C-stand

An Avenger brand 2-riser C-stand with a Rocky Mountain leg, 2.5" grip head and 40" grip arm. This stand extends to 10'.

In film production, a C-stand (or Century stand)[1][2] is primarily used to position light modifiers, such as silks, nets, or flags, in front of light sources.[3] The stand is constructed of metal and consists of a collapsible base, two riser columns, and a baby pin on top. In addition, a C-stand typically includes a gobo head and a gobo arm, also known as a grip head and grip arm,[4] which provide the ability to articulate a light modifier without moving the stand itself. The legs of C stands are designed to be nested, so many stands can be placed around a light source.

A secondary use of C-stands is to position smaller light fixtures.[5] A typical use would be to offset a backlight from the stand column, so that the stand itself can be placed out of shot, while the backlight hovers somewhere above the top edge of frame. In recent years, C-stands have found a new use, supporting the brackets used for balancing Steadicam (and similar) camera sleds.

These popular stands are available in many different configurations, lengths and finishes. The unique staggered leg design allows C-Stands to be nested and therefore be placed extremely close to one another on set. The lower leg can also be slid under many objects. The C+ offers a removable base for the risers known as a "turtle", providing an even lower base for positioning as well as making disassembly for travel simple and easy. The sliding leg allows for use on stairs, off curbs and even as high as a desk or countertop.[6]

  1. ^ Richard K. Ferncase - (1995) - Film and Video Lighting Terms and Concepts pp 28-30, 39.
  2. ^ Professional Cine Photographer magazine How to use grip equipment August 1953 p. 325, 338.
  3. ^ Brown, Blain (2002). Cinematography: imagemaking for cinematographers, directors and videographers. Focal Press. p. 252. ISBN 0-240-80500-3.
  4. ^ Uva, Michael G. (2009). The Grip Book. Focal Press. pp. 93–98. ISBN 978-0-240-81291-5.
  5. ^ Box, Harry C. (2010). Set Lighting Technician's Handbook, Fourth Edition. Focal Press. pp. 75–82. ISBN 978-0-240-81075-1.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).