Academy goes to Switzerland

Combined camera stabilizing workshop in Switzerland

The University for Television and Film Munich has co-organized a workshop for camera stabilizing systems in Ascona, together with the School of Art and Design in Zurich. The Wendelin Sachtler Academy and its lecturer for camera stabilizing systems, Curt O. Schaller, were invited to Switzerland to enable students at these institutes to train with the artemis systems.

First contact with rigs

Under the leadership of Prof. Gregory Catella (Hochschule für Gestaltung, Zurich), it was the first time the Swiss school and the University for Television and Film Munich had co-organized a workshop. The highlight of the workshop for many was the opportunity to expertly handle the camera stabilizing systems. In order to offer the students the opportunity to try out and get acquainted with different stabilizing systems, the Wendelin Sachtler Academy was also invited.

For two weeks in the Swiss town of Ascona, everything revolved around how to operate cameras with expertise. The students soon realized that power and endurance were by themselves insufficient to learn how to operate the systems professionally, and that a fine sense of balance was essential.

Valuable: practical tips from a profi

During the first week, experienced operator and lecturer at the Wendelin Sachtler Academy, Curt O. Schaller, opened his bag of tricks and advised the students at length on the right movements to learn. The key points he discussed were balancing the camera system with your body, fast and slow starts and stops, and how to change sides. In addition, by shooting a practice film together, the students learnt how to go about working with the systems in combination with developing direction and art design skills.

Planned further cooperation with the School of Art and Design Zurich

"The workshop venue was outstanding and provided ideal conditions for learning to succeed," comments Prof. Marille Hahne, who is looking expectantly into the future. She would like to systematically continue the schools cooperation with the Wendelin Sachtler Academy. A further, more detailed workshop in the Zurich area is planned for next year, once again aimed at film students and the Swiss film industry.