Thomas English

Wow! I was always told it was the other way around. That 19mm was a US thing. Over here 15mm has been a super16 thing whilst 19mm a 35mm thing. Do you always power your REDs? I have three consecutive days coming up with different productions on the RED starting this friday and they all promise to be toughies (16 hour day buy outs) so I shall be powering and trying my best to remove that ocean liner feeling that I love and covers up my delirium tremors.

Is this the Paradise FX rig to which you speak? It seems small and at 18lbs it is lightweight

All I have for the RED are 2 x long Aluminium 19mm bars. I like mounting motors from the top anyway (Using the 19mm top holes) and these bars go all the way back to mount the cradle on as well. I also always have a Petroff clipon Mattbox ready for any lens. The thing is both these items are useful with any camera. I don't see the need for anything else apart from a power cable if you should so desire. I have one and nearly never use it. I like the camera to look after itself up there and the weight is good with a battery on. Its a nice idea having 15mm rods but its too camera specific for my money. Not that useful as I don't have a 15mm studio Matt Box nor will one come in the kit on a RED job. I agree Charles that you used to have Brackets for every camera before my day but back then Cameras lasted for years, in fact we are still shooting some of those cameras regularly. Nowadays a lot of cameras are only around for 2 to 6 years max. Still though you have a good point which I agree with as I spunk money all the time on bits outside of my remit to make life easier. Felix's RED camera looks awful bottom heavy in that AR rig. I would be thinking of putting a Steel bar or two on top as well as top mounting the motors to "up" that center of gravity anyway. RED camera, 15mm bars.... No...

The 1620? Do you have to remove the arm from the back? I have a 1660 that I take on set now. I fit a little run bag in there as well but it is big.

It definately is heavy especially if Panavision forget to pack the little lightweight Steadicam Bracket to have a screw fitment at the bottom. So you have to end up flying the entire Panavion sliding baseplate. This maxes out a G70 Follow focus is always an issue when trying to save weight with these things. As often the PV bars rotate even when tight. Make sure you can rig bars from the front of your dovetail. Your probably going to use Primos as well. Make sure in testing the 1st AC tests them for loosness of spin as well as some of them can be really stiff! You can do low mode but I would be upset at the thought but if you have the correct bracketry its fine. The Steadicam version of this camera is the "Panavision Lightweight" which designed in 1975 is basically a stripped down Platinum. It is still made from unobtainium so its not so "lightweight" but absolutely fine for jogging shots and low mode. The GUOTS kit (Get You Out Of The Shit) is available from Brian Busbee Thomas

Thats interesting Alfeo, you make a good point. How did they frame up on Avatar?

Will this work with my Betz Engineering and MK-V Dovetails?

Nice

Thanks Alfeo, But if the subject is that close surely your interocular distance should not be so big as to dramatically effect the right eye. I suppose if we are using side by side rigs with their large minimum interoculars rather than mirror rigs then it becomes more important. Its interesting that you have enjoyed using the 3D monitor. But still the 3D effect has still not been fine tuned, this is a raw version and there is studio tweaking that still needs to be done. I don't want to go through that grief/headache. Those guys when they sit down for the fine tuning have massive bags of paracetemol and suffer huge migrains. If the interocular distance is correct surely you should not have to see the other eye unless its important for one reason or another. I would actually rather have two monitors next to each other. Chris, Yeah it looks like all you would really need to do is turn your topstage backwards.

I use the volts readout on my Transvideo monitor to give me an indication as to what is going on. Its not individual battery readings but it still tells me a lot even though its only monitoring the 12v feed when doing 24v.

That looks cold! I see you have taped up every unused connector on the RED camera. I take it that that is a good idea in the freezing ultra cold?

Thanks Chris for the info update. What Sled is that? Some kind of Satchler? Personally with 3D I happily take one feed for my monitor. Transvideo have 3D monitors, for which there are plenty of applications, but I don't think it will take off for camera operators. You can also always start putting different feeds at video village through video mixers dropping various colour channels but I wouldn't bother. I have always had to go hard wired. I suppose there may be a day ,with 2 scarlets or epics on board, that you'll carry two HD transmitters. Until then, I assume you'll be hard wired on most setups apart from dual REDs. If I had a dual RED tomorrow: I would transmit one picture or hard wire two.

Yeah Charles, I found another photo to hopefully demonstrate a little better. Flying two RED s will be pain. But I had a Platinum on my RIG the other day and Panavision forgot to include the little lightweight steadicam base widget so I had to fly the whole Panavision baseplate. This maxed out my G70 arm but was still fun. This guy seems to be ok on a G70. I can't believe its maxed out though seeing as what hes playing at.

Here is a photo of myself with one of the side by side rigs.

There is always the PS Technik 3D rig Not sure who this operator is here. There may be on available for hire here in the UK soon!

That Sir ... Is exciting!

Yes, Operators night would be great! Let me know which pub it is. There is one literally just around the corner a few of us Operators had a few to many, in a few years ago. Good idea. Lets do it.

What is the nice mod to power plug thingy?

If you have found one could you tell me what Matte Box they use in conjunction with it. I bought one of these Ringlights years ago and you have to get a seperate Matte Box. Lite Panel really pissed me about telling me which one to buy and I ended up buying one after another wasting about $1500 on Matte box's (plural). Even now my ringlight just sits on a shelf completely ill prepared to go out on a proper job. I am sure Litepanel have sorted it all out by now I just feel so burnt having spunked all that cash on something that is still useless; I have not gone there again. I just have production book the Gekko. It works, the Mattebox fitments are there, they work.Just cable up the control unit to the bottom of your sled with a cable over the front. Let me know what MatteBox is on the back please. Cheers

I am reaching the end of my batterys. I am planning on buying more but I am going to change to V-Lock from PAG. With these expenses, UK clients paying so slow and some heavy partying over Xmass and New Years I am probably going to have to wait another 6 weeks. Currently I only have 5 Lithium PAG L95s. This is completely fine but what happens if I get a job in over the next 6 weeks on a 435? Can I run a sled and 435 at high speed from 3 Lithium Pags (or say Dionics which are similar in peak output I think). All my NiCads are dead. Thank you in advance for your advice, Thomas

I used one of these for a little while. It is the best arm at the time for running shots. I found though that on lighterweight cameras its lack of iso-elasticity became a little disabling. It does become more iso-elastic as you start putting heavier cameras on. I believe there are a few ranges of springs that you can put in there. I think I had it on the heaviest duty setup. Nicely made and looks cool.

I reckon its also quite good for marketing for brand awareness having a product like this released and discussed on so many other forums other than our tight niche. Lets face it, it will get into all the Gadget Magazines etc etc. Viral marketing innit and why not? They may even sell some especially as these cameras get better. Develop products for the future not the past. Moores law implies that if any technology company stands still its market share will halve every 18 months. Steadicam and silicon are easy bedfellows. I might just get depressed now and finally accept a 7D Steadicam job. Nightmare......

The DP / Director conflict! Yes, this is definitely an interesting one. The true test of your diplomatic skillet. At this point I have no problems siding with the one I know better or is likely to give me better work. The point is that there has been a major fundamental breakdown of communications at this point. Try and bring this out into the open so they are agreeing as to what they want. I.e. go back to the director to watch the monitor but talk to the DP in clear earshot of the director. I think fundamentally you are the DP's tool so you answer to him as he is your superior. If you have suggestions you make them to him. If he wants to take a risk against the Directors advice you should take that risk for him. He is your immediate superior. Your his tool but if he is a tool; stuff him. The Director is the ultimate boss. If you like him more, know him better or just think he is more right. You are quite entitled to ignore the DP (especially if you don't like him). If you can't bring the conflict out in the open you are going to make enemies. Shit happens on set making enemies. Make the right friends. The best thing to discuss here is techniques to bring the conversation out into the open. I stay near the director and talk to the DP, keep the AD close to the conversation/action and let them know whats going on (they won't tolerate this kind of thing). But if the DP is whispering to you on your way to the shot well.... its entirely up to you mate. Do what you want. Carte Blanche. Creative control in a time of war.

Well if you want to be the one that decides; you need to become a DP. There is nothing more that DPs hate is when they have to justify their decisions to an operator. They might be thinking 3 steps ahead; a lighting issue, a budget issue or even a political issue that is frankly not really any of your business if you have not been informed about it. Your there to create their work and hopefully add to it. Its not a democracy or art school its a very expensive set and as the clock ticks its someones money going.

On all these RED jobs focus puller are insisting on monitors. At least side monitors on the cameras. I swear they are glued to them and they always end up messing up on improvisation.