C Stand

In film production, a C-stand (or Century stand) is primarily used to position light modifiers, such as silks, nets, or flags, in front of light sources. The stand is constructed of metal and consists of a collapsible base, two riser columns, and a baby pin on top. In addition, a C-stand typically includes a gobo head and a gobo arm, also known as a grip head and grip arm, which provide the ability to articulate a light modifier without moving the stand itself. The legs of C stands are designed to be nested, so many stands can be placed around a light source.
The secondary use of C-stands is to position smaller light fixtures. A typical use would be to offset a backlight from the stand column so that the stand itself can be placed out of shot, while the backlight hovers somewhere above the top edge of the frame. In recent years, C-stands have found a new use, supporting the brackets used for balancing Steadicam (and similar) camera sleds.

These popular stands are available in many different configurations, lengths, and finishes. The unique staggered leg design allows C-Stands to be nested and therefore be placed extremely close to one another on set. The lower leg can also be slid under many objects. The C+ offers a removable base for the risers, making disassembly for travel simple and easy. The sliding leg allows for use on stairs, off curbs, and even as high as a desk or countertop.