If you’ve watched blockbuster movies in the last dozen years, checked out televised Olympic competition or caught Pac-10 Conference football or basketball commercials, you’ve likely seen work created by members of a Sisters family.

Within a month, the latest business venture from Bob and Rick Johnson will likely be capturing the attention of travelers at Redmond Airport.

The family’s trio of businesses — Fluid Images, Strada Camera Cranes and, the latest, Captive Media Solutions — all involve moving images, either in film or advertising.

But much of their film work takes place outside Central Oregon, said Bob Johnson, 70, senior partner and director of sales and marketing.

Captain of Oregon State University’s 1962 track team, Bob Johnson moved to Central Oregon 16 years ago and brought the companies with him from Portland. He coached track at Sisters High School for 15 years, serving as head coach for 12 of them.

“The reason we’re here is for quality of life,” said Bob Johnson, whose name is listed on OSU’s Men’s Outdoor Track Top 10 lists.

The family’s work in the film industry began in the early 1990s when his youngest son, Rick Johnson, 44, who attended the Art Center College of Design, invented the first camera crane that could extend to 72 feet, according to the Fluid Images website. Before then, the longest camera cranes reached about 30 feet.

Continuing to improve on his original design, Rick Johnson’s latest camera crane, the Strada, extends about 100 feet, moving from extreme close-ups to heights of about seven stories in a single movement.

The cranes allow filmmakers such as James Cameron to create sweeping shots, like the one of Leonardo DiCaprio holding Kate Winslet, with her arms outstretched, on the bow of the Titanic in the 1997 film of the same name.

It was on the set of “Titanic” where the cranes got their big break.

A one-crane job slated to last several weeks turned into a six-month stint for two cranes on the film, which ranks second on the Internet Movie Database list of all-time highest-grossing movies.

Strada Camera Cranes also provided a platform for camera work on the “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Spider-Man” and “Harry Potter” movies, “Seabiscuit,” “Vertical Limit” and others, according to examples on the company’s website. It’s helped capture competition at five Olympic Games, ESPN’s X Games, NASCAR races and more.

Having the world’s longest camera crane also gives an edge to the Johnsons’ second business, Fluid Images film and video production company. Fluid Images also serves as the lead company, Bob Johnson said, although they run the three businesses separately.

In film and video production work, Fluid Images has created basketball and football commercials for the Pac-10, football promos for Oregon State University, marketing pieces for Pronghorn resort and others.

The economic crisis forced cutbacks at Fluid Images, Bob Johnson said, essentially leaving three employees: he, his son and Creative Director Michael Gough.

“We still use a lot of our old employees, but as subcontractors,” Bob Johnson said.

When Rick Johnson, owner and president, began thinking of new ideas for marketing, he came up with Captive Media Solutions, which provides businesses with video advertising on 12-foot displays, each made up of three high-definition screens.

The first of two displays slated for Redmond Airport has been installed near the baggage claim area, Bob Johnson said, although it is not operating yet. The second will be set up in the boarding area, where passengers wait for their flights.

Fluid Images creates the commercials, taking still images supplied by advertisers, adding in graphics or text and setting it all to music, Bob Johnson said.

One image can stretch across the entire 12 feet, or each screen can display separate content.

For example, a real estate company ad could feature a property for sale on one screen, information about it on another and the company’s contact information on the third screen.

“When you have 50,000 people a month, and they’re seeing these screens,” Bob Johnson said, “what a way to advertise.”

Captive Media Solutions has signed up a number of clients, including Oregon State University-Cascades Campus, The Phoenix and Original Pancake House restaurants and Hayden Homes, he said.

The company has tried to keep the rates low, about $300 a month. The airport also gets a commission, Bob Johnson said.

The displays will also serve as a platform for promoting Central Oregon, he said, such as by showing images of Smith Rock State Park.

“That shot of Smith Rock goes across the entire 12-foot screen,” he said. “Even though they’re butted up together, … it all looks like one shot.”

Bob Johnson and his son hope sales at Captive Media Solutions will help drive some work to Fluid Images, growing their business in Central Oregon.

Bringing such new approaches to their media businesses has helped them carve out a niche, he said.

For example, the camera cranes became the unique filmmaking tool that separated Strada from other companies, and his son continues to make improvements to them.

You can’t sit on your hands,” Bob Johnson said, “or you won’t be around if you do.”

Bob Johnson agreed to answer a few additional questions for The Bulletin.

Q: How did Captive Media Solutions get started?

A: Rick was thinking about a new idea … as far as marketing, in a location where thousands and thousands of people come through every day. Redmond Airport has 50,000 people a month, a good portion of the people are captive there, so we entertain them.

Q: How is it different from other airport displays?

A: Right now, as far as we know, we’re the only company offering three screens butted up together to give you a 12-foot platform. We use a system we invented. Our presentation is very unique … and captivating.

Q: Do you plan to put Captive Media Solutions into other airports?

A: Redmond is the first one. I don’t know if we’re going to do any other ones. There are major players out there right now. They have a (monopoly) in major airports, and you cannot compete with them. So we’ve got to pick and choose the airports. I’m not saying (we won’t be trying to install displays in other airports). For right now, it’s going to be the smaller ones.

Q: Are there other venues for Captive Media Solutions?

A: The platform can be set up in bowling alleys, malls, stadiums. The list goes on and on. It isn’t exclusively designed for airports. It could be used for other types of (venues).

The basics

What: Fluid Images Inc.; Captive Media Solutions and Strada Camera Cranes

Where: 703 N. Larch St., Sisters

Employees: Three

Phone: 541-815-0818

Web site: www.fluid-images.com; www.stradacranes.com; www.captivemediasolutions.com