matthNews

Being a celebrity and music portrait photographer means you are constantly thrown into unknown situations and locations. From shooting in a closet-sized dressing room, a hallway, outdoors in uneven terrain against the elements, to shooting in a studio, you often only know the what, when, why and who, but not the where and how of your photo shoot. Matthews’ stands solve the “how”. Problem solving is a big part of being an on-location photographer’s job. How to fit lights where you need them to be, how to fit yourself and your camera in with the lighting, and how to get...

A tribute to the Legacy of Edward Phillips In the mid-‘80s it was all about location portability and the moving camera. Ed took the lead with the first ever Briefcase Dolly, co-designed by Steve Litt. A portable version of MSE’s famous Doorway Dolly, it rolled on smooth surfaces or PVC pipe, carrying a camera rig complete with camera operator and tripod and did double duty hauling equipment to set. Then it compactly folded into a 59- pound, handheld package. Although the Briefcase Dolly was retired in 2011, today’s Dutti Dolly captures the same portability and size with various upgrade options....

Middle & High Schoolers Film Competition during Lock-down Filmmaking resource Sneak On The Lot, recently hosted a national online competition for schools and students in lock-down. To support the budding filmmakers through the altered realities in the days of COVID, Matthews stepped up and donated a prize: the original 18”x24” RoadRags Kit. ROADRAGS, a patented, portable lighting modification system, allows quick and easily studio-style lighting effects on location using portable light modification. ROADRAGS consists of two folding 18"x24" frames, single scrim, double scrim, artificial silk, and flag with convenient carrying bag. The elastic corded frames easily fold for storing and transporting....

It’s been 4 decades since Ed Phillips and Matthews revolutionized crank stands with the Vator family of stands for large light fixture positioning. Years ago, arc lights were used in film production lighting for large exteriors or shooting night for day. Carbon arcs required several people for setup because they were hefty, weighing 250 or more pounds, and were basically big BBQ’s with two pieces of carbon burning in them. Ed’s first company, Waynco, specialized in rebuilding old arc lights into lighter weight carbon arcs making them more portable. Large light fixtures like Ed’s carbon arc became popular but required...