Alfeo Dixon SOC

Actually, I think it's more on the lines that people tell the houses that they are only shooting for one day and get away with only being billed for one day, even though they shoot two or three days. Can't do the 4 days for 1.

HOLY SHITAKE!!! I was on this site the other day and just breezed past the image looking for something else and even admired the simplicity of the hand unit, but didn't recognize it was on an iPhone. I wouldn't want to trust it to a touch screen that is capable of loosing the shot cause grandma wants to know when your gonna spot in and see your aunt.

Organization that negotiates with the producers collectively outside of IA, is the only LEGAL route to establish hard numbers that would hold water. Because this is an area that is open for one on one negotiations, where being a rental house or a owner/operator. If an organization could get to the barging table with the producers and draft a legal contract, then we can have our rates established. But I doubt that would be a quick nor cheap road to go down. Hell, maybe I should take my steadicam in stand it on the producers desk with it's ratecard visible... atleast my rig won't give it like I usually do... David, I assume you meant the Steadicam Guild will not be able to...

Hey Dan, $300/day is the going rate. I can do that less 20% as a cross rental or the same I would do for a rental house. I'm working with mine on the 11th, so if you can receive it on the 12th via overnight first available deliver, then I would be happy to oblige your request from Atlanta. Mine comes with a few extras. What kind of rig and camera will you be flying? -Alfeo

Heard it was illegal to organize without being an official organization to establish rates... something called Colluding or Conspiring. Now, if the Steadicam Guild OR the Steadicam Operators Association did such a thing, we could organize and put forth a tiered scale for gear minimums. But I think it needs to be done is such a way using the Robert's Rules of Order. Seeing that nearly all serious operators are members, then SOA or SG can become a part of the bargaining table with the Producers Association. After all, our rates and jobs are negotiated by the International and 600. Kits could be a separate agreement. But to go that far we would have to be ready to not work at all with a steadicam if it came down to it to get far rates established. Are we still one for all?!? -Alfeo

Welcome to the days of reading specs... Happy 40! Just be glad your not loosing more at this age...

Bryan, Make sure that you also have your RF devices cleared with the bomb squad! If they are setting off devices remotely, you do not want to have anything that will bleed over to their signal. Back on topic. The way I was explained when working in locations and dealing with legal departments, is that the hold harmless protects the the company or individual asking for the agreement from being directly sued. If a party had a claim, they would have to sue the insurance company associated with that company. Lets back up a second, did they ask you to work as an independent contractor or did you fill out start paper work to become an employee? If contractor, then you can be held liable and exposed to being sued for even standing on set (I kid not, woman driving by see's armed alien man with advanced weapon attached and hits another...it could happen). If employee (which we are and will be if seen be a court) then the company hiring you is responsible for everything you do for them. The independent contractor bit is tricky and you need to make sure that you have all your proper coverages and first and foremost a workers comp policy. If you do not have a workers comp policy, then they legally could not hire you as an independent contractor, but how the heck has the time or money for those long legal battles it something did happen. -Alfeo "Not a lawyer, nor legal advisor... but wish I DID play one on TV!"

i think this forum just made an official watch list!!!

I guess that explained my uncontrollable salivating over the Tiffen/Steadicam OLED monitor at NAB...

In terms of the 1st & 2nd Gen iPhones, you will only loose visual voicemail. Not sure on what will work with the 3G nor 3Gs. It's very easy these days... I've been jailbreaking mine since the 1st Gen and that was when it required a bit more finesse. T-Mobile has a "unsupported device" tier 3 tech support team that will help you with settings for the network also. Biggest thing is having to pay full price or more for the device it's self. Now Apple won't even sell you an iPhone without a contract, even at full price. But if you have a good friend on AT&T that wouldn't mind saying they lost their's and replace it with a 2year re-up, then your golden. Not sure about the following: Navigation (Maps works great on my 16G 2nd Gen btw) MMS (just recently activated by AT&T) But do your research here: http://modmyi.com/ this is the site that made it all happen for me. -Alfeo "Leaving T-Mobile because of Starbucks Wifi"

Mine is a once piece which is two layers glued very well. what did you find as a results... more fatigue in the shoulders or just general discomfort? Peter warned me about the neoprene. -Alfeo

I looked at my son's soccer shin guards yesterday, and they are too thin but seem to be the same material. I think the ones in the vest are about two inches, I would like to try about 1"~1.25" -Alfeo

Rob, nice job to you chaps. Ok. So what about the live portion, IDX or microwave? I did see the cables running down the railing of the stairs on one shot. It was a pretty seamless effort, atleast on a first looksy. -Alfeo "The Enlightened One"

Chatted today with Peter Abraham about the U2 vest and he mentioned a few of you guys had modded your vest by using thinner pads. That's the only thing I'm not particular about is the thickness. Sometimes I feel like I'm on the boom squad. I would like to explore the options of materials. Has anyone had such luck on the perfect bed to lay down it? -Alfeo

I was a bit taken when I saw the Taylor Swift LIVE performance while on the subway. Does anyone know the setup of the wireless system used while on the train? -Alfeo

LOL!!!! Careful, that stuff will give you a mean exfoliating scrub...

Like Peter said, put batteries in parallel also to avoid rebooting when you have a battery change. This will help you stay on top of your game and not having to stand around while windows boots up. Instructions here: http://www.steadicam.com/images/content/U2_Batteries.pdf One other thing to remember is that IF you do the parallel method, you are eating two batts at the same time and you will require two more batts during a battery change. So even though your power supply should last twice as long, your using up your bricks x2. -Alfeo "Hot Swapper" Dixon

Brian, In QuickBooks Pro, I subtotal (if multiple lines for rentals gear) and then use the "Rate Disc" off the full rate. This then keeps track for taxes as 'returns and allowances' for tax deductions After seeing Amando's method, I'm looking into itemizing out the kit and applying a 'Kit Rate Disc' so they can see the ala cart prices too. -Alfeo

That would be a great thing for the Sony guys to fix. Roll and Stop from the Preston wins me over -Alfeo "It's the simple things" Dixon

What Primes?

Is someone becoming a convert? I myself did a 180 on this thing... I'm like the Doubting Thomas of the olden days, coming to shine the light on all who will listen... That may have been Paul... It's been a LONG time since I've read up on all that... I hate to admit it also... if I hadn't had to deal with the whole tricking the settings before the manual firmware update, I would be all wahoo too. It is one hell of a no/low budget tool. Now, I just hope your focus puller has balls of steals on the wheel! -Alfeo

Thanks Aaron, I just hope the story hold together. It was the 5D and it was our A & B cameras. The following thread has the steadicam config... I took a flyer instead of my big rig. http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?showtopic=9831 The biggest change was when the manual settings became available near the end of my shoot... THANK GOD!!!! We had to rest the freaking camera after each roll. This was done by covering the lens to force the ISO up to 3200 and then it would drop the f-stop to a 2.8 and the frame rate would start to drop then. You could lock in the exposure at that point. Remove your light blocking object (hand, grip, eyebrow) and relock the exposure on the scene. This would sometime be dead on or close to my desired metered exposure. The click wheel on the camera allowed a ±2 Stop range in your preferenced steps of 1/3 or 1/4's (if I recall correctly.) Again, this had to be done each time you rolled, false start or actual take... very aggravating. So the firmware fixed that problem, but I'm sure I lost a few hours in the schedule because of that. I'll see if I can find a good studio config shot. The studio rig we used was the Red Rock DLSR ( http://www.redrockmicro.com/redrock_dslr.html ) which I moded by cutting the two top rails in half and used the other halves on the side, but If you do try that, make sure you can easily change both the cards and the battery with all your lens options. Yeah, we had a few two minute battery changes. -Alfeo

Xiao, If you haven't come up with someone when you get closer to your date, Peter Abraham with Tiffen will be conducting a NY workshop and I'm sure you can pull in a newbe from there. Or even take the workshop, it will only help your skills to understand the best way to move, light and build a steadicam shot. http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?sh...c=10058&hl= Best of luck -Alfeo [that Amis crack was a good one...]

Nelson, Thanks and of course I remember... we couldn't pry you away from the Ultra right? I saw your gonna try and make it to the Georgia workshop in December, look forward to seeing you there. -Alfeo

Did I miss something? what are the DM-1X motors???