exactly a party) and the results were shaky at best even in the hands of the most stable cameraman.

Fortunately, the tide turned in 1976 when the industry found itself face to face with an innovative piece of equipment called the Steadicam. Today, a registered trademark of Tiffen, the Steadicam—originally the “Brown Stabilizer,” named for its inventor, cameraman Garrett Brown—is a stabilizing camera mount. Consisting of a harness by which an iso-elastic armature is attached, the Steadicam isolates the operator’s movement from the camera and absorbs the shock of jerks and shakes when moving over inconsistent terrain.

Combining the uninterrupted motion of a dolly and the versatility of hand-held work while preserving stable footage capture meant a new age for camerawork. From George Lucas’ “Return of the Jedi" to Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas," the Steadicam has since become an industry staple.

In Joe Wright’s “Atonement,” nominated for a 2007 Academy Award in best cinematography, an impressive five minutes and five seconds Steadicam shot effectively and poignantly conveys the personal hopelessness and waste of war on Dunkirk’s shores in World War II.

Marking the ten-year anniversary of the 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'

Nearly a decade ago, Tolkien’s quintessential epic fantasy rode into the halls of cinematic history to the stirring orchestration of Howard Shore, decked by production designer Grant Major and clad in the armor of Andrew Lesnie’s cinematography.

From the innumerable and diverse store of prosthetics and weaponry to the ornate and precise set design churned out by Weta Workshop , Jackson and his team pulled out all the stops——turned out all the tricks——to ensure Tolkien’s Middle-Earth germinated. And while the passion and attention to detail bore fruit to a massively lucrative franchise and a final installment that swept up 11 Academy Awards without peer, it is important to look back and acknowledge "The Fellowship of the Ring" and its vital function in the trilogy.

In "Two Towers," the visual arc noticeably shifts to a darker, grittier and more industrial landscape in light of the events. The significance of the beginning, then, is that its visual execution establishes the stakes entailed in losing the war. "The Fellowship of the Ring" fundamentally sets the bar, emotionally sustains the story and acts as the continual reference point of the goal and journey. From the green innocence of the Shire to the fading light of an autumnal Rivendell and the quiet fragile glow of Lothlorien, the panoramic and aerial reveals are not only reflections of Middle-Earth's beauty, but reinforces and acts as a reminder and driving force for the rest of the series.

The Shire (top), Rivendell (middle) and Lothlorien (bottom).