Cinefocus

Phillip Covell

Cinefocus was known as a leading supplier of equipment for: Feature Films, TV Drama, TV, Music Videos, Commercials, Production Crews & News Cameras.

As a movie brat, Cinefocus was where I spent my formative years, before entering the industry as a professional.

I earned my first £50 cleaning equipment on its return from ‘Terrahawks’ in ’83, and for other legendary productions, like ‘Aliens’.

Alongside Secondary and 6th Form education, I mentored in business management, broadcast and film equipment from 1988, under MD Tony Covell and his team, with full access to his team and all aspects of the business.

Cinefocus was the launch customer and UK agent for the Moviecam Super America, introducing the advanced 35mm camera system to British productions. Known for its near-silent operation and technical sophistication, the Super America quickly became a favourite with cinematographers seeking reliability and performance. Cinefocus supplied Moviecam to feature films such as James Cameron's Aliens, cementing the company's role in bringing cutting-edge European camera technology into the UK film industry.

Egripment & The Tulip Crane: As UK launch agent for Egripment, Cinefocus introduced the Academy Award-winning Tulip Crane, a compact, portable camera crane that delivered smooth vertical and sweeping moves, quickly becoming a favourite for film, TV, and commercial productions.

FGV Panther: Cinefocus was also the launch customer and UK agent for the FGV Panther, introducing the German-engineered dolly system to the British market. Praised for its smooth ride, versatility, and precision, Panther quickly became a favourite among crews, adding a new level of performance to tracking shots in film and TV production.

The Focus System was a lightweight, portable solution designed to make tracking shots practical beyond big productions. Built from polymer plastic with stainless-steel over-latch clamps, the track folded into a holdall and worked with most dollies, including the dedicated Focus Dolly by Egripment. Compact and versatile, it could be quickly set up in confined spaces or transported in an estate car. The range also included the Focus Jib, a small, portable jib arm that complemented the system, giving crews affordable access to smooth tracking and jib shots without the bulk of traditional grip gear.

Skymount was a lightweight helicopter camera mount designed by Cognacs & Wilson Ltd for stable aerial filming with compact film cameras. It offered a practical alternative to larger gyro-stabilised systems and was popular for news, documentary, and drama work. The system was later purchased by Cinefocus, who continued to manufacture and support it throughout the 1980s.

Aliens • Clockwise • Caravaggio • Riders to the Sea • Wish You Were Here • Sign of Four • Dick Turpin • Fraggle Rock • Heather Ann • Last of the Summer Wine • Terrahawks • Time • Worzel Gummidge • Vengeance • Bowie • Jagger • Queen • Duran Duran • Cliff Richard • Tina Turner • Commercials and more…

20th Century Fox • Anderson Burr Pictures • Anglia • BBC • Borders TV • Brandywine Productions • CBS • Cinevista • Ford • Granada • Grampian • HTV • ITN • LWT • MTV • RSA • STV • Thames • Thorn EMI • TSW • TVS • Tyne Tees • Ulster TV.

ARRI 16mm & 35mm Cameras • Frezzolini • NPR • Moviecam Super America • Betacam • Lenses • Angenieux • Canon • Century • Cooke • Kinoptic • Zeiss • Chrosziel • Heyden Lens Control • Skymount • Sound • Nagra • Fluid & Geared Heads • O'connor • Ronford Baker • Sachtler • Tripods • Grip • Chapman Peewee • Matthews • Car Mounts • Egripment Tulip Cranes • HotHead • Accessories •