Tom Wills

600 is not a hiring hall, and getting work is still your responsibility once you are a member. You can list yourself as available on the 600 website, but I doubt you will get much serious work from there.

Check your folding battery hanger. That nut is used to tie down the fold-up portion of the battery hanger, but if it is hit hard enough (like crashing the rig), it can be pressed out. Don't know any other major areas where you'd find one of those on a PRO 2.

Tim - have you thought about adding helicoiled threads? It would require a few post-printing steps, but still be much cheaper than traditional machining, and using a Helicoil or a threaded insert (some of which are specifically designed for insertion into soft plastic) would be more than strong enough for the forces we are applying to this part, and be much lower profile.

Thanks Louis and Thomas Crescenzo for helping me out! If anyone else should need a vector graphics version for their own update, let me know!

I'm building a frankenrig out of an old EFP, and I'm trying to restore the nameplate on the back of the sled, which has seen better days. Is there any way a fellow EFP owner could scan their nameplate for me? I'm including a picture of the one I have, for reference. Send me an email at willsvideo@gmail.com if you can help out! Thanks in advance!

I've had this issue on a Mini once, and rebooting fixed it. Never came back, so I thought it was just a momentary bug. Scary to hear it can reoccur and take down the camera. If anyone hears of a fix, I'd love to know it.

Shawn, my Atomos Samurai (and all of the rest of Atomos's SDI gear, as far as I know) all support record triggering off of Arri cameras.

Hello friends! I've been thinking a lot lately about follow focus systems. All but 3 jobs I've been on since last October have carried their own follow focus systems. Sometimes they belong to the assistants, but I've been seeing more and more that the standard camera package nowadays comes with a Preston, at least on the jobs I am working. So my Preston FIZ-1 package has sat dutifully in its case, gathering dust. It's made me wonder - in this age of focus pullers using monitors more and more, and remote head and moving camera work being the norm, are wireless focus packages now just a standard part of the camera package? Should I be carrying my own? I wonder if it would be different were I on longer term jobs, versus day playing as I am now. More than advice on how to deal with my situation, however, I'd like to get the feedback of you all on whether or not you are finding your own focus systems working on set, or whether you're leaving it in the case more. Is this a general industry trend, or are wireless focus systems still something that is demanded of any Steadicam operator? Looking forward to your thoughts!

Price dropped to $5500 for the kit without Microforce. The motors cost almost that much alone!

Price dropped to $3000. Get them while they last!

Here is another batch of G4 MDR-2s, just removed from use. I have been told these have the latest firmware and they are all tested and working. Serial numbers are in the 2000s. These are ready to use with your HU-3, and could be a great starting point for a Preston package! Asking for $3200 Or Best Offer plus shipping (or local pickup in Philly or NYC) Contact me at willsvideo@gmail.com if you are interested.

My Preston FIZ Gen 1 package is up for sale. This was my first Preston system, and served me well on many jobs. Since many of my assistants now carry their own system, it’s time to get this to a new owner! Includes: - HU-1 Hand Unit with Microwave Transmitter - MDR-1 and Microwave Receiver - DM-1 Motor with Hill bracket (19mm) - DM-2 Motor with Hill bracket (15mm) - OmniShot Battery Adapter (use Sony M batteries on the HU) - 5 small Sony M batteries (generic brand) - 1 large Sony M battery (generic brand) - 2 Motor cables - 2 P-Tap Power cables - 1 XLR Power cable - Arri Run Stop cable - Red One Run Stop cable - Kit of spare antennas - 8 Focus rings - Spare Hand Unit (no transmitter) - Pelican 1520 Case Also available, either separately or with the package: - Microforce V+F (well used, but checked up at Preston with a new speed pot) - 25+ foot Microforce to Hand Unit cable (works with any Preston hand unit) - 3” Microforce to Hand Unit cable Asking $6000 for the Preston kit, and an extra $500 for the Microforce, or $750 for the Microforce separately.

Bump. Still looking for a home for this arm!

Still for sale, and open to reasonable offers. Thanks!

All are gone. Thanks!

This arm is back on the market after a previous sale fell through. This is one of Mike O’Shea’s arms, and he is selling it as he has more arms than rigs at this point. This is an Ultra arm, in good working order. It flies well, and has only normal wear for its age. The arm was serviced by Robert Luna to replace a spring in 2014, and was gone over by him then. I have flown this arm, and as long as the sled is within the weight range of the arm (between 45 and 60 pounds), it works quite well. A great arm for a beginner, since it'll fly anything you throw at it (even a BL4!). It has a Titanium Tools-Free socket block, so it is best used with a front mount vest. Includes: Short Tiffen (.740”) arm post Long Tiffen (.740”) arm post Regular Tiffen-to-PRO (.625”) arm post Regular Tiffen-to-Lightweight (.500”) arm post Steadicam Arm Bag Would make a great first arm, or the start of an upgrade to a full-sized rig. Asking $7500. Cash discount available for east-coast operators. Email me at willsvideo@gmail.com to discuss details. Thanks!

Only one of these left - special price to clear it out: $3200! Email me (willsvideo@gmail.com) to reserve it for yourself - I want to get it sold within this week, and I don't think it'll take long!

I've just upgraded to a new battery system, so I'm retiring most of my Dionics. These are the originals - Dionic 90s, not Dionic HCs. These will not power most high draw cameras today, but they are great on sleds in parallel and on monitors, and might be a good starter set of batteries (or project to re-cell). Amp-Hour ratings range from around 6 Ah to 4 Ah. I no longer have a discharger to test the capacities on, but these were the last numbers I had. The best one was re-celled in 2013. Some of them are probably near end-of-life, but do fine for light loads. All have worked on my rig and monitors as recently as last week. Also included is one totally dead Dionic 90, ready for re-celling by John Ritter. Looking for $400, free USPS Flat Rate shipping in the US. Email me at willsvideo@gmail.com.

I plan on being there, unless I'm busy!

Happy to say that this arm is now SOLD! Thanks everybody!

Price drop to $3800 OBO each. 3 of these units are remaining - one sold.

Sold!

Slight correction, it went in for service about a year ago. Still for sale, and open to offers. Thanks!

Continuing helping a friend clear out some gear... The Boxx Meridian is one of the industry standards for HD (and SD) video transmission, still used on sets around the world. Rock solid signal over quite some distance, and very reliable. Both of these units were just taken off of a show. Package 1 contains all of the bells and whistles: Transmitter (with AB plates and adapter for use on Alexas) Receiver with Panel Antenna (with Stand mount and AB plates) 6 Short antennas 5 Long antennas 4 Pin XLR Power Supply 3 4 Pin XLR power cables (2 long, 1 short) Power Tap power cable 2 Pin LEMO power cable (Alexa) 3 Pin Fischer power cable (24v) Audio I/O Cable Pelican case with custom-cut foam Asking $8000 Or Best Offer. Pictures of Package 1: http://imgur.com/a/wfan2 Package 2 contains all you need to get started: Transmitter (with AB plates and adapter for use on Alexas) Receiver with Panel Antenna (with Stand mount and AB plates) 6 Short antennas 5 Long antennas 1 4 Pin XLR power cable Power Tap power cable 2 Pin LEMO power cable (Alexa) 3 Pin Fischer power cable (24v) Pelican case with custom-cut foam Asking $7600 Or Best Offer. Pictures of Package 2: http://imgur.com/a/k2Vh4 Email me at willsvideo@gmail.com to discuss details.

Continuing helping a friend clear out some gear... This is a real workhorse arm, from one of Mike O’Shea’s stable of rigs. It is a Steadicam Ultra arm. This arm has been well-used, and shows normal wear, but it has been gone over by Robert Luna within the past year for a new spring and a general work-over. There is some cosmetic wear on the bones, and on some of the trunions (as shown in the pictures), but it flies beautifully (I have personally tested it with my sled). It has the Titanium tools-free socket block. Includes: Short Tiffen (.740”) arm post Long Tiffen (.740”) arm post Regular Tiffen-to-PRO (.625”) arm post Regular Tiffen-to-Lightweight (.500”) arm post Steadicam Arm Bag Would make a great first arm, or the start of an upgrade to a full-sized rig. Asking $7500 Or best offer. Make an offer if you’re interested - this arm is no longer needed and would be much better off in the hands of a new owner! Email me at willsvideo@gmail.com to discuss details!