Each piece of camera equipment you own serves a different purpose and can create movie magic in creative ways. Overhead camera rigs allow you to capture a bird’s-eye view, whether you’re shooting cooking tutorials or making a quirky feature film. Here’s what you should know about overhead rig systems as you peruse Glide Gear’s collection.

How Do They Work?

An overhead camera rig’s most basic components include the frame and the camera track. The frame is composed of either two or four legs that hold up the rig. The camera track has a mount where you can easily attach your camera and move it within the rig as needed. Many of Glide Gear’s overhead DSLR rigs also have clamps you can attach to a table to stay steady as you shoot your overhead scenes.

What Are Some Types of Rigs?

A smaller overhead rig can sit on a tabletop for cooking tutorials or Wes Anderson-style shots of desks or tables. An overhead crane is a heavier piece of equipment that pulls your camera farther back so you can shoot your actors fully from above. You can even use a drone to catch what some filmmakers call the “God shot”—an overhead angle showing a vast expanse.

How Can I Use Them?

As discussed before, overhead shots are popular with folks who shoot cooking videos or DIY craft tutorials. Overhead shots provide the audience with an objective view; we don’t see the face of the person in frame. A good overhead angle can provide a unique perspective in action scenes, as the audience will see every bit of the action. When you want to focus on action rather than actors, pull your camera up and away! Even when a character is just sitting at a desk writing in a journal, the camera focuses on the words on the page, not the person writing them.

Are you in the market for an overhead DSLR rig? If you’re a budding filmmaker or YouTuber, a good overhead rig is a wise investment. You’ll be able to capture clear, objective shots that give your audience the whole picture. What should you know about overhead rig systems? Simply put, they’re an invaluable resource for anyone looking to shoot quality video footage.