Blog
Flying TV captures the British Grand Prix and Spitfire!
Last month, our client Flying TV prepared 2019 British Grand Prix viewers with incredible footage of classic airmanship. Hosted by Steve Jones with special guests David Coulthard and Mark Webber, legends and former F1 racers, the opening scene of the July 14 race brings speed to the skies alongside the Spitfire.
From the vantage point of a Robinson R44, Flying TV’s Aerial DOP Monica Wyer used a GSS Cinema Pro, a full-size Sony HDC-P50 4K, and Canon 45x9.7 4K UHD Lens mounted on a GSS R44 Single Pole. In coordination with Whisper Films, the footage captures mind-blowing aerial maneuvers highlighted by Britain’s lush, green backdrop around Silverstone Circuit, a former WWII airbase in Northamptonshire.
First held in 1926, the British Grand Prix features 52 laps, and a phenomenal win by now six-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton capped this year’s race. The 34-year-old British racer completed his latest win at 1:21:08.452. Congrats, Lewis! He continues to build his legacy with more World Championship titles and more race victories than any other British F1 driver.
We’re excited to race in with you on your next exciting adventure, Flying TV!
Learn more about the GSS Cinema Pro and it’s capabilities here.
Active Camera Systems Goes Country
Calling all country music fans! One of our clients completed an impressive project for singer-songwriter Dustin Lynch. Active Camera Systems shot footage for “Ridin’ Roads,” Lynch’s title track to his three-song EP released this spring. Check out the behind the scenes footage from ACS here!
“Ridin’ Roads” held a spot on Billboard’s Country Airplay, where it’s remained for over 13 weeks since the song’s March release. The music video, uploaded in May, has garnered over 1.3 million views! Listen to the song below with completed footage by ACS.
Patrick Longman, owner and cinematographer of ACS, perfectly captured the smooth, scenic route in their footage, the excellent companion to Lynch’s romantic tune. We are so proud to see our clients creating exciting new content, especially for chart-toppers like this! Patrick and the ACS team has impressed us with credits including The Sopranos, Daredevil, and The Wolf of Wall Street. We’re very excited to see what’s next.
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.
GSS at Cine Gear 2019
Cine Gear 2019 was a success yet again! Paramount Studios was an incredible venue to meet and greet both new and familiar faces. As always, we are so grateful to be part of this talented community. It was such a pleasure to catch up with friends and show off GSS tech in Los Angeles!
We can’t give enough thanks to Nathan Garofalos of Incline Dynamic Outlet, Patrick Longman from Active Camera Systems, and both Rob Drewett and Adam Sculthrop from Motion Impossible for the booth support. There’s nothing like working alongside friends and true experts in the field.
We’ll see you next year!
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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NAB 2019
We’re relishing in the success of this year’s National Association of Broadcasters Show! Thank you to everyone who visited our booth. This was definitely the most exciting NAB Show for GSS to date.
If you didn’t attend, you missed out on some major showstoppers at our booth! It was a privilege showing off our systems alongside our talented partners and clients, including the Sony HDC-P50 4K broadcast camera, the Canon 45X 4K and Fujinon 46X 4K broadcast lenses, and the XD Motion X Fly Vertical and Tethered Drone. Of course, Incline Dynamic Outlet’s incredible Huracam camera car raced in and took everyone’s breath away.
We also had the opportunity to bring out our 2001 original Cineflex V14. Our gimbals have come a long way, and this design has truly stood the test of time. This system marked the beginning of the Cineflex legacy and still continues today in our broadcast line of products!
This year continues to look bright! What are we excited for? Expect to see low-light broadcast cameras and augmented reality overlays change the game even further for live sports and electronic news gathering market segments.
If you couldn’t make this year’s NAB Show, we know we’ll see you at NAB 2020! Stay in-the-know by signing up for our email list below!
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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USAF Goes Gyro-Stabilized in Weapons Test
This past December, the U.S. Air Force released footage of a successful Flight Test Integrated-03, also known as FTI-03, shot with a GSS Cinema Pro gimbal. Watch the footage here.
Filmed with a Red DSMC2 Helium and a Canon 50-1000mm lens for day footage along with stunning night footage via a Midwave Infrared Camera, the video captured combined efforts of the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Navy.
The team operated the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex based out of the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. According to Mark Wright of the Missile Defence Agency, “This was an operational live fire test demonstrating the Aegis Weapon System Engage On Remote capability to track and intercept an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) target with an Aegis Ashore-launched Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptor.”
It is incredible to see so many different purposes and projects with GSS in action. We are proud to represent the U.S. military in their defense exercises.
Get more updates of GSS gimbals, and our client’s projects by signing up for our emails below.
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.
The GSS Cinema Pro+ captures United Arab Emirates National Day
Here’s one way to celebrate! In honor of December’s United Arab Emirates National Day and the life of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, an aircraft formation flew over Dubai in a spirit of unity, captured by a GSS Cinema Pro+!
In a collaboration between Navigation Films and Blue Sky’s Peter Degerfeldt, the plane formation, complete with eleven aircraft from Emirates, Etihad, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia and the Al Fursan Air Display Team, showcased color and teamwork in a course chartered by Sheikh Zayed. From the vantage point of an L39 Jet via the Baltic Bees, the video soared over Dubai and aircraft emblazoned with “Year of Zayed.”
The video, directed by Mike Charlton and produced by Akash Kingston, contains jet footage by Peter Degerfeldt and GSS technician Vicky Degerfeldt. Thanks to the Baltic Bees team members Valery Sobolev, Anatolij LIsenkov and Artyom Soloduha, this incredible fleet came to life.
UAE National Day celebrates the joining of the seven emirates in 1971 and the first president, Sheikh Zayed, typically celebrated with fireworks and air shows.
This was an amazing capture by Blue Sky Aerials and Navigation Films. We are so proud to see our technology used in ways that continue to push and innovate the filming industry!
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Award-Winning Teton Gravity Research
Last year, Teton Gravity Research created an awesome new project with their Cinema Pro+ and took home Powder’s Movie of the Year Award.
Their film Far Out goes global, from the Albanian Alps to Girdwood, Alaska. What do the world’s most wild mountain ranges have to offer? More than 30 of the most daring bike, ski and snowboard athletes find out. This epic chronicle took one of the coveted awards during Powder Magazine’s 19th Annual Powder Awards in December, an event which honors the best athletes and artists in the ski community.
Check out the trailer for Far Out below.
We are a proud sponsor of this film. As we have seen time and time again with dozens of the team’s incredible films, TGR never fails to deliver. Our client’s amazing work inspires us to push gimbal technology to new levels so they can achieve new perspectives.
A huge congrats to the TGR crew on this awesome win!
What will TGR create next? Be the first to know by following us on Instagram and Facebook!
2018 With GSS
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Gyro-Stabilized Systems!
Thank you to all of our customers, partners, clients, users, and friends that make up the great GSS community. 2018 was a great year and we are very excited how the ENG, live sports, natural history, production and government markets are all evolving. During the last 12 months we have seen many incredible images captured with GSS systems. From filming the Winter Games and Discovery’s Deadliest Catch to live action aerial news/ENG sequences and SpaceX’s Falcon landing, we are eager to see how GSS gimbals are used to push the limits and find new perspectives in 2019.
Thanks again and best of luck in the New Year to all of our GSS customers, partners, clients, users, and friends worldwide!
Inter BEE 2018
GSS had a successful trip to Inter BEE 2018 last month, Japan’s annual broadcast electronic conference and exhibition. Totsu International, our sales partner for the Japanese market, shared our advanced gimbal technologies with the Japanese broadcast audience.
GSS Japan Sales & Support Partner Totsu International President Akira Ito, Koichi Ogata and Takeshi Sasadate.
Totsu International has represented Cineflex and GSS products in the law enforcement, government, broadcast and production markets for over a decade. Their experience and knowledge of the industry has allowed us to grow our presence and market share in Japan. At this year’s Inter BEE, we showcased our Cineflex Broadcast series gimbals specifically tailored for the Japanese market, the GSS Cineflex Premier and Cineflex T2.
Customers had a chance to try out our gimbal at the Totsu booth.
Inter Bee, formerly named the Broadcast Equipment Exhibition, has showcased the latest in broadcast electronics in Tokyo since 1965. It was a privilege to attend alongside some of the world’s most advanced technology. It has continued to be a great opportunity to share our systems.
Learn more about our Cineflex Broadcast systems here.
Thanksgiving with GSS
Happy Thanksgiving from the GSS family to you! 2018 has been an incredible year for us and the entire gyro-stabilized gimbal industry.
We have accomplished so much this year. After our Cineflex acquisition at the end of last year, we focused on re-branding our look, our gimbal products and sharing these top of the line systems with our community online! We had a fun and successful trip to IFC Amsterdam and also acquired Arctic Built, the best solution to rigging your gimbal to a Robinson helicopter! We are very proud of what this year has brought us and can’t wait to see what 2019 has in store.
Since we started in 2011, it’s been your passion for film and capturing the world that drives us to create the best gimbals in the industry. To all of our clients and supporters, thank you for guiding and encouraging our efforts along the way. Your support means everything to us, and we are so grateful
If you want to learn more about our GSS technologies or have any questions at all, please feel free to call us or message us and we will get back to you as soon as we can! We’re always around 24/7 to answer your gimbal needs.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving,
The GSS Team
GSS 5-Axis Gimbals: Best of Broadcast
If you’re part of the broadcast industry, you know how crucial a small, lightweight gimbal is. Whether you’re traveling with your system or operating at high speeds, you’ll need a gimbal that can keep up. Between aerodynamics and the light weight, the Cineflex Series sets the bar for five-axis systems, making it the prime choice for your broadcast filming needs.
Our 5-axis gimbals offer increased ground clearance and a roomier internal space for a wider range of camera and lens in a small but mighty package. Consistent travelers and creative camera operators prefer this for its optimal aerodynamics, increased aircraft mounting options and the ability to ship as excess baggage.
Our 5-Axis systems use VectorSteering™ to avoid automatic gimbal lock. New mechanical and software design allows a wider range of motion than anything seen before. There’s a reason the GSS Cineflex series is the preferred gimbal of its class; its capabilities are unmatched.
View the entire Cineflex Series here.
GSS Goes to Amsterdam!
GSS ended September with an incredible IBC experience in Amsterdam. We met with some of our amazing customers and industry leaders from the broadcast and production market segments worldwide. We’re eager for our newest customers to receive their own GSS systems and excited for future customers to join this growing client base over the next six months.
Our booth, shared with our friends and client XD Motion, offered the European market a first look our new Cineflex Pro and Cinema Mini platforms along with a display of a Cinema Pro+ with RED camera and Angenieux Optimo 12:1 lens. Visitors were amazed at the Cinema Mini’s powerhouse abilities in such a small size; it can integrate today’s most popular cameras like the Sony 4K Broadcast, Grass Valley 4K, Sony P43, Arri Alexa Mini and Red Weapon with big lenses like the Canon 45x, Fujinon 46X, and Canon 50-1000mm at only about 70 pounds with no camera repackaging or modifications! This successful weekend allowed us to really prove both the Cineflex Pro and Cinema Mini systems are sized perfectly for our customer base.
The future of aerial technology is bright. The new, professional broadcast 4K cameras and 4K lenses from Canon and Fujinon will capture unparalleled image quality not yet seen in gimbal applications. We are already delivering 4K broadcast camera and lens solutions and expect this trend to take off.
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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Shot with GSS, By Blue Sky Aerial
Blue Sky Aerial & Specialist Filming has taken their Cinema Pro gimbal to great heights. Their latest showreel combines clips from feature films and internationally broadcasted commercials. From Eurovision and Director Paul Feig’s Spy (2015), big-budget projects have included Blue Sky’s aerial footage through urban and natural landscapes for stunning climactic scenes.
Blue Sky, founded in 1984 by Peter Degerfeldt and Göran Widenby, combines cinematography with incredible, innovative stunts and techniques. The team rigs their gimbal across all platforms–helicopter, car, boat and wire– and coordinates the wildest aerial stunts and captures. Their clients include the BBC, National Geographic, 20th Century Fox and more.
We are so proud to see one of our gimbals used for exciting feats.
For more of our clients’ projects,
visit Shot with GSS
Universal GSS Accessories
When you purchase a GSS gimbal, feel confident that the best accessories, custom to your system, are available for purchase. For the same quality and customer service as our gimbal systems, more than two dozen additional tools may be added to enhance your gimbal even further.
Gimbals from both our cinema and broadcast series are compatible with twelve universal accessories.
R44 Mount
Within 60 minutes, the three-piece R44 mount may be attached to your aircraft with no outside modifications. It supports payloads up to 100 pounds and may be flown with or without a payload.
R66 Mount
Just like the R44 mount, the R66 mount is both FAA and EASA approved. Carrying up to 115 pounds, this mount transports in three easy pieces and may be purchased with an optional 41-pound counterweight.
Power Distribution Unit
The power distribution unit, compatible in aircraft and on the ground, sends power to other GSS devices. The small, portable system is designed for easy transportation.
Ground power supply
Our sturdy ground power supply unit connects to your GSS system from any standard wall outlet.
Video breakout box
A lighter, smaller alternative to comparable aux boxes, the video break out box will eliminate the need for all other in-air systems.
Vibration Isolator Taper Mount & Vibration Isolator Universal Mount
Improve your image stability and save ten pounds over existing solutions with the vibration ISO taper mount and ISO universal mount.
Power disruption unit
In the event of an emergency, a pilot may easily cut off power to the GSS system.
Lastly, check out our GSS Snout Cover, Power Cable, Laptop Cable and Fiber Video Cable… the best accessories for any of our gimbals. If you have any questions, send us a message!