brett.mayfield

do more leading as well. youll find that a lot of your operating will eventually be moving backwards. have a spotter.

thanks jarrett, i can always count on you for good preston help! brett.

hey yall im about to sell an OG preston 1: HU1, MDR1, etc. Someone asked if they can control iris with a single channel preston hand unit. im pretty sure that this is not possible, but does anyone know for sure? I know that there is a small iris wheel that can be hard wired to the HU1, but curious about wireless iris control. have a good one brett.

hey yall is there a 2" docking bracket that utilitizes an aircraft pin for locking in? I'm not opposed to grabbing a gorelock, but I've got really gotten used to the aircraft pin method and would like to continue with it. have a good one! brett. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

hey yall working on building a second rig. curious is anyone has an xcs telescoping post with pro threads. also looking for an xcs gimbal for right hand (normal mode) and also seeking a post cable for cinelive electronics. brett. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

talk to John Ritter ritterbattery.com Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

all good points, keith Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I never found the stackable batteries particularly useful. But it has worked for me once when flying a phantom that just drained batteries. but then i made a cable and the situation was resolved. frankly i would go towards the heavier battery. lighter is not really ever going to help you, as generally more of the batteries are going down low where you need the weight. if your rig is v-mount, then idx is good, but i am personally very anti-Vmount. I had one slip off when in low mode and it went down through a stairwell and landed right between two ferraris. i immediately swapped every plate i had on every piece of gear to gold mount and sold my v-mounts. if buying new, then you are good. if buying used, have them checked so that you know the cells are in good shape. look into buying from john ritter. he does great work to batteries. he has a banner on the rite ---> brett.

i know this rig well. its a good buy and xavier has done a good job taking care of it. great first rig that does well with a variety of cameras brett.

just look in the market place dude

David is totally correct in this regard. However it can be very hard to convince a producer that you arent technically "freelance" when they are hiring you. There are a few types of insurance to consider here: -Equipment insurance. There are a variety of companies that can cover your gear. Peruse the forum. Many operators are signed up with WP Dolle. You have to joing the Steadicam Operators Association in order to get a policy with them. -Business liability insurance. I use Hartford to insure myself / my business, very easy to work with them. The production should absolutely issue you a COI for your gear. Whether or not your gear is insured by yourself, the production company should be able to sow you proof that they have insurance that could cover your gear in the case of a loss / claim. THAT BEING SAID-A COI IS NOT A CONTRACT AND ENTITLES YOU TO NOTHING. There is always a battle when bringing a claim to the producer on their insurance, but it is there for a reason. They should not hesitate to give you this. IT ONLY APPLIES TO YOUR GEAR. To work on most sets, you are supposed to be covered for workman's comp, which usually is the responsibility of the payroll company. However, if you are working as a vendor (I used to have a contract with Kohl's where I would rent gear and hire crew and was brought on to the shoot like a production support company-thus a vendor), you will sign a contrcat that will necessitate that you are insuring yourself and your hires. In Los Angeles, you have to register yourself with the Los Angeles Tax Commission whether or not you are an LLC, SCorp, etc. Its a pretty simple process. This will make you a "business" in the eyes of the county. Then you can set up an LLC in the state. The way that the producer is framing it, makes me think that hes telling you to be a loan out of your company, as if both you and your equipment are loan out. which could be possible, but it doesnt actually insure you. it just masks the requirement of your person being insured. Many of these insurance companies will also provide short term (1-day or more) coverage. It is expensive, but can be helpful in a pinch. Get used to and ready for insurance. Nowadays I think I have almost ten different kinds-health, equipment, homeowners, car, business, umbrella policy, etc. brett.

email sent

You mentioned this being the first and last for 25 years. What has been great about using a Pro is the availability of parts owned by other operators and its upgradabilty. At times these machines fail (it certainly couldnt be operator error...!) and knowing that there is someone nearby that can trade a part quickly is great insurance and has happened to countless operators. I know an operator in town who is considering shedding their XCS for a Pro because of this reason. What has been cool about Pro is the ability to modulate the components of the rig. You can change out the donkey boxes per you needs, upgrade to an XCS post and gimbal, different battery racks, etc. I love having two lines of HD in the CineLive electronics. Until recently, regulating power was not an important part of my operating, but it has come up recently, making me consider the power options on the XCS, which might be important to you now. Available ptap power on the Pro-I use it o 75% of my shoots. This all being said, my next major purchase for my Pro will be the XCS post and gimbal. I used one recently and was very pleased with the feel. XCS may be as versatile, I just dont know about every feature. But the features for Pro fit for me. I also second what Rob has said. I love the Shadow V. Its an awesome rig and Rob can really tell you all about the great features. I think its got a great weight, the battery rack system is intelligent, even more HD lines, the tilt head! And Tiffen is a world-recognized name with operators and resources all over the world. I think that you should strongly consider that rig is you have not already. brett.

i saw a picture of kira murdock holding one recently. worth a shot to ask

Hey dude sent an email about the MDR2 H bracket. brett.

arri medium bag is my go bag for flashlights, tools, small batteries and some spare ABs, cables, rope, etc. I also leave a few essentials in my stand tray, like an emergency cables bag, j bracket, water. also i use milk crates on my junior magliner. 2x2 on the bottom for all sorts of goodies. someone told me once that i need to get away from those, but what i love is that they are like drawers, no need for extra room to open and close. i put my 3 wheels and tray in one for transport and then when they are on the stand i have an empty one for whatever. when im shooting in swamps and out in the brutal southern heat i have one that is full of insect lanterns and repellant, sun proofing, water proofing, etc. i have a pelican case for my shoes (i usually bring 3 pairs of tennis shoes, waterproof boots, natives, and some five fingers for sand). my truck is big enough to carry a bunch of stuff and i live by "be prepared" and "two is one, one is none" so i bring a ton of stuff. much of it lives in the truck, but im ready for anything. brett.

hey Jens I'll email you shortly. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

damnit! i want it. if it falls through, hit me up! brett.

can you go to a dealership and check them out? i am also interested for some aks, but an AC told me that she felt they were a bit flimsy. that being said, i use thermodyne for my sled which is pretty hardcore and regular pelican for everything else. i am not very familiar with the aero, but if it is a lightweight sled and you feel like it could be dropped off of the back of an airplane on the tarmac or from a shelf in the truck to the ground and survive the fall, then youre good. brett.

thanks yall, very helpful!

I second Scott and Victor. youve got some weights behind the camera body, maybe lose those if you can and then tighten your sled up a bit. Also, I see an Isreali arm near your monitor...whats it holding?if its hold a major accessory then I would revise. same goes more the RED monitor unless its absolutely necessary in its current configuration. get used to using the monitor up top. The cables wont cause the issue, but try keeping cables clean and tight.

does anyone know where to purchase the stock style of thumbscrew for a socket block that we all have? i have found versions on amazon, but id like for them to be the same and as strong as our standard versions. I reached out to PRO and maybe I can get some from them, just curious if youve come across any. brett.

get your batteries from john ritter

Watch some of the videos that Chris Fawcett has posted. He breaks down some concepts in a technical yet simple manner. He often instructs at the workshops. the majority of attendees have never used steadicam before, so dont worry. youre taking a good step towards your steadi future! brett.

.