Chris Gerding has had the opportunity over the last thirty
years in the film industry to use almost every specialized camera platform
available. He found that every platform excelled under certain conditions
but fell short in others. One major problem Chris recognized with the high
priced specialty vehicles that are used in the film industry is their size.
The full size vehicles that most people use are too large for many of the
tight situations that Chris now excels in.
Chris and his Denver colleagues had seen the flexibility of
UTVs, and had been temporarily adapting different UTVs, primarily 4x4’s, to
fit specialized needs as the need arose. After a while, the temporary use
thing got a little old, but it did give them the opportunity to try several
different UTVs. When it came time to make the plunge and permanently
outfit one of his own vehicles, Chris chose a Polaris Ranger 6x6. The Ranger
6x6 was chosen because of its power, stability, and capacity.
The Ranger 6x6 was then adapted to suit Chris' needs. One of
the coolest additions is the adjustable rear suspension.
The rear suspension has been fitted with an air bag to help handle the weight
and smooth out the ride. The air spring is rated at 3600# @ 125 psi, but
Chris runs it between 5 psi and 25 psi. With a large capacity bag it handles
the load but is still supple, just like an ATV tire. The Ranger also has an onboard ARB
High Output compressor to fill the spring and can also inflate tires. To
control the pressure it has a pneumatic switch and gauge.
Chris also fitted the Ranger 6x6 with a six foot to twenty
one foot camera crane. The extended reach is perfect for tracking shots and
also for placement in hard to access remote locations. It also has a camera
elevator that allows vertical camera moves while navigating some of the most
rugged trails. But even with the soft ride of the Ranger Chris usually
mounts the camera on a vibration isolator and a stabilized remote head to
remove unwanted movement.
The new Ranger 6x6 has been used by some of the top
directors of photography in the industry. Although Chris is based out of
Denver he has traveled around the country filming. A short list of national
commercials that have used the Ranger 6x6 include major manufacturers like:
Honda, Can-Am, BF Goodrich, Jeep, Ford and even Polaris.
The Polaris technicians at the shoot paid close attention to
all the modifications that Chris had made and were quite impressed with his
Ranger 6x6.
Overall, Chris couldn't be happier with the functionality of
his Polaris Ranger 6x6. With its' unique setup, Chris definitely has a
platform that allows him to film scenes that others either cannot do, or not
do as well.
Mitchell camera mounts.
Rear Platform - camera car style
Front Platform
It can be configured with: Hard Mounts, Spring Vibration
Isolators, Stabilized Heads or Jib Arms.
The rear suspension has been fitted with a air bag to help handle the weight
and smooth out the ride. The air spring is rated at 3600# @ 125 psi, but
Chris runs it between 5 psi and 25 psi. With a large capacity bag it handles
the load but is still supple, just like an ATV tire. It has an onboard ARB
High Output compressor to fill the spring and can also inflate tires. To
control the pressure it has a pneumatic switch and gauge.
