Long Steadicam shots have become a staple of Hollywood movies over the past decade or so. Pulling it off involves complexities way beyond the seemingly simple task of walking through a room.
In this behind-the-scenes clip from last year’s Hugo, you can see the coordination and movie tricks that go into a great Steadicam shot such as moving walls, precise queues, and an agile boom operator. Most important is an extremely skilled camera-man. Steadicam operators carry a lot of weight and must be adept at manoeuvring the equipment.
You can hear the guy winded after the shot is over, and he probably has to do it over and over again. [YouTube via The Awesomer]