Rob Vuona SOC

Themis, It sounds like your tenacity is enough that giving up on your rig isn't part of the equation and it shouldn't be. Although I have never flown one of those rigs but by looking at the pictures of it I can see that the light weight would make any movements difficult. But you have only been practicing for a couple of months . . . .give yourself a break . . . .! Keep practicing and take small steps in linking shots together, by this I mean don't try to do a walk down the hallway and up the stairs all in one shot put it together in pieces and make all the little pieces great, the entire shot will come in time. The great news is once you have gotten this super light weight rig down to a science and you graduate to a Flyer or something bigger your skills will make your next rig sing! Don't give up, save your pennies and keep up the tenacity . . . . Fly safe and take baby steps

Yo . . .I have two, make me an offer and get them out of my garage, my wife will thank you! Robvski@aol.com 310-993-0667

I have to chime in here. I took 3 weeks off to go to Colombia and Ecuador and meet fellow Steadicam op Mathieu Mouraud. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to connect in person but it was a great time regardless. I figured what with the holidays and the strike, I may as well spend the money I'm not making. Dan Cotopaxi didn't look like that when I was there, nice pict Dan, Bravo for taking time to smell the roses ! Ya . . .i agree it's only money we don't have . . .LOL . . . No one ever said on there death bed, Damm i wish I worked more . . . All the best !

There's a strike ???? . . . . . . when work gets slow there's only one thing to do . . . . . . time to go skiing . . . . . I just got back from two weeks in Telluride CO. and two weeks in Big Sky, MT. and snow has never been so deep. I'm planning another week in Canada up with Mike Weigle Heli skiing, maybe in Feb. if any of you skiiers or borders want to come along I'll have info soon. Strike . . . what strike . . . .keep the steadicam legs in shape and go breath some fresh mountain air! All the best to you guys that are getting hit the hardest from this strike, hopefully it will all be over soon. Happy New Year to all !

Erik and I don't like the rig wobbling around like a kite, but to each his own... ;) Very strong Ant . . . very strong \ . . .

[quote name Anyways with your mini BNC setup are you geting full HD signal with prompter and return feeds? Yup . . . . .all of the above!

--------------- Hey Jamie, Give Robert Luna a call, he's got the Luna Arm that he's built and it's pretty awesome 10-70 lbs silver titanium springs Home: 818-621-5763 Mobile: 323-938-5659 Good Luck

I hate to admit it cause I trained Anthony...but this under the arm sytem is great. I guess Grasshoppa has taken the pebble from my hand.......:) ---------------------------- Erik, You pink leopard skin wearing, undar arm triax slinging steadicam op . . . .LOL . . . He may have taken the pebble from your hand, but what a big pebble it is . . . . Why are you flying Mini triax? Have you not taught him about Triax to BNC adapters Trico adapter to BNC super mini will do the trick. My Triax cable via my trico adapter is smaller than kite string.

----------------- I ran a separate wire down my EFP post. for HD, it is the same wire that Tiffen is using for the HD signal on the Ultra. Maybe it has something to do with the shield. I think Eric addressed this once, any of you guru techno weenies out there have a compitent explanation why this cable works and a regular 73 ohm BNC cable doesn't By techno weenies, I mean that in the nicest way possible . . .LOL . . . . .hehehehe

Hey all, I just wanted to say HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone, I feel as if I know all of you because of how often I check in and read all of your comments, although some of you I know all too well . . . .LOL . . . .and for those of you of whom I speak, don't enjoy the holidays THAT much, your wives will kill you ! Thanks to the team, Tim, Alec, Eric and Erwin who keep this forum up and running. The best to all of you! Fly Safe and may all your wishes come true!

---------- Armando, Three things to make life better on the sidelines 1) Comfortable Soccer Cleats 2) Rain Gear for you and the rig 3) RF transmitter, Link system is the best for SD or HD, as Stephen said cabled will definitely limit you Good luck, pray for blue skies

Stephen, one more question, if this company that you had this horrible experience with calls again, will you go do the gig? If so, are you asking for $ up front ? and will there be a written agreement before the shoot? May all future gigs be excellent and make you happy !

Brian, I agree, thats a big NO on the "Split Day" thing, but what's up with your straight time for the first ten hours. I'm assuming your invoicing for your time and therefore your not on payroll. Payroll works on 8 hrs and therefore should be billed as such and overtime starts after 8 and double time after 12. Furthormore, we add an extra 20% on to the hourly if the gig is non union to make up for the loss of benefits on that show. Thats how it works in my circles anyway. Sorry to sound like a lecture, it's not I just wanted to put my 2 cents in so that we may all stay on the same page. Also, Sorry to get off of the original subject Congrads Stephen on getting all of your invoice $ Is this a company we should be on the lookout for on future shoots?

--------- Hey Charles , Ya, I also agree with you If I'm unsure about gear or something new, I'll will also take the extra time on my dime along with the pre prep time that the PM has given me to make sure I don't look like an ass holding up production. That being said, when there is circumstances that hold me up that are out of my control (ie: I'm on location early to build the rig and the production truck has the camera's locked and I'm standing around waiting for the camera's to be released, and the EIC has an 1/2 to an hour call after me just chaps me because now I'm the ass for not being ready and the PM didn't get the memo to make the camera's available early) ETC . . .anyway Prep = 8 hrs all in agreement?

I agree with Eric, Don't be that guy, and as for Ron, I have to party with you one of these days or maybe just hang out on a prep day because that sounds like a party anyway . . . .LOL . . . Dan, if they don't give you a prep day, then always get an extra hour or two before the call time and if things don't get ready in time to shoot acording to the schedual then it becomes the PM's fault for not giving you a prep day that you requested in the first place. Once in awhile it's ok to let them hang themselves with the lack of pre production. Then once it all gets worked out by the end of the day you have gotten your 4 hr's of overtime and you have your full day anyway . . .

--------------- This kind of thing hasn't happened to me in quite awhile but never the less it has happened and while they think they shouldn't pay you for your time there and weather or not you hadn't negotiated the rate. Time is time and all things are workable. In my experience kill them with kindness then if all is not good torture them with legal. Sounds like you saved the day, did them a favor and your repayment wasn't returned. I'm sure there are details that all of us are not aware of but stick to your guns and hammer them to pay. In one circumstance that this happened to me I showed up to the production companies office before the EP of the show arrived to work and waited in his office and made sure I left with a check in hand. There was kindness first then anger second then payment third. Needless to say not one person that I knew in production ever worked for that company again without getting all of thier money up front plus 20% added on because of the reputation I made sure to pass on regarding their payment history and practices. Good Luck and stand strong on your values

----------- Hey there Dan, In my book if my rig is anywhere other than in my garage it's being paid for and so am I. Charge away Dano Time is money. you can never get that time back

Yo Dan, Prep day rate . . . .wow . . .But wait I'm confused, are you talking about a prep. day on location or off location.? If it's on location, then it's full rental and full operator rate if it's off location (at home) then nope your on your own. If my rig is there then it's getting paid for being there and so am I. Travel days are full rental and full op rate on anything traveled over 4 hr's Under 4 hr's and I'll give them a half day rental Hope that helps or maybe I just answered the wrong question

Yo Ant, Cool camera, bad photographer . . .LOL . . . That thing looks alot lighter than the one I used back in 96, dual camera's on top of the rig

---------- Hey Brant, I wasn't speaking of the 8.4" but of the 6.5" sorry for the confusion. Mike over at Boland told me it just wasn't financially viable to get 6.5" LCD screens cut and that I shouldn't hold my breath for the 6.5". Maybe in the future Rob "Also on the monitor quest" Vuona

------------------ Ummmm, it's black . . . .LOL . . . It looks just like the typical collars you would put on the masters or pro they just don't fit over the EFP so I had to have one made . . . still should have used the tape . . . I'm in Telluride skiing for two weeks, but when I get home I can send over a pict.

----------- Carbon Fiber print is cool, but I would go with flames and skulls . . .you can never go wrong with flames and skulls . . . .

------------- The bike tape thing that Robert talked about is definitely a way good idea and the most affordable, but being mr. smart guy that I am machined an aluminum knurled collar to fit over my EFP . . . .Daaa, should have done the tape way more affordable, but mine looks cooler Robert . . .LOL . . . . Tape away Anthony . . . .

------------ HUH ? . . . . . Armando . . you shouldn't drink and type? . . . .LOL . . . .

---------------------------- Stephan and Luke, I have no idea about this rig, but with everything there's always going to be knockoffs, I believe I remember reading about others on the forum as well. First impressions regarding this rig, from what I can see in the pictures is it looks "rickety" for lack of a better word. I guess if you treat it really well and keep it away from the elements it won't rust away on you. The biggest thing I see among a others is that there is no lower monitor which means your not watching where you are walking, peripherally that is. The biggest plus is . . . . .If you can fly this and get good results, then once you get a real steadicam operating will be a dream. Oh and Luke, every good shooter should be an editor and every good editor should be a shooter. But not all are! Keep us posted on the adventures of the Glidecam 6000