Rich Cottrell

Nathan, Thanks for asking. To answer simply: NO. I have never gotten any further contact from Cinetronic/Film-Stuff. I am waiting for the outcome from TB Bank’s dispute investigation. [To be honest, I posted this thread to partly cover my ass. ] In the past, Chris has not responded to simple information requests when I used my order number in the subject line of the email, but if I used a different way [ie this forum or an email with the subject replying to a pre-sales email] I might get a response. TD Bank had processed my initial dispute [via a branch’s “Store Supervisor”] but the disputes department wanted more information. After talking with a branch’s “Vice President”, she thought it was important to make sure I document that the company [in this case Cinetronic/Film-Stuff] has been notified yet again that I want to cancel this order and they are strictly NOT to send any merchandise. So I emailed Chris agin, posted here, and used their company’s web site to tell them the same thing. The last contact I got from Chris/Cinetronic was before Thanksgiving. I do not have high hopes. Honestly, have already had a conversation with my accountant about when Cinetronic goes bankrupt. The way i see it right now, if Cinetronic can not deliver on existing orders, and if they are still trying to get people to pre-pay for new products (that they have yet to manufacture)… at some point this is going to catch up with them. If I lived in CA, I would be wondering about small claims court, but in this case I live in PA and need to move on with operating already. If all else fails, this will be a “business loss” for my company. I am incorporated so thats how it will work. rich

Sorry to start another Cinetronic thread, but after a few trips to my bank, this might help myself as well as others in my position. Feel free to add a post to this list if your currently trying to get a refund from Cinetronic due to "Non Delivery" In the past I was only able to get a reply from Chris after I had posted something on the forum. I hate to hang my dirty laundry for literally the world to see, but thats all business now... (Or in this case, bad business.) If you have not ordered from film-stuff or cinetronic, please be careful. rich cottrell Here is what i just had emailed the team at cinetronic: Dear Cinetronic, Film-Stuff, and Chris Bangma, I placed an order [#140908-152603-7406] on September 8th, 2014 and paid in full for a Gen2 Steadicam monitor. Just hours before I placed this order I was told "Delivery would be 4-5 weeks currently." On Oct 10th, 2014, I asked about the status of this order, and I was told: "We are still waiting for screens to come in." and, "We are hoping in the next couple weeks." After that, there were many failed attempts to get in touch with your company. You never delivered on your original quote of 4-5 weeks, and you never delivered after an additional month, so: On Nov 12th I called twice to cancel this order due to Non Delivery. I left a voice message both times. I also emailed on November 12th to cancel this order due to Non Delivery. It is now December 12th, 2014, and again I am asking for this order to be cancelled and to have the $3,195.41 refunded. I have filed a "Cardholder Dispute" with my bank regarding this transaction. TD Bank is currently attempting to retrieve my funds. Film-stuff should NOT ship this merchandise. I am greatly disappointed in the manner this has been handled so far by Cinetronic and Film-Stuff. Please cancel this order and issue a refund. Film-stuff should NOT send any merchandise for any reason. Any package sent will not be accepted unless given written authorization first. Sincerely, Richard Cottrell

Back when I was actually using that arm for paying gigs, I had brought it out to a workshop. Garrett tried it out on the almost stock model 2 sled I was still flying at the time. He said he had not had on a model 2 arm in almost 20 years himself and that he forgot how smooth the early arms were (before they got all loaded up for larger weight ranges) Major cool factor to have Garrett in the old rig even he had mot seen in years, but for me it was just the rig I was able to cut my teeth on. But it is a good reminder that as important as the gear is, you only need a broomstick and a vision. Rich Cottrell

I took my steadicam workshop before I ever even tried one on. Smartest thing I could have done! at the time I was a young TV broadcast camera operator. This was in 2001.

Last night, i think i ruined my thanksgiving feast... I fear that i over baked my aluminum Pelican brand silica gel packs. I have the 40gram ones in the small aluminum pack that you are supposed to bake for 3 hours at 300deg to reset them if they turn pink. I have been doing this on thanksgiving for years but last night i tried using my toaster oven for the first time ever. I forgot that it always tends to run hot so i figure the actual temp was closer to 350 when i first put them in. Soon after putting 4 packs in the oven i thought i could actually smell them cooking so i turned down the heat but the damage might have been done. After just on hour they were no longer pink, but now the crystals are more like blackish color. I do not remember this color for the past years with these silica gel packs. so here is the question, In order to figure out if they will still work, could i drop one in a glass of water? If it turns pink, then i could assume the other 3 still will work. But in doing this "test", did i demolish the one i dropped in the water? or could i let it drip dry and then bake it again to reset it? thanks for any input of ideas. rich

Edit: Only after posting on the forum did I get a reply from cinetronic. Funny how that works... No acknowledgement of my calls or previous emails but here is what Chris is saying about my order. (I had called and emailed a few weeks ago to cancel my order.) I never got a reply until now: "I am out of the office until thanksgiving. Since we have already ordered all the parts for your monitor. It is a little late to cancel." So, Not sure about someone's ability to sue. But if you live in CA you might have some legs. I used by bank debit card to place my order so I will see if my bank can offer any advice. If anyone ordered via a credit card I would think Visa or MasterCard might be able to help you.

Add me to the list of people who paid for a monitor but have not gotten it nor even a reply from this company. I am tired. Moving on. Good luck! Rich

Is this the older style that also fits a Bartech?

I would love to go but that is an Eagles home football Sunday so I have a steadicam to "Fly Eagles Fly, on the road to...." Well anyway, I am working otherwise I would be there! Rich

Afton Very cool and definitive visual confirmation for image delay. Great idea! As always good work, Rich

just a shout out here... what happened to Cinewidgets? I see their web site is gone from the internet. Is Tom Gleason still out there in CA? thanks, rich

Bryan, so how did this job end up? Did you get a hold of a steadiprompt? or did you go with the over the lens LCD route? rich

Re: workers comp insurance Unless I was given bad info, or I am going off a misguided memory... If you are incorporated I do not think you can get a workers comp policy that would cover yourself.

but the real question is WHY?

Has the issue with rain triggering the menu buttons ever been resolved?

Tim, I would love to help the process to make sure the archives are not lost, and i would even help pay for that. I was wondering if we can start some sort of a kickstarter campaign to get the funds together so we can get the archives converted. just an idea, what do you think? rich cottrell

Nor was Pro...

Search this forum and you will find over the years many people have pained over this choice of "Your First Rig" In the archives, you will find many many answers to help you both "select" and "find" your first rig... Some advice comes from top dog hollywood operators, and other advice comes from the manufactures/designers. Still yet you can find insight from others who are recently getting into steadicam as well. That said, I just read this quote, and thinking back you my start into this world of steadicam, I feel it holds true here too. "A determined soul will do more with a rusty monkey wrench than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools in a machine shop." - Robert Hughes I now have to google who Mr. Hughes is so goodnight from Pennsylvania. rich cottrell

Ozzy Good job putting that simple video together. I do things similar yet I run the triax in front of the yoke. It adds another thing that gets in the way of the monitor but it lets me pan left. I always did it this way as that was how I taught myself on my first studio live to tape show. That was on multicore :~( I will have to try your way next time I strap on the rig, but either way... Again good work on the video. Rich

do not be a hero. Get a second docking stand and use it to your advantage. Also, commercial breaks are your breaks too. Even getting the weight off for 30 sec here and there adds up. Rich

I look forward to the release of the HGG... heated gimbal grip

As an operator one thing that might feel strange is a monitor that was not physically level due to the post not being level, but still seeing an camera image that remained level... That said this still sounds cool. but what about taking this idea one step further. What if you keep a neutral balanced sled so tilt is still easy to hold in lockoffs, but you have one of these 5% contraptions on the top and also one on the bottom of the sled... I fly the XCS Ultimate so i am picturing the batteries sliding back and forth to counteract the shift in balance from the cameras COG shifting its position. Maybe you center balance the sled as you normally do then you turn the leveler on and tilt the post the 5% so the camera is still level. Now you "re-trim" the bottom 5% contraption so the sled is still neutrally balanced. Then the processor locks those two settings together. When the sleds post returns to vertical, the top slides to center, and the bottom goes back to its starting position. Maybe you would only need to motorize the bottom stage like the Tiffen rigs offer on top. That would actually be cool too, because you still need to be able to turn this thing off for dutch angle shots, and maybe you want to have a shot with a single dutch at the end, but you want the 5% correction for the other parts of the sequence. rich

Victor I always wonder with online forums where people find those videos to attach to a thread and Why? In this case... spot on. Very cool find. Thanks, Rich

At which booth?

I am thinking about taking the train in from Philly on Sat. Still not sure yet...