Blog
Shot On GSS Highlight: Tony Monk Films
What do Australian Gran Prix, Budweiser, and Lord of the Rings films have in common? Some of their incredible aerial footage was shot by Tony Monk Films, the New Zealand and Austrialian-based aerial filming specialists. With decades of experience and trusty tech on their side, the TMF team films in stunning locations for the likes of action and adventure films, world-renowned brands, and the biggest sporting and news events on the planet. You name it, and there’s a great chance TMF has filmed it.
About Tony Monk Films
Since its inception in 2000, Tony Monk Films has captured jaw-dropping footage from the vantage point of skies. After selling his helicopter company Heletranz in 2013, pilot and CEO Tony Monk shifted his focus to Tony Monk Films full time. Now, it’s all about offering the complete package. Alongside cinematographers Blair Monk and Murray Milne, TMF offers stock footage and connections with helicopter services, including stunt flying, in companion to their custom work for the cinema, broadcast, and commercial industries. The TMF resume is impressive to say the least, and credits include work for BBC, Channel 10 Australia, Audi, and King Kong (2005).
Want to see more of Tony Monk Films?
Go direct to the source on Instagram @tonymonkfilms!
WSVN 7 News Shot On GSS
Want to know what the pros are using? Meet WSVN 7 News, our newest client covering all things Miami. With decades of history of experience under its belt and over 60 hours of newscasts each week, WSVN welcomed summer 2019 with some major upgrades.
Their shiny, new Cineflex Pro now houses an Ikegami HDL-F3000 low-light camera with a Canon 45x9.7 lens. Rigged up to a ship by Helicopter Inc. and paired with the best navigation systems to date, WSVN broadcasting just gained a new edge.
We’ve linked our GSS Inertial Navigation System to Churchill Navigation’s BEAR mapping overlay system. If you saw our blog from last August, you know this is a huge stability improvement. With rock-solid Churchill Maps integration, Geo Lock, Geo Point, and Adjustable Heading, the stability is now unparalleled.
Even in long-term hover, this system’s stability won’t disappoint. No more bumpy footage or shaking maps. When WSVN cruises over Miami for breaking news, their system glides along with them.
Learn more about the GSS Cineflex Pro capabilities here.
Into the Wild with Teton Gravity Research
GSS client Teton Gravity Research hit the ground running after their big win in December for the Powder’s Movie of the Year Award, for their film “Far Out.” This year, they continue to create incredible content with their GSS gimbal… Here’s a look into the history of TGR.
Started in 1995 by Steve Jones and Todd Jones, TGR set out to highlight the wildest sports on a global front. From surf to snow and everything in between, TGR wants to push boundaries and capture incredible stunts while also limiting their environmental impact. Through the production of thirty-two films, including their incredible 2018 releases “Ode to Muir,” “Mountain in the Hallway,” “Far Out,” and “Andy Iron: Kissed by God,” TGR has balanced on the edge of extreme with a passion for progress and awe of the world.
One of their coolest projects, “Far Out,” captures the athlete’s intensity to take on the world’s wildest slopes, from the Slovenian Alps, Alaska, Montana and more. Below are some of our favorite pictures and clips from TGR’s adventures.
Take a trip to Montana's Crazy Mountains during shooting for “Far Out.”
Fly over the Chugach Range.
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Aerial Cine Group Showcases Corail Helicopters
Journey to the stunning island of Mauritius in the latest video from Aerial Cine Group. Flying alongside Corail Helicopters, the island-based tour guides in the Caribbean and off the coast of South Africa, Aerial Cine Group explores the lush landscape off the eastern coast of Africa.
The video in this shoot was captured by Aerial Cine Group with our GSS 516 Red Helium and Angenieux Optimo 25-250. The results are phenomenal. This was a great way to market Corail Helicopters.
Aerial Cine Group, the Emmy-winning, Belgium-based aerial filming team, has gone global. You may have seen their work from the Red Bull Air Racing in Abu Dhabi, sailing in Miami, car chasing in Amsterdam, and more.
See more of Aerial Cine Group on Instagram @aerial_cine_group!
HAI Heli Expo 2019
GSS team members commit themselves to sharing our knowledge and expanding the incredible industry opportunities. What better place to do so than Helicopter Association International’s 2019 Heli Expo?
GSS Managing Director Jason Fountaine and Vice President of Sales Nick Ricciardi exhibited this year in Atlanta and had the chance to meet with industry customers, supporters, and friends. We are always grateful to share our systems with members of the helicopter industry and expand our network. The heli industry has been the largest proponent of our systems to date, and we look forward to new opportunities within the broadcast/ENG, utility inspection, and surveillance markets for gimbals. It’s a very exciting time to work with this tech!
While HAI’s membership has grown dramatically since its inception in 1948, its mission has stayed the same. Nearly 20,000 experts gathered this season to share knowledge, focus on safety standards, and of course, show off awesome new systems within the helicopter industry. We are truly fortunate to exhibit with the best in the business and can’t wait for next year!
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The Clients of GSS
What does it take to create the incredible documentaries you watch on The BBC, Discovery Channel and more? It starts with the best tech, outstanding customer service and state-of-the-art designs from a dedicated team. But don’t just take our word for it. Listen to these client testimonials from the most talented crews in the aerial cinematography industry.
“They are a step above...”
It’s all about the problem-solving abilities for Aerial Photographer Christian Turner from the US Air Force and Media Fusion. Our high-quality gimbal designs and 24/7 customer service speak for themselves, allowing Christian Turner to continue to capture the fastest aircraft around.
"It just made sense."
Emmy-winning Aerial Cameraman Skip Margetts of Helimedia wanted a partnership, not a sales pitch. With the ability to interchange cameras and lenses, Helimedia has created stunning footage on the Cape Town front for movies like Chappie (2015) and District 9 (2009) for over a decade.
“GSS is a group of excellence."
For IDO Aerials Co-Owner and Director of Photography Nathan Garofalos, accountability and consistency are crucial, and we can understand why. Since 2014, Incline Dynamic Outlet has created footage for the industry's biggest filmmakers: National Geographic, Warner Bros. Pictures and more.
“GSS has definitely set the bar high.”
Aerial Photographer Chris Higgins of the Edwards Air Force Base says his relationship with the GSS team boosts productivity. That engaging customer service really counts and makes a difference when he’s taking on the skies and capturing footage at jet speed.
"They care about my success."
Just like Winged Vision Founder Bob Mikkelson said, we do what others won't. Our partnership helps him capture awesome sporting event coverage of NASCAR, NHL, NFL and more. With stable footage, he gets in on the action both from land and in the air.
"GSS is a partner who we trust, and it works."
Alexander Brozek of CAMCAT-Systems agrees. GSS takes the time to answer questions. CAMCAT takes the European market by storm, taking on the 2017 British Golf Open and more with their remote-controlled cable system designed for aerial footage captures.
“It’s cutting edge, state of the art.”
Straight from Rogue Aviation Co-Owner Matt Barnes and Creative Director and Aerial Cinematographer Cory Hill, GSS is a family. Rogue Aviation has shot aerial work for The Mint 400 race and Pacific Flight Aviation flight school, and has been featured in commercial ads for all kinds of businesses and brands, like DuPont, BMW, and even in music videos!
Our amazing clients are the reason we do what we do. The art they continue to create inspires us to consistently innovate our gimbals for the best service and quality available.
See more testimonials here.
XD-Motion Soars After IBC
GSS client XD-Motion hit the ground running after an eventful weekend at IBC in Amsterdam. With their Cinema Pro + and an Arri Mini with Angenieux 24-290mm lens, the team completed an aerial shoot and made every minute count.
By 1 P.M. the next day, XD-Motion Founder and Aerial Operator Benoit Dentan and the aerial equipment traveled over 900 miles to the helicopter base, a journey that originally began at 3 A.M. when the equipment arrived in Paris.
By 3 P.M., Dentan was ready to shoot an Airbus helicopter from a bracket aircraft with his 290mm lens. With only an hour to film, Dentan captured beautiful sequences.
As some of the hardest workers in the industry, XD-Motion takes our products to new limits for air and 1D, 2D, 3D cable systems. The international aerial filming organization has created content for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games, Kia Motors and more.
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Beyond The Helicopter: GSS Custom Design Services
Gimbals should go above and beyond the standard helicopter. When your project requires ground rigging from a ship or truck, as filmed during Deadliest Catch or a Teton Gravity Research project, a custom design should be within reach.
“We have mounted the C520 (Cinema Pro+) on cars, trucks, boats and small 4-wheel drive vehicles,” says Co-Founder, Executive Producer & Co-Director of Teton Gravity Research, Todd Jones.
“You can have it on a truck in the morning and move it onto a helicopter in under an hour.”
Decades of experience allow GSS engineers to develop gimbal systems which accommodate custom designs. We design every model with room for modifications as camera and lens technologies change and integrate systems to your needs.
After purchasing your gimbal, contact GSS who, along with companies including Paradigm SRP LLC, can develop unique systems fitted for your production, surveillance or broadcast needs.
Contact us about your custom design today!
Aerial Camera Systems meets the Cineflex Pro +
GSS customer Aerial Camera Systems received their first GSS Cineflex Pro + this summer and inaugurated their new gimbal at this year’s Wimbledon Championships.
This system is contoured with the Grass Valley LDX-C86N Compact Camera and Canon CJ45 lens. For the first time, the Cineflex Pro + will help capture the legendary hoisted aerial shots of the All England Club in UHD/HDR. GSS’s newest customer has added to their state of the art gimbals and will now have the option of using their GSS Cineflex Pro + or Cineflex gimbals for various broadcast projects.
“We’re delighted to add the Cineflex Pro + to our inventory of stabilized gimbals. We’ve made some significant investments in equipment this year, recognizing the growing demand for 4K UHD formats.”
Operations Director Dave Whitlock
We look forward to the content ACS will release in the future with their new GSS gimbal, which will allow them to take on new payloads and revolutionize camera stability in the European market. ACS plans to use the Cineflex Pro + at upcoming sporting events this August.
Learn more about the Cineflex Pro + and all its capabilities here.
If you’re located in England, rent ACS gimbals and learn more about past projects from the Royal Wedding, Commonwealth Games and more at aerialcamerasystems.com.
The GSS Cinema Pro Gimbal
Formerly the GSS C516, the Cinema Pro handles the most popular medium-sized cinema cameras with ease. Similar to the Cinema Mini, its six-axis look-down extends filming capabilities without gimbal lock. An expanded width of 16 inches allows this gimbal to accommodate larger interchangeable lenses.
For increased precision and accessibility, the Cinema Pro features a geo-pointing option as well as GroundControl™ for wireless, bi-directional gimbal control.
Like the GSS Cinema Mini, this mid-sized, 60-pound gimbal is travel-friendly and still small enough to ship as excess baggage with no ITAR or EAR export restrictions.
Within 30 minutes, interchange lenses from the Canon Cinema Series, Zeiss Master Primes, Optimo wide zooms and more.
Interested in all of the Cinema Pro’s capabilities? Download the complete specs for more information about weight, dimensions, camera options and more.
VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL SPECS HERE
CONTACT US TODAY FOR A QUOTE
GSS Acquires Arctic Built, LLC
This week, GSS acquires Arctic Built LLC, the solution for Robinson R44 and R66 helicopter utility camera gimbal mounts.
With this addition, GSS will be the sole owner of these utility mounts and will further extend aerial cinematography capabilities to the cinema, broadcast and surveillance markets.
The FAA and EASA-approved mounts provide the necessary weight and balance when mounting a gimbal on these lighter helicopters. With a maximum load of 100 and 115 pounds respectively, the R44 and R66 mounts require limited installation time and do not require aircraft modifications.
Both mounts are fitted to the right side of the helicopter and have even weight distribution, so they may remain attached while flying with or without a payload. The mounts are compatible with 360 degree systems and LIDAR mapping. As an added bonus, the R44 mount is portable and separates into three pieces to make shipping easy.
Founded by GSS customer Daniel Zatz of ZatzWorks, Arctic Built has designed, tested and sold utility mounts since 2016. The Alaskan-based company worked alongside ZatzWorks for aerial filming.
“I’ve worked with the GSS team since the day I bought my first GSS and Cineflex and there isn’t a finer group of creative engineers anywhere,” states Daniel Zatz. “I’m extremely happy to transfer Arctic Built to GSS and let them continue to innovate and support the broadcast and production communities.”
We are eager to broaden our aerial cinematography service capabilities with this acquisition and offer Arctic Built mounts to the marketplace.
Contact us to learn more and get your own!
Newest GSS Customer, KOCO 5 Oklahoma City
GSS is continuing success in the ENG market with another broadcast news station customer, KOCO 5.
KOCO 5, part of Hearst Television, chose Gyro-Stabilized Systems’ Cineflex Pro + equipped with an Ikegami HDL-F300 low-light camera and a Fujinon 42x9.7 lens.
With a helicopter provided by Heli,Inc, KOCO 5 has the newest and most advanced news helicopter in Oklahoma.
The Cineflex Pro + allows KOCO 5 to have the most advanced technology with the finest cinematic news gathering camera, allowing better zoom-in ability for storm tracking and the ability to share every angle of the news story.
With a customer-first approach, GSS is continuing with a strong customer service strategy and is gaining traction in the ENG market. With multiple ENG installations around the world, the GSS Cineflex Pro + is the smallest and lightest package proven in the demanding ENG environment.
To learn more about KOCO, take a look here!
Contact us here to learn more about how to get your own gimbal!
GSS Used In Cutting Edge Technology News Helicopter, Sky 4
Sky 4 is taking news reporting to a new level of technology. Reporting out of Jacksonville, Florida, Sky 4 is owned by Graham Media and is one of their many leading and recognized stations in news media.
Sky 4 is leading the way with an Ikegami HDL-F3000 camera and a Canon 40x10 lens in their GSS Cineflex gimbal, mounted with an Arctic Pole Mount, specifically built for R44’s and R66’s.
With an R44, provided by the Heliteam, and a pilot, they are equipped with the GSS Cineflex gimbal operated directly from the news station. Yes, that’s right, there is no camera operator in the helicopter!
How do they accomplish this? By using a bi-directional downlink over the LTE. Simply put, a two-way communication channel transmits the media over the network from the helicopter and back down to the news station, and from the news station back up to the helicopter. This gives the news station the rare ability to locate the GSS hand controller from the news station!
This cutting edge technology saves the news station both time and money; not having the weight of a second person in the helicopter makes fuel last longer and flight operations cheaper.
GSS is proud to provide state of the art gimbals and play a part in innovating to make this possible for the Broadcast and ENG market.
Want your own gimbal? Contact us here!
GSS HAI Heli-Expo Recap
This year’s HAI Heli-Expo was one for the books for GSS. Our Managing Director, Jason Fountaine and VP of Sales, Nick Ricciardi exhibited at the annual trade show and had the opportunity to connect with many industry customers, supporters, and friends.
After all, that is one of our favorite parts of being in this industry- the amazing people we get to meet along the way that becomes friends. It’s pretty rewarding to watch the epic projects our friends and customers use GSS gimbals for. (Check out our social media to get a glimpse of where GSS gimbals travel to!)
The helicopter industry have been the biggest users of our products throughout the years and it was a lot of fun to check out the variety of helicopters at the show. (Like the Airbus and Bell 525 Relentless helicopter mockup!)
We are seeing exponential opportunity in the broadcast/ENG, utility inspection and surveillance markets with our gimbals and look forward to keep on sharing the happenings at GSS throughout the year.
GSS New Branding and Product Reveal at HAI Heli Expo 2018
It’s that time of year again and we’re amping up for the HAI HELI EXPO 2018. We love going to Heli-Expo each year to see the latest and greatest happenings in the helicopter community and networking with so many great people.
This year is pretty special for us because we are unveiling our new logo, website and branding at Heli Expo for the first time!
In addition, we’ll also have the following systems at Heli-Expo that you can get your hands on:
- GSS Cineflex (Broadcast Series Gimbal) with a Ikegami HDL-F3000 camera and a Fujinon 42 x 9.7 lens
- Arctic Built Pole for an R44
- A New Prototype (You’ll have to come see us to find out!)
We’ll be at booth #C3445. Please stop by, we’d love to meet you, share a conversation and show you what GSS can offer you. Whether you have needs in broadcast, production, ENG, natural history or any other project, we believe our engineers have created the highest quality gimbals on the market and would love the opportunity to share it with you.
Learn more about HAI Heli-Expo 2018 here.
#settingthestandard