25 Years Of Panther Dollies

Camera dollies and cranes' manufacturer Panther has announced that it will sell the thousandth column dolly this year.
As the milestone approaches, Panther products can look back on significant contributions made to the film industry since the company was established.
In 1990, the Super Panther, the first electromechanical dolly in the world, received a technical Oscar, the 'Scientific and Engineering Award' in Hollywood. Today, Panther dollies are used on major movies worldwide.
The first series production of a computer-operated, electro-mechanical column dolly was developed in the office premises of the Munich rental house FGV, the first company of Erich Fitz, the founder of Panther, together with his partner Hajo Schmidle in 1983.
For the first time, the cameraman was allowed to operate the dolly's column drive completely on his own, to decide about the beginning and the end of the drive, as well as the speed.
Contrary to the market, an electro-mechanical drive instead of the conventional hydraulic system was chosen for the Panther dolly. One of the first dollies was already used for the complete production of 'The Never-Ending Story' by the director of photography Jost Vacano.
The consistent development of the digital electronic system of the Super Panther II, the successor of the Panther dolly, finally got honoured with the Oscar Award.
Directly following the progress and the requirements of film productions Panther developed among other things, the well-known Evolution Dolly, the Classic Dolly and the EvoPlus in renewal years.
As their antecessor, these dollies increased ease of use and performance (e.g. crabs + steer, speed, quiet running).
Panther will be showcasing their latest products at IBC in Amsterdam in Hall 11 at Stand 11.E40.
(KMcA)