Director
Kathryn Bigelow found that no existing camera system could accomplish the shots necessary for the point-of-view sequences, so the research division of Lightstorm Entertainment (the company of writer/producer
James Cameron, who was Bigelow's husband at the time) spent a full year designing and fabricating a special camera for the production. Weighing only 8 pounds, the 35mm camera literally fit in the palm of the hand and featured interchangeable lenses, remote follow focus, and video assist (necessary since the camera had no viewfinder). The camera was then mounted on a SteadiCam-style portable rig, which gave the camera stability and mobility similar to the human eye.
