Camera movement can not only make your shots more interesting, they can help move the story forward in a way that static shots cannot. Most of my experience with jibs has been with the rather large and bulky Miller jibs that are made for extremely heavy cameras. In these days of small cameras and DSLRs, a heavy duty miller jib is overkill for a DSLR that weighs only a few pounds. That's where the Aviator Travel Jib comes in, and even though the Kickstarter project has successfully raised funding, there's still a chance to get one at a greatly reduced price:
The lighter you make a piece of technology designed to move the camera, the easier it is for you to get jerky or rough movements. It looks like even though this jib is quite a bit lighter than most, it can still maintain relatively smooth motion -- which is essential for any good jib. Coming in at $400 for the standard version, or $800 for the Carbon fiber version, this is definitely priced for the independent filmmaker. The carbon fiber jib is going to be 10-20% lighter, but it's already going to be much lighter than most jibs out there because of its design. The standard version at $400 is going to retail for $525, so if you get it through the Kickstarter you'll be saving $125 (in the U.S., internationally it will cost a bit more). Keep in mind that the jib does not include a tripod -- you'll have to supply your own. Here's what Zeke had to say about tripods:
I also like using it with video tripods because the leveling ball base makes it super easy to level. They tend to be larger and heavier, though. But if space and weight aren't as important, like when shooting in urban environments where you are going from car to location, a video tripod like the Manfrotto 536 may be more your style. I've been using the 536 for some time. It's almost 30" long, and weighs over 7lbs, but it'll go up to over 6 and half feet high and it is rock solid. If you go with a ball head tripod you'll want to add a half ball leveler that screws into the bottom of the jib...That said, any tripod rated to hold more than 16 lbs. should work.
I think portability with film gear is going to become even more important as cameras continue to get smaller. I don't need a tripod that can support 50 pounds if my camera and lens package is under 5 pounds. Of course, as I said above, heavier duty gear tends to also give smoother results, so you have to find the right balance between too light for smooth movements and too heavy for portability.
What do you guys think about the Travel Jib?
