GTC Hails Golden Eye 'Risk Shot' Accolade

There's been celebrations for a member of the Guild of Television Cameramen (GTC) with congratulations going to Michael Brennan who was announced the winner of the best 'Risk Shot' category at the Golden Eye International Festival of the Cameraman, Batumi, Georgia, in late October.
Mike's winning submission was an incredible low-angle slow-motion shot of a large building imploding.
The 500 frames per second camera was built into a bomb-proof case made of laminated steel with an internal frame and ten millimetre polycarbonate front cover.
But even the strongest of boxes would be crushed under the thousands of tons of rubble falling at over 30-miles-per-hour.
The solution was to pull the camera out of harm's way after it got the shot, but before it could be damaged or buried under rubble for a week.
So Mike organised a track, made of scaffolding tubes and purpose-built crossbars, secured to the ground with 12-inch spikes.
The dolly was powered by bungee cords, like a huge bow and arrow, triggered by two separate explosive charges attached to a tether. The dolly and payload weighed 120 kg and ran at 32-miles-per-hour for 150 feet.
Mike said: "Full credit is due to Director Michelle Carlisle for sticking with my idea of tracking a camera from the base of the building as the building fell, and to my camera assistant Johann Perry and Controlled Demolition Ltd.
"The shot was in the back of my mind after I had successfully shot numerous implosions with cameras in innovative angles inside and on top of buildings - and I still have a few tricks up my sleeve for more interesting angles," he said.
(BMcC/GK)