A Little History
In 1986, Tom Vlodek, Big Cameras Chicago founder and president, left his position as a cameraman at CBS-owned WBBM-TV in Chicago to strike out on his own as a freelance shooter.
From the start, Tom built an impressive roster of clients, including CBS and NBC News, Entertainment Tonight and United Airlines. He worked in remote locations in Europe, Russia, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Asia. Assignments ran the gamut from America's Most Wanted re-enactments to Kraft Foods VNRs (video news releases).
In 1991, Tom and his wife, Susan, formed Hand Held Video. Tom did the shooting while Susan managed all administrative functions. Soon after, Tom was hired full time by CBS News as a cameraman for the network's prime time magazine shows. Tom became so busy with 60 Minutes and 48 Hours he was no longer available to his corporate and broadcast clients. The Vlodeks purchased a second equipment package and hired a two man crew to provide the same great service that earned Hand Held Video its extensive cliental. The camera crew service idea was born.
In 2003, Hand Held Video was renamed Big Cameras Chicago. The name change reflected the company's decision to offer a variety of talented camera crews, state-of-the-art equipment packages and specialize in “field acquisition”. While the name may have changed, the commitment to customer service remained the same.
Jump to 2007. Hayden Tobey is at the helm as production coordinator, Tom’s back full time and the entire Big Cameras Chicago team is gearing up for another explosive year. They are committed to growth and determined to be the “go-to” source in the Midwest for quality video production.