Everybody would love to be in the film industry but not everyone has the drive, persistence or talent to actually make it past that first “No” or the first closed door. What would you do if you had an opportunity to get into the industry? Would you be an actor? Do you have the talent to be a Director? Or the vision and stamina to be a producer and get a major motion picture made? How about a Steadicam operator, which is a cameraman who operates specialized filmmaking equipment that maximizes freedom of movement while minimizing camera shakiness. Well, whatever it is you want to do, nothing will transpire unless you set your mind to it, learn all that you can, and just jump in and pursue your dreams.
That’s what Eric Catelan did roughly a quarter century ago. He discovered that he was enamored with cinematography so he learned everything he could about it and started working in the film industry from the bottom up. He learned about the minute specifications of cameras and how to operate them and what each one could and couldn’t achieve. He then fell in love with the Steadicam and now he is among the most in-demand camera operators in the business.
Eric Catelan will tell you that once he straps on the Steadicam and begins shooting a scene, he thinks of nothing else but what is in front of him. That is, he becomes so focused that he and the Steadicam become one. His mind is totally concentrated on the task at hand, which is, of course, getting the perfect shot. He moves with the grace of a dancer as he photographs the actors within his purview. Nothing gets in his way and nothing can distract him from his mission as he contemplates that which is on his monitor.
The cameraman is one of the most important positions on a film set, as he is responsible for capturing the footage as dictated by the script, director, and cinematographer. Eric Catelan takes enormous pride in helping filmmakers achieve their vision. Considered to be one of the best of the best, his years of experience have not jaded his creative ability. To the contrary, he continues to try to push the limits of technology and creativity and remains inspired by the latest advances in filmmaking equipment—constantly striving to achieve grea6ter heights.