ATLANTA—Centergy Studios is a full-service video production facility with the Centergy Group project management consulting firm. We started shooting TV and feature films in Atlanta in 2006 and opened our studio in Key West, Fla. about a year ago.
I founded Centergy Group in 2000 and today serve as president and executive project manager. I’m proud that we’ve earned the reputation for “putting it all together” and have turned our clients’ most complex and critical initiatives into successful realities through our no-nonsense and pragmatic approach to planning and implementation.
Our many and varied menu of services includes pre-production, video capture, post-production, and platform delivery, and our projects run the gamut from live broadcasts to large conference productions, corporate events, live content, on-demand implementations, festivals and concerts, training scenarios—you name it, we’ll film it.
Our client list includes top tier news and sports broadcasters, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, government environmental regulatory organizations, and many more.
The SX260 Head System
We recently needed to add a pan and tilt head/tripod combination to our studio operations. We’re happy to say that Shotoku Broadcast Systems was recommended to us and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Shotoku provided an SX260 head system, one of the company’s latest models, which sits on a TTM1002C 2-stage carbon fiber tripod.
The SX260 incorporates best-in-class features and performance, and even though it is one of the lightest on the market at this level of payload (up to a maximum of 55 lbs.), it’s robust, reliable, and the performance is flawless.
The Shotoku Truebalance system delivers perfect counterbalance and is remarkably easy to adjust from one end of the range to the other with an intuitive display to indicate the current setting within the balance range. The drag system uses Shotoku’s Viscam system but combines the ease and speed of selection of the best-known stepped systems with the fine-tuning and on-shot adjustment of a continuously variable design.
The TTM1002C Tripod
We partnered the SX260 system with Shotoku’s TTM1002C carbon fiber tripod. It’s lightweight and rigid, and features fiber tube construction. We’re using it in our studios but are confident that its exceptional performance would stand up in the field when needed there. The tripod is outfitted with one-click leg clamps for quick setup and teardown. We also took advantage of Shotoku’s floor and mid-spreader options and a second pan bar.
Setup was a breeze. The gear came with clearly defined instructions and there was no training necessary—we could assemble it and jump right into operations without any assistance. The configuration is very stable, well balanced, and holds the camera and teleprompter system very well. This allows us to concentrate on our work because we never have to worry about the equipment’s performance.
We’re a growing company and look forward to further expansion in the future. When we have a need for another pan/tilt tripod, Shotoku will be our first choice. l
David Mook, MBA, PMP, founded Centergy Group in 2000 and serves as president & executive director of project management. He can be reached at dmook@centergygroup.com
For more information on the Shotoku SX 260 head system, Shotoku TTM1002C 2-Stage Carbon Fiber tripod and other products, visit www.shotoku.co.uk.
