Ben Semanoff, Camera Operator

Background & Training

In 2000 I co-founded a company called Top Hat Productions LLC. Our goal was to produce a wide range of media including commercials, music videos, and corporate videos for high profile clients. Today, Top Hat Productions continues to meet that objective while I focus on a professional career that began at a Steadicam Operators Association workshop in 2002. The lead instructor was Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown. This experience had a profound impact on my life and carreer. I fell in love with Steadicam!

Garrett became a personal friend and mentor, and offered inspiration in my effort to become the best Steadicam Operator possible. Along the way I've had the opportunity to meet and learn from other great camera operators including Larry McConkey, Mike O'Shea & Jerry Holway. They have provided me with inspiration, mentorship & support... and I try to give back by offering the same to new operators.

In 2004 Garrett invited me to become more familiar with one of his more conteporaty inventions... the SuperFlyCamTM. I leapt at the opportunity, and began learning the system inside and out. I worked with Garrett in the workshop making improvements to the system, and in the field deploying the system. Two years later, Top Hat Productions LLC became the world-wide licenssee of SuperFlyCam. We've been around the world flying our lightweight cable camera for major motion pictures and commercials. We continue to make design improvements, including the design of an Ultra-Flat configuration that allows threading the camera through spaces with very small vertical clearances.

After several years of working specifically as a specialty camera operator, I realized something was missing. I was missing the opportnity to develop the kinds of relationships with the crew that you form when you work together for weeks with a common goal. I missed the pride you get when you've had an impact on every frame of a film. So in 2005 I began an effort to change my role in the motion picture industry. I began offering my services as a camera operator... period. Steadicam and SuperFlyCam became skills in my "bag of tricks" as a working camera operator. And that's what I did! Most recently as A-Camera/Steadicam on "Explicit Ills" and "The Bleeding," and B-Camera/Steadicam on "Malevolence 2: Bereavement." Of course, I continue to day play whenever I can be of help to productions looking for Steadicam or SuperFlyCam TM.

In October of 2007 we welcomed our first child into the world... my son Sean Spencer. He provides me with new inspiration and passion!

Bookings & More Information

Please Email ben@bensemanoff.com or Call Toll-Free 1-800-678-3234 (1.800.6STEADI)