Erwin Landau

I have a second gen. Klassen Mount, set up for front mount. Give me a call.

Erwin

1-818-448-2639

www.landaucamera.com

They usually start there life flat like that, but after a while just through brute force, they will start to get round and deformed to that point where you have to cut them down to back them out or replace them. Walter Klassen's screws are nicely machined to a round tip... also the "wing nut" part is machined Aluminum and he used threaded bolts versus screws. The ones from GPI are more conical at the tip... it depends on the style screw that is used and pressed into the plastic wing nut. I would put a file to the tip and get rid of the first two or three threads... so as it deforms over time, it will not grow in diameter until you can't back it out...

I hope that makes any sense at 3 am... have to go to work now.

For the Oregon shoot, we got the SRW-16 (or 1.6 whatever the official name is) from Panavision Hollywood. That deck makes it possible to "ramp" the camera without the Deck actually being physically attached to the Camera...

Saved on weight and battery power.

But the weight is no fun either, throws me back 6-7 years when we used to have to fly 535B's from time to time. Not as bad as the BL-4's we used to have to fly before the 535 came out though.

FYI:

Charles was doing "Fired Up" with the Genesis and the SSR and I was doing a movie with the 535B, color tap and Plastic Mags, I came out to set and weight the set ups and his set up was a pound and a half heavier then mine...

I did a feature last fall In Oregon with an F-23 from Panavision, running of my Ultimate. Actually it splits it into one Dionic powering the camera and the other one powering everything else... it was as warm as 90 degrees and cold and even snowed for a couple of days all within a three week period...

I got very good results from the Dionic 90-ies...

So is the F-35 that much more a power hog then the F-23?

Hi Brandon,

You are advertising your self as a Steadicam/Camera operator... you might want to delete the Electrician credits on your resume... no matter how high profile the shows might be. It tells the guy that is looking to hire you, that you are not a full time steadi-op...

You can put it as past experience... but again, the year when it was shot, will out you again...

Aren't all Moviecams "old". Are they still making them or have they been replaced by Arri, the owner of the company? Otto Nemenz in LA provides an in-line voltage regulator with the SL's they rent for this exact reason.

There are at least 3 generation of Moviecam Compact (after the Super America, I'm not counting that one):

- The one with either the "Canon" plug or the 3 pin XLR power connector, usually privately owned. With 2 pin Lemo run.

- The one that most of us know with the 4 pin XLR power connector...

And the "new" Moviecam Compact Mark II. It basically comes down to a rehoused Arricam as everything that you see has the Arricam logo on it... Like the movement the accessories etc. It utilizes the 2 pin Fisher for power like all new Arri Cameras.

Even the viewfinder and the Arricam IVS... that is re-colored in eggshell like the Moviecam...

The old camera were "real" 24 Volt camera considering that the cells used for the batteries where 13.3 volts so the cameras were still running with 19 or 20 volt on the meter... That's when I started using them, rental house tech referred to them as 20 Volt cameras. Otto Nemenz had the Silver packs for the Moviecams and the Gold packs for the Arri's like the 435 and the 535.

Every time I prepped at Otto's, the would through a fit about my batteries and making sure I would not use the Hytron batteries on my PRO... and fry the precious Moviecam... I never did as I used NiCad batteries

The new one takes anything up to 36 volts if I'm not mistaken like any new Arri Camera.

I blew out a couple of boards from privately owned cameras... way back with batteries that came "hot" from the charger with 14.8 Volts...

Seventy plus views and no comments, that should tell you what people think of that "new" concept.

And who would be put in charge to determine if a certain day was "light" or "heavy"?

"Walk and talks are easy"... yeah try 14 takes of a 4 minutes plus music take walking down Downtown Los Angeles backwards without sitting down... and a cute little singer chasing you down while increasing her speed.

So would you just volunteer to give back a part of your hourly earning because the day was even lighter as assumed and they let you go home after 8 hours...

So it would come down to the UPM or Line Producer... They are already trying to get you lower every time you negotiate, trying to get your hard earned equipment for a day and a half per week. Or per use with no minimum guaranty.

I can already hear them...

Oh can we pay you for a half day and pay half rental... even though you can't pick up another job for the reminder of the day as the want you to work from 9 to 3... ( I tried a couple of times to book myself for the afternoon... guess what? Oh we are not done with that shot you have to give us over time and finish the shot or we will not pay you for the day... call the other company and cancel... or ask them to come later... even though it was agreed that it would never go later then 2pm... bla bla bla).

Your call time was 7am... but we didn't use you until after lunch and you where only in the rig for four hours...

You didn't carry the rig you where hard mounted.... from the dolly, the quad, the motorcycle... we don't have to pay you as much then right?

You only had to go down one flight of stairs... etc.

We are working in a country and a business that lives on precedents... once is set it's very hard to reverse it... you start doing your value based pricing and you will accelerate the downward spiral in rates...

Yes the seasoned ops are complaining because they have been around for longer and have seen the decline of rates over a long period of time (No one of them is getting any close to what they got 15 years ago, even though they have 15 years more experience). Also they have a bigger over head (families, house and car payments, retirement funds, college funds, insurance obligation for more then just one or two people) then the guys that are starting out (usually single or just married, no mortgage exempt for the rig payments, etc)

And experience is hard learned... can the new guy do the same shot as nice as the seasoned, no but he is cheaper... and as long as you are giving the production alternatives just based on price... the bean counters will go with the cheaper way, even if it looks worse. Check some of the episodic on TV right now...

Also we are a business, the Film Business. It's about profit. And the Producers are hired to get a product made for the money they were given or less if they can. The amount that is spend in production has no influence on the total take that the project will garner... it has only influence on the profit.

They are not making the amount of cash that they projected they would, so we still want to walk away with $100 million in profits let's shave of at the production side... neee we can't pay Samuel L. Jackson less then we did last time but we can get almost the same crew for 10% less and we are making the projected profit again on the next one... etc.

Couple of years ago... A Jackson Movie. Budget $40 million, Samuel is getting $20 million as the star... so it's actually a $20 million movie... one of the first departments called in was camera, if they could give the Studio (Paramount) a brake on the individual kit rental and over time cut off... and they got it.

That's more Feature related, but let's look at TV...

That's what's going on with "Without a Trace" right now, The Nielson ratings are down, so they have to cut there overhead or get cancelled... they will lose an actor or two, save on crafty, more studio based shooting minimize location and then they will look to renegotiate every bodies rates... Hey better I make less then have no show at all... right? Right.

At the hight of "Will and Grace" when all cast members where given Porsches as Bonuses... Production was cracking down on expendable... how much tape was actually used, do we need the second unit? do we need the loader?

The Actors or the Producers or the Writers will not be asked to get less money (Unless fired)... they will find it below the line.

If you want to work for Peanuts, go ahead but you will pull everybody down with you, so don't expect any back padding when you come up with Ideas like that.

Work a couple of years in the industry and look if you are still going to be able to sustain yourself and your future family, once that pricing is in effect... or are you going to pick up a second job after you wrapped early on the set and still are short for the month...

You give them the little finger and they will pull until the hand falls off.

Because we are a dime a docent for most right out of school bean counters.

That's Capitalism at it's best.

Just my opinion.

I used to work for an engineering and manufacturing firm in Switzerland...

On average for every 100 ideas we made one prototype and for every 20 prototypes one actually became a production model that saw the show room...

It's only thanks to Garrett's persistence that the Steadicam actually saw the light of day (one non working prototype in the first year of collaboration with CP... wow). Just seeing how many ideas he had and later prototypes... you can imagine what kind of tour the force it is to actually get something build and sold these days. But he saw it through...

And also checking out all the "failed" prototypes, like George Paddocks first Gimbal design (usually referred to as the $60'000.- paperweight)... and all the other goodies that are lying in the back of workshops around Los Angeles and abroad, like GPI or used to at Bob DeRose (the Magnesium 3A arm made for Scott Sakamoto... that bend without any load on it)... tons and tons of PRO hybrids and dismissed XCS prototypes at Greg's place (including a "self locking" gimbal for several $10K that actually "self unlocked")... All the "steadi junk" that Whitehouse used to have sitting in boxes at his old place...

Many had the idea. Yeah GPI was toying with the back mount, they even build a self leveling head for the PRO... The PRO LCD monitor... the PRO onboard PCMCIA recorder, PRO Harddrive recorder, the PRO video rig... etc.... didn't take...

Walter saw it through with what, just over 70 vests sold in the first 8 years of "production"...

Oh yeah... Lynn Nicholson with his Alien...

BTW: Jerry how is it going with the integration since Tiffen acquired the patent over a year ago?

Interesting...

As of late several manufacturer have now or will have shortly a quick change option for different style camera plates, including PRO and XCS. Basically 4 screws and one connector per plate will do the trick with all attachment holes pre-drilled for the different plates... change over in Minutes.

Also Iain what year is your PRO? GPI did a slight redesign of the Battery cage to accommodate the Proformers... by changing the shape of the recorder Bracket and moving and placing the front facing plate lower. Might have done the trick for you...

I was looking into batteries that unfortunately do not meet our size or design requirement... but with close to 200 Watt Hours per battery and almost 400 Wh total... changing somehow becomes irrelevant and the battery becomes an integral part of the rig... but we'll see...

Pictures

Pictures

Pictures

Preston MDR-1 system for sale:

Consists of:

- Hand Unit 1 (With Pins installed for Focus Rings)

- Motor Driver MDR-1 (8 Pin Lemo run cable version)

- Microwave Unit (transmitter and receiver)

- Wired Remote Iris Control with 8' cable (mint condition)

- Follow Focus Rings (8)

- Battery for Microwave (2) (Recelled August 2008)

- Battery Charger with AC Cable

- Panavision Run Cable

- Spare Antennas (4)

- NO MOTORS Included

Unit was purchased new end of 2001, weeks before the introduction of the MDR-2.

All parts are in great working order.

Upgrading to the HU-3

Spend Almost $12'000.-

Asking: $8300.-

Please contact:

Geoffrey Haley

mobile: 1 (323) 382-1776

e-mail: hotpontus@hotmail.com

Had the pleasure to see the perfect sleep tonight. Great job by Charles as always, but generally, if you like Film Noir, I do, you will enjoy even some of the bloody scenes... and the non linear story telling.

I was missing the steadicam support today... Can't be that you were working... still check it out.

Erwin

I would stay away from the handle unless you have a way to support the camera from an additional point. See picture below, I believe that is Afton Grant's set up with Brant Fagan's Video lowmode bracket.

But I still feel that attaching it from the bottom and flip it in post is the way to go. I talked to numerous Video techs and Post guys... that flip is such a non-issue, i don't know why we are still debating. Last time I got laught at when I asked...

But the DP and the Director are the Boss, if they say they don't want to... guess what...

We have the technology and means to build cheap batteries and fast chargers.

The problem is again you get what you pay for. You can buy batteries from Dewalt or Hakama or other power tool manufacturer. They are cheap, under $100.- bucks, they charge fast, 30 min. and guess what they don't really last that much if used every day. That's why they are cheap... it's volume, the more you make the cheaper they will be.... and they are not very sophisticated.

Even Broadcast style batteries... The Hytron 50 where over $500.- when they came on the market in '99, now you can get them for a little bit over $200.- because they sold in the tens of thousands. It's Volume...

There were and still are this huge capacity batteries with ridiculous short charge time. Make a search and check with military suppliers and you will find cells that are huge (100+ Watt Hours) charged in minutes not hours... but the price is also steep as the quantity is fairly low and the quality is again ridiculous.

I have seen a charger and battery set up with the qualities we want: High current draw, extremely high cycle capability, recharged in 5 to 10 minutes, lasting for ever and a day. But the charger was a little shy of $10K and the batteries north of $1000.- a piece.

There is a new manufacturer that makes cells that would work for us with the characteristic that we need, high current, quick recharge, etc even the price for batts and charger are more then reasonable. Guess what?... The form factor is wrong, there is no proper attachment to the rig available, neither to hold it in place nor to provide power into the rig... The charger is cheap but designed to be build into a larger apparatus... in parts with exposed wires consisting of several components...

You save money but you have to build your own casings and a housing for the charge unit...

I was taught the triangle conundrum:

Put at each point of the triangle the following> Cheap, Fast and Good... you can only reach 2 sides at the time.

For our batteries put: Cheap, fast charged and long life.

Same problem, you can only have two out of three...

Oh well.

Hi Jerry,

Did not want to start a riot, just very protective of friends that where there for me when nobody else was... (Thanks Walter).

Thanks for the Pictures Michael,

I was very certain that Garrett hat experimented with this style way before when and early on deemed it not worth while. And I should have know as nothing original ever came from that company that demonstrated it back in 2005.

We should maybe start a new thread... but then again it's a short lived curiosity... interesting to look at but not for the real world.

Nothing really... I took these pix back in 2005... since it's the first time you have ever seen or heard of it... it's obviously a DOA... or would you pay $33K for just an arm?

I just wanted to make my point about the vest...

Oh darn I forgot to attach a picture... How could I...

Oh by the way the "Front Back Loader" the backmount with the front mount attachment... I did try that one. The problem with that specific one is that it worked perfectly for Garrett and I know of several that use it as is for there daily work. I found it very much on the painful side, as the carbon front door with the Socket Block and the entire weight of the rig hanging of it made it bend inward and giving me a several day souvenir of a blue bruse. But that's just me.

Okay, so here a true Backmount...

Okay, sorry guys disregard my last post...

That's what sitting in front of the Computer to long and reading all the news will do to you...

Feeling Paranoid.

Happy Flying,

Erwin

With all due respect...

That picture isn't the greatest to use for that argument as Garrett himself referred to the extinct "Mastodon trunk" arm set up and Cinema Products $700K first attempt of a prototype as "excruciatingly painful" and "it didn't work!" and resulted in abandonment and total redesign and has not been seen since...

And the Arm is still attached at the front part of the "shell" vest.

We might have to add a third category of vest/harness as not all "Backmounts" have a hard back and not all "Hardbacks" are back mounted. But that would be pure silliness.

As a former owner (six years) of Walter Klassen's fine Product. I have seen many generation starting with the S&M Leather version (That Walter and Daniel Sauve came up with) with leg straps and permanently side attached socket block but no hard back, but that is as close as this two vests (the mentioned one as well as the above pictured) are related. The latest Klassen Harness and the latest Ultra2 Vest have only in common that they are body mounted and supporting a camera stabilizer and that's it. We can argue about physics forever, but the fact is that there are several hundred of his babies out there and getting used every day.

As the person that came up with the design (together with Daniel) and for the longest time was the first and only manufacturer of that specific style harness in mass production and was nowhere infringing on any patents past or present I can really not see you take the right away from Walter Klassen to name his product pretty much any way he wants to.

One failed prototype, 35 years ago will not change that.

Sincerely,

Erwin

Only for you, studmuffin......

Thank you honey puff...

You had to start a new thread... didn't you... anyways.

Hi Jamie,

I posted the info and the link because I actually thought of it as not that expensive alternative to all the $1000.- of Chest of drawers that I had to look at. I'm always looking at improving and streamlining my set up to maximize efficiency on set and make my employers happy by spending more time on set then roaming throw my cases in the last second to find a bracket. Is it going to improve my shot? Hell no, but it will make my AC happy not having to go through 5 cases and 10 cardboard boxes to find a cable I think that I'm pretty sure I have somewhere in the camera truck... honest. He might remember me as the guy that made his/her life easier on set and I might even slide into the top ten on his speed dial.

Talking about the price... it's $449.- LISTPRICE. When was it the last time that you actually paid for anything, list price in this industry and if you have... you have to evaluate your bargaining abilities. Actually the price starts at $380.-, I have cables that cost way more than that. The Preston to Cinetape interface cable comes to mind with $650.- as a price tag. So having in excess of $14'000.- in cables alone or the $30'000.- follow focus that would live in that tool box, the price of $450.- pales in comparison, don't you think?

Talking about social responsibility I would have expected you to object do to the fact that it's a petroleum product, aren't the US in at least one war right now, do to the struggle of dominance for petroleum resources? (Yes I know we are there to free the country of an oppressive Dictator, Oh wait he was executed 3 years ago...) At a cost of how many Millions a day... I'm sure there could be a nice saving achieved if halted.

Allowing the government to bail out DOA companies for billions even though they are rotten to the core... but paint will make it pretty again... Did you know that 35 million American citizen are on food stamps or have to go to food banks to feed there families? That 60% of products used in the US are either manufactured, designed, assembled or produced in the Peoples Republic Of China? That two out of three service calls placed in the US are answered somewhere in Asia?

My wife which is a very green person and haunts me to turn off lights and complains when I take a bath instead of a shower, she likes the Pelican Tool box actually a lot (she even exchanged her trusty travel case to a 1510 because it holds up so much better). And she pointed out the fact that yes it will cost more but it's designed and manufacturer right here in Torrance, California. It comes with a lifetime replacement warranty (of course exempt for the famous disclaimer of Shark, Bear and 5 year old attacks). Not to bad at all for "only" $450.- bucks.... Can you return your bucket made in China for a replacement or will they say... oh sorry sir, you have to buy a new one. How long will it last until you need to replace it with a new one and there we go, you will have spend twice the money on the cheap heep while I still have mine... unless I'm growing tired of it and then I can still make my money back when I sell it.

I have spend several hundred thousand of my hard earned cash and made sacrifices (My last holidays where back in 2001 when we visited my father in law for his 60th birthday) to put it back into my equipment because it's my lively hood, that's what I make my living with.

It's the price we have to pay to work and make a living and to belong to "the country club"... It's the price we have to pay to look professional and if you can't afford it you might want to look for a different occupation...

Do I like to pay that much for gear? Again hell no, but for sure it protects me from a guy with a Glidecam, taking my job...

What was my point?

Sorry just my 2 minute rant...

So I'm guessing that Mr. Fisher was less then helpful?

Did you try and contact him? I have to ask, as many people somehow forget that they can call the manufacturer directly... but I guess with his name attached to a complaint, it's a mood point.

You could try and contact Terry West (mobile: (310) 621-5063, techrat@earthlink.net) he is the man for odd and out of production item repairs or custom stuff.

Or try and contact Jim Bartell (Bartech Engineering, 1 (562) 987-9159, www.bartechengineering.com) he makes the unit the Benz is based on, the BFD. That's the person you should have bought from in the first place... he actually answers his phone... even at the oddest hours... Do you actually have a life?

Nicholas the following is not directly aimed at you (Indirectly maybe) but:

Does anybody actually do research anymore, before they through there money at somebody? There is no excuse these days with the availability of the internet, not to be informed. I guess it's more ignorance then...

I just googled his name and product... and just based on the first couple of results, I could just dump my money in a shredder and get the same result... Abel Cine Tech doesn't want anything to do with him... If you want to see some steaming red heads and listen to the most colorful curses I have heard in a while call the owner of Doggicam...