Here's How to Build a DIY ARRI TRINITY Stabilizer on a Budget

The ARRI TRINITY is one of the most versatile hybrid stabilizers available. It combines mechanical and advanced electronics to wield 5 axes of control, resulting in ridiculously smooth movements and unrestricted shooting. If you've never seen it in action, check out this video from Gene Nagata, better known as Potato Jet on YouTube. 

Pretty fantastic, right? Well, as you might imagine it comes with a hefty price tag. About $50,000 USD. But what if you could make something similar yourself? You can thanks to Josh Morgan, of Momentum Productions, who has found a way to do it at a decent price. All you need is a manual stabilizer, an electronic gimbal, and some weights. 

Morgan combines a manual stabilizer and a Zhiyun Crane 3 to create his version of the ARRI TRINITY.  After extending the manual stabilizer, he adds weight to the bottom before mounting the electronic gimbal to the top. Once attached, Morgan checks the balance to make sure everything is in tune. The video doesn't show any test footage, but Morgan does move around the rig with complete control and it looks pretty fluid. He also says the rig can be used with a support vest which can be extremely helpful for long shooting days or longer shots. 

The idea has caught on with others as well, so it was something No Film School had to share. Filmmaker James Mathews built a similar version. 

Jason Morris built his own version, too. The creator goes more in-depth about the setup process and uses a Weebil gimbal with a stabilizer. 

So what do you think? Is it something you want to try out? Let us know in the comments below.