A while back, a friend of mine made an incredible music video that absolutely made my jaw drop. His shots had something that my shots desperately lacked – motion. His use of a crane added a whole new layer to his film.
Immediately, I began searching for a crane for my productions. I needed something cheap, durable and most importantly smooth. I searched around online for a few days until I finally found a company I was sold on – Kessler Crane.
The model I chose to review is the KC-8 Complete Ultra (no AXIS System). I chose this package for a number of reasons. First, at eight feet this crane seemed the perfect size for my needs. I wanted something small enough so that I could shoot indoors, but tall enough to get above a person’s head. Second, it included a heavy-duty tripod (something most cranes under $2,000 do not include). Third, it included the Hercules 2.0 head, which is a very sturdy tripod head capable of carrying up to 150 pounds. Finally, it included the vertical brake so that you could secure the crane when not in use.
The crane was extremely easy to assemble. Kessler has even put together an instructional DVD to clearly explain assembly and user operation. I made sure to attach the included caster wheels to the base of the tripod. This made the whole system considerably easier to move.
With the crane fully assembled, I realized I needed some weights to counter-balance the crane. Kessler does sell weights (to save the user in shipping costs), but these can be purchased at most sporting-goods stores. After ransacking my uncle’s house I found some old exercise weights and I knew that I was in business. It took me a couple guesses to calculate the exact amount of weight to use.
