Peter Abraham

A quick primer on Showscan may be useful in this discussion. Best to all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

Good evening all, I'm trying to score a lightweight onboard HDSDI recorder. Either powered by 4 pin xlr, smaller sized 3 pin Lemo ( akin to the one used typically to power a ff unit up top ) or by its own battery. Needs to record full broadcast quality 780p. Not sure audio is an issue, but audio inputs couldn't hurt. Need to get ahold of it by the evening of the 9th, using it the 10th, can return it on the 11th. Any New York based Ops able to help a bruthah out? Please email or call me. Many thanks in advance, Peter Abraham, S.O.C. peter@steadicamproductionservices.com 917-453-1219

Please tell me us were not serious.

Love this !!! Was hoping it was the dreaded Big Blue box charger. Oh, the angst that thing produced.............

I bought a few at the Tiffen Yard Sale a few years ago. They were untouched, still in the paper wrapper from the anodizer. A few of the half-shells ( two halves and threaded plates made a battery housing ). They make awesome pencil holders for the desk and for anyone who lived and died on set by the considerable variables involved in using a high-speed Charger with NiCAD battery packs ( especially in the extreme cold... ), these are a source of fond memories. If I could figure out what to do with them in terms of storage of current bits and pieces, I'd use them. Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

Please see the thread entitled "CP Wedge Clamp " for the cause and superb solution, originally crafted by Cinema Products. Best to all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

There were two of these clamps made. I had them for a while. Custom run by C.P. I got them in autumn of 1996 to use with my MS Elite. The stages of the Master Series and Ultra 1 sleds vibrated, especially with longer camera setups. I used a standard ENG Broadcast camera coupled with the old Listec Shoebox prompter on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Quite a long kit. the two clamps ( spreaders, really ) made all of the difference. Searching these forums will reveal threads about this issue. Considering the number of those sleds out there, a production run of these would be well worth it. ( adored that sled..... Great unit. ) The anodizing, as it turns out, is important in terms of little to no slippage once the clamps are in place. Forget the cost- they have to be used two at a time for best stage tension and maintenance of a flat stage surface. Charles: there can be a bit of play in those stages as well, but for different reasons. Check the set screws that maintain pressure on the underside of the side to side dovetail. Over time ( especially with a lot of Lowmode work ) some of those set screws can back out a tiny bit. This might cause vibration. A careful setting of all of me ( 5 or 6 across I believe ) will help with this. Also, check the four machine screws holding the stage to the end plug on the centerpost. Best to all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

Quit the hijacking. This fellow had real questions. Justin, welcome to the Forum and to a great supportive worldwide community. There are some real positives to finding a Universal Model III system. There are also some somewhat costly issues to consider. In no particular order: * A comfortable vest. * If the IIIA Arm is in great shape, they are respected and strong arms. * If the Gimbal spins flat and the bearings are in good shape, you're in luck. Any well-used gimbal that old may have some issues- or may be splendid. Must have it flown to find out. The heart of a system is the gimbal and arm. * Regard the entire sled from top to bottom as a Project. The X/Y stage is fine. The J Box will be tossed out, since you will want to have all wiring and electronics removed. What you would be left with is a nice solid vibration-free sled shell. Replace the plastic doors with flat plastic or aluminum panels- it makes your sled narrower by about 1". ( Priceless) * Into that bottom sled area can go many very key items. Recorders, transmitters, horizon sensors and so on. Get the best monitor you can afford, one that services your needs outside in the sunlight. Have the whole thing wired with at LEAST 4 HDSDI wires, and plenty of power cables of good gauge. Mount 3-4 battery mounts on the bottom. You'd have a solid rig with tons of power and flexibility. Not everyone can claim a rig that can balance a very light DSLR with light cage, and also balance a large behemoth. Good luck ! Let us know if you get ahold of it and what you do with it. Best to all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

Hi Diego, your email isn't listed in your profile. Hopefully the photos I shared will do the trick. Any questions at all, feel free to post them in here to email me directly at: peter@steadicamproductionservices.com Best, Peter

James, I regret to inform you that you've used this device on 2 of the 3 "Prohibited" shows. If you, by any chance, use it to record a performance by Mylie Cyrus, you'll be obliged to return the Tally Light Kit. No refunds. :P Glad you're enjoying it. A tip of the hat to our most esteemed colleague Adam Keith in New York City. He is the one who requested that I make them with dual light leads. Best to all, Peter

Good evening, Here are three views of the Zalex™ Tally Light. The first image shows the Talent-facing light. The second shows the Operator-facing light. The third shows the controller box, which gets taped or mounted with Velcro at the back end of a camera body, behind the handle. These units are self-powered, and the battery will light up the unit with both lights running for 8-10 months of average use. Best, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

Hi All, Will shoot a few photos tomorrow on set. Hope to post them by 6pm EST tomorrow. Best, Peter

Good afternoon, The new production run of Zalex™ Tally Lights is in. These are now in use from South Africa to Texas, from California to Scotland. Useful with all stabilizer systems. Can be used with a spare down-the-post wire, or externally wired. Provides a tally for talent as well as for the Operator. Self-powered unit, does not draw from the sled or take up a priceless power jack/ P-Tap port. The kit is priced at $ 175.00 USD. Free Priority Mail USPS shipping within the lower 48 United States. Overseas shipping costs added in, without any mark-up. PayPal payment only. Contact me here or directly by email to order one. Best to one and all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

Goodness, who shot it ?

Indeed. I used some metal foil labels made by Seton. Superb, mad sticky, etc. Most of my stuff has a sticker on it. Not camera lockdown screws. As Ted Churchill famously said in the Steadicam Operators' Manual of Style, " Be extra cautious of assistants who have foam cutouts in Haliburton cases for such items as pliers, screwdrivers and c-clamps. This level of concern for the virtually indestructible indicates a potential for the mix up of priorities. ". ( © 1980 Ted Churchill ) When the rig's built for the gig, it's not such a bad idea to lock down the cases. Since they all use a common key, in the unlikely event we need to dig in, it's a few seconds to get into a case. But then again, for 27 years my M.O. has been to build the rig, load the jump bag with spare batts, cables, ff and motors and relevant bracketry and pack the rest back into the car. This habit comes from doing almost all narrative work on location. Your mileage may vary. :)

Only once did I come up to my gear and find someone coming through my cases. Specifically my accessory kit. This was inside the studio in New York. Nothing was stolen. Had a conversation with the production manager. The guy was removed. Now all of my cases have padlocks.

Thanks Elliot, that explains why I am having problems with this. I'm probably only around 5lbs but I have extended the post to help with stability. Hi Herman, Send me a PM, I will be glad to help you out more with this. Best Peter

If I may wade in here. Jerry's descriptive phrase, which I freely admit I've stolen to use when I teach, is that the pinkie ( or other fingers as needed ) are "preventers". We live and die by Newton's Three Laws of Motion- and most notably his First Law: " I. Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. " Pretty useful to think about. Whether it's a Pilot or Ultra 2 or any other larger or smaller stabilizer, these rules apply- and it's always a bit pleasing to find out just how similar the feedback is that my fingertips get regardless of sled and camera size. If I love a 3 second drop time, then the pendular effect felt by my fingertips and countered by my pinkie is the same regardless of rig and camera. Or to be more specific for those feeling an urge to be pedantic, my perception is that the force is the same on my fingertips. It may be slightly greater with a large sled and heavy camera. But here's where I want to directly address what the OP'er of this thread said: We do not stop the pendular effect produced when you start moving by pushing back against the post with the same force. That indeed would make the centerpost sway in the OTHER direction, producing displeasing results. Instead, learn to find the 180º spot around the post from the direction the middle of the lens is pointed. Using whatever finger makes sense ( usually a lower finger on the post ), prevent the post from swinging when you initiate motion by starting to walk. If you think about your finger placement on the post relative to the lens, you'll realize that shooting Don Juan opposed to Missionary opposed to shooting 90º to the direction you are walking will result in different fingers being used. This is articulated fully in the book that Jerry and Laurie wrote. But fair to say- one does NOT push back hard by way of stopping a certain pendular motion- that would create an opposite swing. Instead, we stop the pendular motion with a fingertip without overcompensating. This takes a lot of practice. Don't be frustrated if you under-do it or over-do it for a while. It's one of the complex but core skills required. Hope this helps ! Best to all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

I've got 27 years in as a Steadicam Operator. I've also taught over 1,300 Steadicam Operators worldwide. Those of you who trained under me know for a fact that " be an abusive bullying jerk " to the community and to each other is about as far from what I believe as is possible. The thread referenced in here that Garrett started has been deleted. Russian Revisionist History is really not what allows our community to thrive. I personally feel that it should be re-inserted into the timeline intact. Dave started a thread recently along these lines and now Brooks has been good enough to share his well-articulated thoughts. Enough. Nobody is better than anyone else here when it comes to humanity. Nobody gets to muzzle another - and the Moderators have done a superb job of Moderating without muzzling except in the most extreme situations. I encourage them to continue in this vein. With a member- any member- whose posts are continuously reported and whose abusive comportment is detrimental to the positive supportive tone that we know the worldwide Steadicam community wants to be, that member should face a clearly articulated series of disciplines, including eventually a permanent ban. I'm a member of a few other message boards, one of which is titanic in terms of volume of posts and active members compared to ours here. I've never seen a board that didn't have written rules that were applied evenly to the community. And when needed, with finality. For those of you reading this thread- and others on this topic- who are relatively new to Steadicam and are wondering of this is the way things are, allow me a moment. We are members of a community worldwide. We support each other, even as we compete in a respectful and honest manner for the same jobs in the same markets. I've loaned gear to strangers, I've borrowed gear from titans well above my experience level ( back in the day ), I've loaned gear in an emergency to someone who was on a job I lost out to them. That kind of behavior does not make us weak. It makes us strong. It shows respect, support and professionalism. This mind-set extends beyond gear. It is what those of us with quite a few years in have always found in this forum- and wish to continue to find. ( This applies to the AOL Message Board that pre-dates this Steadicam Forum as well. ) Everyone can do their part to maintain respect, professionalism and common courtesy. And yeah, this has for many years been a very fun place. As I wrote a month or two ago on the Facebook Steadicam Group, Nobody likes a bully. Best to all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

I love how we all have our own take on this kind of issue. I personally am a big fan of liquid electrical tape for certain situations. I use it when assembling the Zalex™ Tally Light Systems I sell. The trick seems to be to NOT go too thin. A very thin schmear cannot be removed easily. On the other hand, with a bit of practice, I can now apply a layer not too thin, but not very goopy. It sets well and does the job- and can be sliced away with an X-Acto knife and a needle nosed pliers. Using a very small cheap watercolor brush is useful. Using the big thick brush attached inside of the lid gives no finesse or control to the application at all. I don't always use it as a replacement for real shrink tubing, but it surely has its place. My two cents ! Best to all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

I'm the only person on my crew wearing show blacks. Nobody else is in danger of being seen but me. Head to toe, all black. I leave the rig undecorated. Since I don't wear the t shirts given to us by production with the show logo on it, I made small black ones and affixed them to the upper front and back pivots of my Exovest. They're subtle, hard to see but both the star of the show and audience can see them up close. Otherwise, nothing. For many years I flew my Model I vest regardless of what other arm or sled I had. The evening that my first rig- the Model I # 22 ( Old Smokey ) arrived, my now-Ex and I went out for a celebratory Chinese food dinner. I took the fortune from that meal and taped it to the back of the vest. Amusing and prescient, it read: There Is Yet Time Enough To Chose A Different Path.

First of all, it's a very clever bit you've come up with. Your post gave me a big smile, though. AbraCam was the nickname given to a Pedestal Camera I worked for quite a few years. It is NOT a word I use for business, and wish you a ton of luck with it. Best, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

This is a bit of a thread hijack, I'll PM you Martin. Got some lovely solution to exactly this problem. Peter

It's very funny you mention this. I carry a plastic pouch in my pocket with acid pump inhibitors ( Prilosec stuff, essentially ) and Alleve. Alleve is a small oval blue pill. A few months ago I dumped out all of the crap in my pocket searching for change. There was a gal of about 20, and an older fellow behind the counter. The older fellow caught a glimpse of a mess of blue tablets and said knowingly, " All ready for a big afternoon, huh? ". The girl turned a lovely crimson. I took my stuff and split. Didn't want to get into the whys and wherefores of my blue tablets with a stranger. While it's true that Ron's hadrons collide, most notably while executing running shots, we're ever so fond of him and so overlook these small flaws. Small gadget? The cup holder I've fashioned from Home Depot PVC and a long steel hose clamp. It holds my large insulated coffee cup mit der sealed lid undt der drinkingk straw. I detest asking an assistant to get me my drink and like having it placed on the stand, away from the dock fork and the centerpost. Seems a small thing, but my personal hydration is my job, not my assistants' / utilities'. And yea, it looked like crap till I sheathed it in BlackTack. Now it looks quite boss. Best to all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

I hate being guided. I love Don Juan. So, it rarely is an issue. Running down stairs? Yeah. Hold on somewhere. Now that I'm living in the most amazing Exovest, a grip has PLENTY of real estate to grab- the set of back rods. Get very very good at Don Juan. ( Sorry Charles :D ). Get very very good at switching especially at speed. Even if I'm with a very seasoned grip/ spotter/ assistant etc, in my mind the idea that another person who is not operating the frame and is not adjusting moment to moment and step by step as I am could be one footstep away from tripping me up inadvertently makes spotters a rarity in my work life. Your mileage may vary. If I suddenly change speed because the actor did so that I can maintain exactly the same frame and actor size in the frame, my spotter won't know it. Until I trod upon his instep. Worrisome........ Having said all of this, I must publicly thank Adam Keith for holding on to the back of my vest for dear life when I did a switch while quickly moving down stairs on the last Election Night coverage at ABC. He Operated, I spotted him. I operated, he spotted me. Heck of a night. HIM I trusted, and even at that, I rarely wanted him holding on. Best to all, Peter Abraham, S.O.C.