Steadicam Super Bowl halftime show operator Sean Flannery joins CineD contributor Graham Ehlers Sheldon for an in-depth interview exploring what it takes to film some of the most-watched live events in the world. From Kendrick Lamar’s viral performance to the Oscars and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, Flannery shares the pressure, preparation, and unpredictable moments behind the lens—all while operating cinema-grade gear like the Trinity rig and Sony VENICE 2. Sean Flannery’s path into the world of Steadicam operation began, like many in the industry, with handheld work in live sports. That experience—operating in high-pressure environments like Major League Baseball stadiums—would prepare him for what was to come: filming the Super Bowl halftime show in front of over 135 million viewers, multiple years in a row. From baseball fields to billion-view broadcasts Despite the scale, Flannery insists that once the headset goes on and the associate director starts counting down the bars, the nerves give way to focus. “You kind of forget everything else that’s going on around you,” he says. “Haley, our AD, is that calming voice in your ear—just counting beats and bars, guiding you through it.” Sean Flannery operating a Steadicam on top of a hill. Image source: Sean Flannery What it’s like to shoot the Steadicam Super Bowl halftime show live Live performances are, by nature, unpredictable. Flannery shared multiple behind-the-scenes moments that illustrate just how much can go wrong—and how essential preparation, instinct, and trust in your crew become. During rehearsals for a Beyoncé halftime show, Flannery tripped...
Published By: CineD - Yesterday