Alfeo Dixon SOC

Hey Marc, How was sloppy seconds on #0043??? :P -Alfeo

Alot of good key grips will have lots of toys to make life just easy... but typically the hard mount falls upon the steadicam operators inventory. -Alfeo

Got my attention! Very interested if that would happen. -Alfeo "I'd upgrade" Dixon

Do you have a particular camera that you will be using at least 50% of the time? If so then maybe you can get a handle bracket just for that camera. My preference would be the VGF heavy duty handles: http://www.vfgadgets.com/handles.htm -Alfeo

A lot of the larger camera houses may have a handle/bracket for the video cameras. Almost all of them have a bracket for the film cameras. A lot of operators own their own brackets for different bodies that they may use. Or have the guts to tell the producer and the director that they can flip it in post... but be warned they just might not like that answer and not invite you back again. But flipping the rig is a common practice and a lot of them are savy about just flipping the rig because it saves about 5 more minutes. Infact my last job I was asked to go into low mode and the AD preferred me to 'flip the rig' but I wanted to do it the right way and use that darn plate I spent good money on... -Alfeo

Sounds like you answered your question, unless your second guessing yourself. I hate cages and would always go with the bracket for more stability. They are more ridged, less obtrusive and usually less weight. I've only used the Tiffen style cage, which has the offset rods which I liked because it allowed for different widths of bodies. You could get in trouble with one if just that section of the camera is some fat belly monster that you cant reconfigure, is too wide just where you need the cage to fit. -Alfeo

Got it... Thanks for all the calls & messages.

Hey Job, The RED we used a few weeks back only output one monitoring choice at a time, being the RED's monitor or the HD-SDI output, not both (until the update). To transmit you'll have to down convert for NTSC. Then you can T-off to your monitor & transmitter. OR if your Monitor has HD-SDI and can loop out... then you could go HiDef to your monitor and then loopout of the monitor to either downconvert to transmit or hardwire to video village. You can try to T-off from the HD-SDI of the camera, but I doubt your signal will be happy with the T-off. -Alfeo

I have a one day job on Tuesday and looking to see if anyone had the MRD-2 Camera control Y-Cable that controls speed/shutter. Item #4535 Call me. I hate to order this thing for one shot, but I know its on my list of needs too. 404 456 6957 Thanks -Alfeo

If Steadicam is not at the expo, call them up and make a short trip to the Glendale factory. Try to reach Frank Rush. Take the workshop. I did the Maine Workshops and loved it. If you can't take the big ones, then shoot for the 3 day. If you can't do that, then try paying a local operator his dayrate and spend 8 to 10 hours for a bit of one on one... just a thought. -Alfeo

Ok, Ok... my turn! How about a slogan "Floats like a butterfly and stings like a bumble bee..." eh... ehh...ehhh -Alfeo "the jingle man" Dixon

NOOOO!!! Jim... don't do that. I've got to say that you have a SOLID product with a great market share. A lot of people can't afford to leap into those 'luxury automobiles' so to speak... just to make an AC happier. -Alfeo "why DID i buy my ac the freakin' Porsche??? :huh: " Dixon PS: oh god... i just realized i have a surrogate wife!

I saw it about 3 weeks back at Woodland Hills. I was very impressed. Better designed than the Arri and much more compact than the HU3. They will soon be opening up in LA, so you don't have to worry about sending it Europe. The ergonomic design kills all the competition. The unit also works with most of the digital motors including Panavisions. They are rumored to have Panavisions ear for replacing their focus units. The only thing that Preston has on them is the zoom control. The updates they are doing to the unit rocks. The screen info will also overlay your video tap feed. And yes, most of the c-motion guys where Arri engineers. Buck for buck i would go with the C-Motion now that they will have US support. But Dollor to Euro... Preston comes out on top. -Alfeo

Darn David... I took me four freaking months and countless useless Google searches... and the shameful admittance that I just didn't want to be the one to ask Mike's question. -Alfeo

I thought the lisigav was already on you..... Just announced today from Procter & Gimbal : Lisigav now with Effervescent Mint... for that coool tingly sensation.

Hey Alfeo, Are you saying the camera cannot be powered by anything but its own battery, or that you just didn't have the proper cables to power off your sled? The primary power plug on the camera is a standard LEMO connector, and the pin outs have been posted here on the forum somewhere. Wouldn't that work? Also, just wondering why your sled was extended so far, especially with such a light camera. Personal preference, or for the shot? Really just more of a gripe that they wouldn't choose a standard already in place i.e. 4pin XLR or Arricam. I've already talked to Steadicam about making the cables. As for the sled length, you've got me thing on how I can shorten up my length, never noticed it till now. The Ultra2 is so light on the bottom that I haven't found a happy medium for a short config. Yet... Open for suggestions.

So I flew RED #0043 this past sunday. Prep was not so great. Nothing but proprietary crap every which way. The good things where the PL mount, HD-SDI (BNC adapter), D-Tap and 15mm Rod system standards. You can only power accessories from the D-Tap which means you'll need to fly the battery. But it's not like you'll have the option to power the camera from your sled because there is not a standard power input. Steadicam is now in the works on making them. Only one type of display at a time. Either HD-SDI out using a light weight adapter cable to BNC connector. No down converter, but my rig is HD-SDI wired. So guess who all was around the rig watching my UltraBright 2. Battery mount was this Flash Drive Cradle which was very bulky and awkward. The tech needed to get to the buttons at the rear, so I could just have it hang down close to the camera, which made it a bit difficult to arrange for lowmode. You can not attach your dovetail plate to the RED's bottem rail plate, so you also need the shoulder mount... I would go with the Arri Base plate. We didn't try an Arri plate. PL mount was not properly set, so all the lens marks where off. Not Run/Stop cable yet, Preston is saying three weeks. Also, the Tech has to 'dismount' the flash card in order to load another, not hot swappable. About the time it takes to load a film mag... go figure. I think my config was just in at 23lbs. http://gallery.mac.com/alfeo1#100058/DSC_0...p;bgcolor=black

Should be no problem. But keep in mind the power draw. The 140Wh, 14.8V, 9.4 Ah power rating for the RED Batteries is far greater than my IDX Power cubes 89Wh, 14.8V, 6.0 Ah. We changed the RED batterys about 4 times during a 7 hour shoot. -Alfeo

Flying out for the ABFF in LA today and will be there to take my Safety Pass classes. Staying downtown and would love to get out and meet a few of you guys. Also, the festivals closing film is my first feature 'hired' as 'A' Camera Op and did a bit of steadi on my virgin ultra 2 rig... -Alfeo "cheers & beers" Dixon

Hi Dan, The non-profit should carry general liability and could possibly get a rider to cover your equipment too. They (non-profit) will have to get in touch with their broker to get this added. -Alfeo

you can also look here too: http://www.steadicam.com/steadiUsed.html -Alfeo

I must say that I had the greatest experience with a MaxPro Leasing. I think I first got his info from Frank Rush at Tiffen/Steadicam. Brandon Brooks is my guy there and he went to ends length to make mine happen. 949.547.4693

same for me yesterday... works great now.

Yes. Not to argue what is 2nd unit DP work or not, we know when this is happening. Then inform your field rep for an audit. Let the rep "discover" the fact that they didn't properly report the work done. Producers are the only ones that benefit from understaffing a crew, they should pay. Alfeo

...balancing the deficit.