Local company to film Beijing Olympics

"The Olympics give you goosebumps no matter what the event," said Rob Johnson, project leader for Fluid Images.

Fluid Images is a full-service film, video and production company based in Sisters that will film events at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China this summer.

Johnson will lead a four-man team to the 26th Summer Olympics.

"The hair on your neck stands up," Rob added, referring to the Olympic camaraderie and atmosphere.

Opening ceremonies are August 8. The team will leave July 28 to allow setup and practice time. They will return August 30.

Based in Sisters, the team includes technician James Johnson (no relation) and a freelancer from Utah and one from Minneapolis.

This will be the fifth Olympic Games filmed by Fluid Images. The footage will be part of a "pool" to be used by any of the hundreds of countries that cover their athletes at the games.

The team will film the marathon, triathlon, walk racing, cycling, rowing and kayaking.

Johnson said they have been testing and preparing equipment for over a month. He expects they will work 12- to 18-hour days in Beijing, with little spare time. However, all camera crews and technicians do get to see some action at the Games in a designated section, but not for the "big events," Johnson noted.

They will have a couple of days to do some sightseeing at the end of the trip and plan to visit the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.

The patented Strada 100 camera crane invented and perfected by the company will go by ship to China from Oakland departing on June 18.

The early departure time is needed, as customs in China can take up to three weeks, Rob said. He and James will make sure the equipment is crated properly to withstand the long trip.

The camera crane is an evolution from an earlier version invented by Rob's brother Rick in the early 1990s. Rob says the Strada camera crane is 100 feet long, compared to its nearest competitor at 50 feet (see story page 9).

This allows them to do what no other company can. For example, the camera can film from the top of an eight-story building and zoom in seconds to a close up of an actor's face.

The unique camera technology has been used in over 1,200 feature films, including "Titanic," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Star Wars II."

Commercials have been done for Coca-Cola, Pontiac, Apple Computers and Honda. Concert clients include Elton John, the Rolling Stones, U-2, Britney Spears and Garth Brooks. Rob recalls a time when he and Rick were on location and had Thanksgiving dinner at a table right next to Mick Jagger.

They also remember when Mike Douglas provided pizza and cake for the crew while filming "Disclosure" in Seattle with Demi Moore.

A local commercial client is Les Schwab, part of a list that includes many local real estate and resort developments.

Fluid Images has eight full-time employees but has a world-wide agent with affiliations in such cities as London, Chicago, Los Angeles and Brussels.

While Rob is in Beijing, Rick will be leading a team filming the 14th Summer X Games in Los Angeles. Flying skateboards, bicycles and cars are ideal subjects for the Strada camera crane.

Rob's father Bob Johnson co-founded the company with Rick in 1990. Rick is now president.

After formation of the company, Rob and Rick spent countless hours perfecting their first camera crane on Bob's farm near Oregon City. As the company began to grow and prosper, Bob and his wife, Barbara, paved the way for the rest of the family and the firm and moved to the Sisters area.

Like thousands before and after them, they always had liked Central Oregon, so they sold their farm and moved permanently in 1994. They built their home themselves in Tollgate.

Rob followed in 1995 and Rick in 1997.

Bob says with today's communications it doesn't really matter where they are headquartered as they can serve clients from anywhere at anytime.

"Our cameras, people and owning our equipment separate us from our competition," he said.

Bob, 68, has a long background in sales and marketing, and now coaches track at Sisters High School. He said the family loves the lifestyle in this area. Rob, 47, has two children and Rick, 42, also has two. A sister, Terri, has two and lives in Oregon City.