Matthews Studio Equipment: all new essential tools at NAB 2024

NAB 2024 attendees visiting Matthews Studio Equipment at booth C6725 have a chance to see the latest wares for professional grip and rigging on sets and location.

Essential tools from MSE to be on display at NAB 2024 include a new Grip Rail, Black Hyper-chrome Matthellini2, Litemover, and Air Climber all made for holding, setting, or positioning lighting and other set essentials. To show off the gear, front and center in booth C6725, Matthews will feature Format LLC’s meticulously outfitted Ram ProMaster van—stocked and ready for the next location.

Matthews Studio Equipment claims it has a better way to mount equipment on the fly, without puncturing the architecture. Multipurpose Grip Rail is the world’s first telescoping, adjustable grid pipe system. Billet aluminum strong and hard-anodized, Grip Rail makes it quick and easy to brace and hang camera and lighting rigs, backdrops, and more. Designed to work with popular grid clamps, Matthellinis, and standard pipe fittings, Grip Rail is a no-cutting, worthy alternative to complicated pipe organs.

Matthews will also show a new spin on their Matthellini Clamp, long known for solid gripping of round, square, or other shape rectangular tubing. The newly designed Black Hyper-chrome Matthellini2 maintains the oversized, spinning handle, but the Matthellini2 handle spins faster than its predecessor, making it quicker and easier to use, according to the company. There is still the rugged steel shaft, and dual parallel jaws with one fixed, mounted at the base of the Baby Pin portion of the shaft. The updated hardware has been completely re-engineered and retooled for better functionality and enhanced durability. Now finished in black Hyper-chrome, it is stronger, easier to handle and more low key—keeping it unobtrusive behind the scenes.

Also showing at the company’s booth at NAB 2024 are new adapters to make Litemover universal remote head compatible with a dozen fixtures using this hands-off system. Now crews faced with positioning lights and reflector boards weighing up to 220-lbs./100 kilos, can use Litemover with lights including ARRI Skypanel, Skypanel X21, X22/X2, Orbiter, and Briklok. Plus, there are adapters available for Cineo R15, Powerbeam, Creamsource Vortex, SumoLight SumoMax, K5600, Filmgear, and Fiilex Q10.

Equally advantageous with reflectors, there are kits for Matthews Mirrors and CRLS. By cutting the need to climb high ladders to aim a light, Litemover can increase accessibility, adding to on set safety. It is the ideal companion for Matthews Air Climber modular grip and lighting stand that reaches 25 feet/7.62 meters and holds up to 200-lbs/90kg while also compacting for easy transport in a standard grip truck.