William Demeritt

Cheers to that, brother. When I'm doing other work on set while not wearing the rig, that's what I remind myself every day. Doesn't matter if it's a full rate, deep discount, favor for a friend, or whatever... I agreed to come work for the day, so they're getting my all. If I feel like I'm being taken advantage of, well that's one thing. However, attitude is everything. As a newer Steadicam operator, maybe others feel as I do in that the workshops teach you a lot about the technique, craft and art of Steadicam. However, the positive attitude, collaborative spirit, humility and respect for the overall business is something everyone learns for themselves (like reinventing the wheel). To my knowledge, we've got books explaining grip and lighting equipment, cinematography and video, even a textbook on Steadicam... but I've yet to see a book that teaches you how to freelance in this business. I guess some people make mistakes from which they'll just never recover a lost client, or a lost career?

Mark, out of curiosity, are you saying you currently have £8000 cash available to purchase the rig? Or is that the expected take at the end of your jobs?

Now you sound like a Producer. :P I'd argue that the best films could also show the filmmakers had the most fun doing it. However, maybe we've spent enough time off subject. I look forward to hearing about your tests and findings/experience.

With all the concerns and issues voiced so far in this thread, I'm actually very interested in seeing what your tests yield. Please be sure to post your progress as you get closer. Equally, please also post if the producer/director realizes that perhaps they've hit the threshold where their idea has collided with technological capability. I would think the creative team will realize they either must 1) select a different camera to achieve a 110 minute feature, or 2) abandon the 110 minute feature "in a oner" idea. After all, #1 is breaking some new ground technologically, but #2, one could easily defer to the historical lessons of underperforming films attempting similar "stunts" and, as Jerry said, abandoning the long, richly developed language of cinematic narrative.

Please post all allergies in this thread.

I will agree with Lawrence, the film is extremely[/b] disturbing, both for the explicit content but also the mechanics of the story just compounding the disturbing events. However, if you can differentiate the technical side from the film's story, I think there are numerous things that, as operators, will possibly impress or at least make you ponder how you would achieve the same shot(s).

I would offer two movies that already do their best to achieve just that: Children of Men - Nothing on Steadicam, and while the emotional moments do tend to make use of editing, the memorable moments in the film are primarily long takes (or digitally stitched REALLY long takes). Everyone who's seen the Behind the Scenes material knows they hid the edits, the overall feel of the film slams together already long takes into fairly exciting, high tension scenes. Even still, a good friend of mine still thought the movie was "boring". Irreversible - A very difficult film to watch for most anyone, I don't think you can deny the film's emotional power. Told from "end of story" to "beginning of story", I believe the whole thing plays out in scenes as short as a few minutes, or as long (and horrifically disturbing) as 7-8 minutes. I would say the scenes with high energy and nauseating camera movement would not have succeeded if they were cut up into montage. However, to try and tell that whole story in a single long take seems impossible. I suggest maybe it comes down to this: if you're going to make a 90-120 minute film out of a single take, that requires that 90-120 minutes of the film's "reality" be emotional, hilarious, action packed and altogether enthralling enough to fill every second of that time. Most films take that much time to tell a story whose reality spans hours, days or years.

Yea, they called me last night. Not sure if it's for sure yet, they sent me a copy of the script, but nothing's official. Just figured I'd do some advance homework while I got the time to wrap my head around it.

Greetings all. I've been operating almost 2 years now, really appreciated all the information and support here on the forums. It appears now that 2010 has brought me not only a first for the New Year, but also a first in my career: shooting film. I was referred for a student film shooting, and they won the Panavision film grant, so looks like I'd be shooting on the Panavision Elaine. I've worked with the Elaine as an AC in the past a couple times, this will be the first time I have it on Steadicam. So far, I've been entirely digital, mostly shooting with the RED. Any tips, advice or words of wisdom, not just for shooting with the Elaine but also for shooting film for the first time? As of now, I'm already trying to figure out how to make it to the camera prep to test build my rig (Archer2). My usual "pre-flight" checklist will be triple and quadruple checked, but anything you wish someone had told you before that first FILM shoot would be great. Many thanks in advance!

To be shot entirely in one take...

Thank you for the replies so far. I think the diplomatic approach is a skill everyone learns over time. As someone who's suffered from a lifelong "no brain-mouth filter" affliction, learning diplomacy has been a tough lesson. Many of you are right, I do think it comes from a place founded in humility first and foremost. Anyone make any memorable mistakes you were able to recover from on the diplomatic front? Or weren't able to recover from? Go big or go home! You like betting the longshot, don't you?

I'm eager to hear some advice from the seasoned operators, as it seems on every shoot I operate, I run into this problem. You start a job, and you haven't worked with the DP before. Or, perhaps you have, but the situation still comes up. You're giving input, they're taking it and giving feedback. You're really collaborating, getting excited about the shots, adrenaline starts to spike. Eventually, though, you reach a new shot, and the DP talks you through it... and you're just not into it. You understand the story, the moment, the camera logic and intuition, but something about the shot the DP is telling you... just... doesn't feel right? Perhaps you know exactly the change you think you should offer, but it's dismissed in favor of the shot you don't particularly connect with. What you're being asked isnt' necessarily "bad", but you just don't connect with the shot, and perhaps you just can't offer an idea as an alternative. I can think of a few situations in the past where that exact problem arose, and I still operated the shot and they got what they wanted. You don't want to be the guy who just refuses to operate if he doesn't understand the shot, or why, or do you? Perhaps this question goes together with the typical diplomacy you learn on set, or feeds the personality by which you're known. I'm sure some people are known as the "I'll get your shot no matter what" types, and others "won't budge unless they completely agree with the shot" type. What's worked for you? Did you regret just giving in and performing the requested shot? Were you surprised, or happy you did?

Don't trust the paper numbers, I'd really encourage you to spend a full day in the rental house playing around. Power the camera off 1 RED Brick and see if it really hits "almost 2 hours", or barely stretches past 1 hour. I've worked with the RED enough to feel hesitant at the claim the RED One can run in idle mode for almost 2 hours, let alone recording for 2 solid hours. Are you thinking of powering the camera and monitor off the sled (2 RED Bricks), and maybe using a RED Brick mount on the body to power the Preston (via D-tap)? What type of dual mount are you planning to use? Considering the RED camera body with all the gak, numerous batteries, Preston + 3 motors AND the Optimo 17-80 lens (Angenieux website claims 11lbs), I think you're officially past the weight range of mid-level rigs like the Archer2, and you will probably wind up with a top level rig like an Ultra2 or a Pro with 70lbs arm.

I'm sure you're going to start performing all sorts of tests, but I would think your first technical hurdle to overcome is power. I believe RED claims the RED One draws 75wH, but I think most say it's closer to 90wH. A RED Brick sports 140wH, allegedly allowing the RED to run for almost 2 hours in idle or recording. Whether that's accurate or not, you're going to have to figure out a way to power the camera AND your sled with monitor, plus the Preston. That's a whole lot of juice. Might want to head to the rental house with a stopwatch, build up the obvious configurations with the sleds available and let the camera record 110 minutes of footage. The whole time, you'll need to be periodically cranking the FIZ motors. Do you know which sled you're likely to use? What's available to you?

How long until we get a newborn subforum? :P Congratulations Aaron! He's beautiful! EDIT: Whoops.

Congratulations Mike! Great way to wrap up 2009! Cheers, brother!

The Google Reader mobile site for iPhone is a very capable RSS reader, and it's free. Other than that, there are many RSS reader apps, but with RSS newsfeed, you just get the topic, not replies. Ultimately, the reader will just be a heads up that there are new topics, and a handy link to the new thread.

Someone already wrote an app to allow users that log into phpBB forums to directly interface the database in a "mobile" format instead of viewing the webview frontend. Check me out Granted, that app was written with phpBB in mind, so it works only on phpBB forums, whereas SteadicamForum runs on IP.Board. To make something really useful, you'd probably have to write an app that functions similarly to something like TouchBB Forum Browser. Simply, you'll need to learn coding for the IP.Board forums, then learn to code for the iPhone, and then mix the two. No easy task. I'd just contact the makers of IP.Board (Invision Power Services, Inc) and see if they're considering creating an app for their board software. Maybe express an interest in collaborating with them?

Tilt the screen up, and you can even shoot some footage of your hand on the gimbal with the built in iSight!

Thank you all for the feedback so far. Matteo: I definitely need to figure out some practice moves to help minimize my walking. The slow moves remind me of when I would have an issue with "seeing my footsteps" in normally paced walks. Next time, I would very likely recommend the rickshaw for the last half of the video, since there was a small staircase splitting the move in half. If you have any practice suggestions, I'd appreciate it! Charles: Yea, I don't think I've given proper attention to the good ol' line dance on a long lens in the last few months. Definitely going to give that some attention in my practice sessions. Regarding the color correction, I'm not sure if the online version of the video will differ from the broadcast version. The sunlight was a huge player in the video, I would have liked to see the warmth of the setting sun way more. Brad: I agree with you, I wanted to give a more balanced and appropriate framing. However, we also wanted to keep the sun and sunlight in the frame to flare out at the right time. I just wish the online video really showcased the light hitting the lens a bit moreso so the framing didn't feel so bottom-heavy.

A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to do Steadicam on a music video with a crew I've worked with in the past. When I arrived, my earliest premonitions were confirmed: the whole music video was a oner. The resulting video finally debuted last week, and you can view it here: Eels, "Little Bird" Now, the whole video is indeed a oner, and the song lasts somewhere around 2:40. However, the move took place over approximately 40-50 feet. I'm getting a good sampling of operating practice either working normally or running in a variety of locales (suburbia, Mojave desert, downtown LA), but I don't think I've properly practiced the "extremely slow" move. So, I performed the whole move in 1:20 to the song set at double speed. The DP and director were eager to have the sun in the right spot (breaking through the tree branches towards the end of the video, right up to setting on the horizon). We shot on the RED, and I used an Archer2 with Bartech, low mode. Any critique is appreciated. Many thanks!

This just in, reliable sources are reporting that film is, in fact, completely dead. In other news, due to high demand, the price of pack mules has tripled overnight.

A huge Happy Birthday to you, Amando!! Hope your day was filled with beauty and fun!

Perhaps a new business card photograph?

I'm sure the instructors will show you this at your workshop, but at the beginning of mine, Jerry put on the rig, got right into the "sweet spot" and said "This is Steadicam". Walking around with the rig extended away from your body, or square in front of you or in other orientations will tax your back quickly and exhaust you. Wearing the post right in the "sweet spot" is important. Even when you're pretty tired, checking to make sure the rig is right at that spot makes a world of difference.