In 1974 Matthews Studio Equipment introduced the industry's first folding base C-Stand. (C-Stand and Century Stand are registered trademarks of Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc.) Matthews now produces a wide range of C-Stands and related accessories to assist the motion picture, television and photographic professional in lighting and lighting modification support.The term 'Century Stand' goes back to the early days of motion picture production. Before there was artificial lighting the stages would revolve to allow for continuous overhead lighting from the sun. Large reflectors would be positioned to bounce or kick the overhead light up onto the stage and illuminate the set and actors. These reflectors were made in many sizes, but it seems the most popular was the 100 inch, or 'century', sized reflector. In later years, studios, grips and gaffers began to manufacture the earliest versions of what we now call C-Stands.
