Mike McGowan SOC

same problem here.

Having read all the posts (including yours, lol) it seems like most people use one vest or the other. There were one or two that used both but they were mostly BM guys that switch to the FM for tight spaces if i read correctly? The logic of switching vests seems sound (I'm a shoe switcher myself) but it appears that everybody just sticks with their main vest. The vest is such an important part of the operating process that once you find something that works for you it might feel counter productive to switch? I know your original question wanted information from frequent vest switchers (a group I don't belong to) but I don't think there are many (any?) of them out there. mm.

On the flip side (pun intended) I've been standing with the director and DP when the director got the brilliant idea to go to low mode (we were on a roof top with an awesome view that would have been lost to the white 4' high wall around the edge). It was a stupid idea and I could tell the DP thought so too. So when the director said, "how long to go to low mode" I replied, "like 10 or 15 minutes" which I knew was too long to make it worth while. We did the shot in regular mode, it looked better and the DP (who I'd worked with before and knew I could flip in just a few minutes) understood that I took one for the team. As for actually giving a time, I try not to. It may actually only take 3 minutes to do the flip but if there's a lens change, a re-load, a filter change and your ac is slow it could add 10 minutes to that time. It isn't 'your fault' it took so long but know body cares. It makes no sense to balance with the wrong lens, et. so you have no choice but to wait until your ac is done. When I'm the first shot of the day on say a 1 day commercial and the first thing they ask is, "how long?" I say, "from the time the ac gives me a completely built camera with lens, mag, mate box and filters, I'll be ready to shoot in 5 minutes. I also remind them that the 5 minute clock doesn't start until I get the camera........ Basically saying your not going to be waiting on me, go bug the ac. Finally, I totally agree with the, "don't cry wolf" concept. Get the shot right and don't ask for second takes. If you do however, don't ask, tell. I like to say, "I need another one, we had some technical problems". No ambiguity in that statement. I also like saying 'some technical problems'. Maybe the ac buzzed the shot, maybe the boom came in, maybe I got flared or maybe my framing sucked, either way, your not going to want to print that take, I've fixed the problem, we need to go again. I personally find I'm better off not selling out the ac, the boom guy, et.

I also suspect you'll get a lot of opinions. I got a 3a vest with my first rig in 1998. The vest was a loaner until my Pro vest was available. I got Pro vest #5. The 3a vest was really uncomfortable and as it was used it wasn't really fit to me. They make the Pro vest with measurements you get at a tailor so it's really custom fit for the operator. In my humble opinion the Pro vest is basically the perfect piece of equipment. My back is literally never sore (which may also have something to do with how much I stretch or my age [34]). I would like to try the back mounted vest but I haven't got around to it, I'm of the, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" ilk. Just a few months ago I got another Pro vest. I just told them to use the same measurements they had on file from my first one. It was like putting on an old baseball mitt. Putting that thing on is like slipping into a warm bath. Love my front mounted Pro vest to death! Asking this question is probably like asking, "what makes a woman attractive?".

you can sometimes get away with, "flip it in post" but not always. also remember you need to flip it both horizontally and vertically. some camera men and or directors are cool with that but some aren't. another simple fix is to go to the hardware store and by 2 "u bolts" (the metal U with a nut on each end) and a piece of metal strapping (i think its a plumbing part but it's like a 6 or 8 inch long, 1 inch wide piece of metal with several holes in it). just 'u bolt' the strapping to the top handle and screw your plate into the strapping. everybody has their own method of setting up low mode but i like to flip the camera over but keep the rig upright in the stand. get it balanced just like you would if the camera were right side up and then shorten your post until the drop goes from 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, -1, -2, -3, et and tweak the left to right and your good to go. mm.

LOL!!! That's great! I love it the "Hairy Jake Gyllenhaal" line. That video is right up there with "Dick in a box". mm.

I used the D20 for the first time today and I thought I would throw in my 2 cents. I wasn't really pleased with the camera on several levels. First, the hard wire. No flash mages so we ran a wire. Hard wired it seems I have 2 options, one is to give myself enough slack between the back of the camera and my vest that I can pan, tilt and boom as much as I want. The problem with that is the weight of the cable throws off the balance of the rig. No big deal you might say but if your doing a precision move on a longer lenses every little thing matters. If I go short between the back of the camera and my vest I have less problem with weight but I constantly end up compromising the shot to avoid the 'jerk'. Basically, I hate cable and do everything in my power to avoid using one, a steadicam is just (in my humble opinion) not designed to be leashed. That being said, I never once complained about the cable and did my best to make nice shots. The other option would be the flash mag which brings me to my next objection to the camera, weight. I must be a sissy boy but that thing is a frickin pig (and that's with no flash mag). I've used a genesis, a 535 and plenty of heavy stuff on my rig but I just cant understand why were making cameras heavier instead of lighter??? I'm a decent sized guy (5'11" 170 lbs) and heck I can do a one legged squat with a 435 on my rig (try it some time, it's not that easy) but I just think the weight is ridiculous, I can only imagine what it's like with the flash mag :blink: Next is heat. Did they put some lava in each camera?!? That bad boy was hot on a whole new level. I was operating it in studio mode on a dolly and gave myself a nice burn when my right ear bumped the side of the camera. It was hot out and I know camera stuff gets hot when its in the sun but the heat seemed to be coming from the inside. It seems like the 12 miles of heat coils they put on the thing would do a better job (and we had 2 cameras both had the same issue). I will give the thing credit for optics. Real optics in a video camera rox the house! Having to roll the camera to see is kind of wacky but not that big of a deal. I did nearly have a few heart attacks when I looked through the eyepiece in the middle of hour long lighting setups and saw the shutter speeding buy. As video cameras go I guess it is an improvement in several ways over the other video options but I still couldn't stop thinking, "couldn't this have all been done for less money, with less time with an arricam lt?". And yes, I know I sound like one of those 'anti video' types but that's just me spewing....... Next time I get a call to do a job with the D20, I'll be sure to tell the camera man, "yea, Ive worked with it before, its a great system, happy to use it again! :rolleyes: ". mm.

It seems like were talking about 2 different things, resume lines and demo reels. The resume is about getting the job but it's also a reflection of your overall body of work. To list a credit that is misleading as to your actual position on the show in effect miss represents your overall body of work. I'm just saying that you do yourself a disservice by trying to 'boost' your resume. Also it's totally possible to sit down for a job interview some day and have the camera man read, 'steadicam operator' on whatever movie it is and say, "Oh, I liked that movie, I know (so and so the DP). I don't remember much steadicam in that movie, what shots did you do?". It sounds far fetched but this is a small business and you would be amazed at the 'coincidences' that occur. As for second unit DP vs first unit DPs, the camera man is responsible for the overall look of the show. If you were the first unit director of photography, your name is credited as such. There would also usually be a credit for the second unit, underwater unit, areal unit, et. director of photography and each person is entitled to list that job on their resume. The first unit camera man has every right to list his name as the director of photography on a show even if half of the movie was car chases that he didn't shoot. He also has every right to put a cut scene on his reel that includes footage from another camera man's unit. The only thing that would be 'crossing the line' in that respect would be to include specific shots on his reel that were done by another camera man. And take all that with a grain of salt as it's just my 2 cents. mm.

I'll rank them in my prefered order: Arri Cam Lt. MovieCam Sl. Panavision Millennium Xl or Xl2 Panaflex Lightweight Moviecam Compact (though the video tap usually sucks). Arri Cam studio Anything but the 535 the 535

Stretch fit water wicking type shirts are great (a product that actually does what it's supposed to) and a bunch of cheep towels. Cheep because they will get stolen all day long by wardrobe, production and other towel thief's on set.

I've owned 2 Preston's and used every make and model of focus pulling gear out there. I've used the Scorpion, the Arri focus, the Preston, the Seitz, the Bartech and I've even put a studio follow focus on my rig and had the AC 'lightly' pull as we ran around the room. The point is a good AC (heck even a decent AC) 'should' be able to do their job with whatever tool's you give them. Great movies and great steadicam shots have been done with far less super duper equipment than we have available today. A Bartech is a great and cost effective piece of focus pulling equipment. The reality is this, the AC can and will directly effect how much you work. I would guess that at least 10% of the work I get is from referral of Ac's. At least a few of those guys have said outright that they always suggest me because they like working with my equipment. A steadicam operator has if not the hardest, certainly one of the hardest jobs on the set. Any little thing you can do to make your job easier is worth it. If you can find a way to afford a Preston, buy one. I doubt you can find many people that were unhappy with the decision to buy a Preston. Finally, I've never really looked at my equipment as a big money making investment. It's an investment in my career by giving me the tools I need to do the job and get hired again. Also, if you were to buy a Preston and for some reason not like it, you could defiantly sell it in probably a day for almost what you paid for it. In fact, if you happened to own a a new Preston (for which the lead time is about 6 months) you could probably sell it for more than Preston does! mm.

It used to drive me crazy when somebody would have a credit for something they didn't do or only did as a day player. I always try and put the exact job I did. For example, if i did 3 days of steadicam while a show was on location but somebody else did the bulk of the show as the steadicam operator, my resume line would say, "Additional Steadicam Operator". People so regularly disregard this rule that I've pretty much stopped caring but we should still make an effort to do it correctly. IMDB on the other hand consistently either gives me credit for something I didn't do, gives me a different credit for something I did (ie, operator instead of steadicam operator, et.) or gives somebody else credit for something I did. Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to get IMDB corrected or get it 100% right. To answer the topic starter's question, it sounds like your resume line for that job should say, "Additional Camera Operator". For what it's worth, I don't think it's a bad idea to have some stuff on your resume that just says, "Operator". I've been asked, "...do you also operate a camera when it's not on a steadicam?". Though I never actually answered this way, I'd love to say, "no, absolutely not, I have not clue one about framing a camera when its not floating in front of me and that pan handle and those wheels... forget about it, wayyyy too tricky!" mm.