Fabian Begnert

I've read this topic more than one time now and I always find it very inspiring - looking at a birds-eye perspective of operating, how everything in our body is in use when operating Steadicam. I'm not a working operator myself (yet), but a splendid daydreamer until the day and money comes, but I'm that until then to set up a lifestyle with good training. Which, for example, would be foot-training. How would any of you have trained your feet, given the chance to do so before working full time? Is Vibram the way to go to build strength, and then get a pair of Meindl once the operating is daily? All the best, Fabian

Really, REALLY inspiring, incredibly beautiful. You should be proud Mike, make this video your only showreel. But where does the question of post-stabilization come from? He already had the best stabilizer in the business (a steadicam). I mean, post-stabilization wasn't exactly standard when shooting was done on film, and equally impressive shots have been done with that medium..

Sound like you fixed your own challange. And mighty fine too. I can just say I use the Merlin too, with a GH2 though, and I do know what you mean with the stability the Merlin is very, VERY sensitive when operating. And balancing, of course. Sounds like more is more, maybe I should try to fly close to the max limit myself? Speaking of Merlin, have you had problem with dynamic balance? I have a theory that the off-set front weigh is bound to cause improper balance, but I can't really tell for sure (so hard to spin it evenly). /F

Hey veterans. I completely new here, actually I think this is my first post. I don't own a rig (if the Merlin doesn't count? Looking for a big rig if you know anyone, though) so the only time I have been able to wear a rig extensively was on the 6 days workshop in here in Sweden in May 2012. Haven't had the time to invest or train with 5 Fingers since that because of traveling, but that will absolutely be my next investment!, because the opposite kind of shoe did not work at all... I began the workshop with normal training shoes with "ergonomically" soles, with enormous support for the foot arches. Never had a problem with these shoes before when training, but then again I hadn't worn them for 10 hours straight while under a lot of load. 2 days, then I switched to normal walking shoes with much much flatter soles inherited by my late grandfather. A million times better straight away! And the "wobbling" I think I felt in the training shoes were as good as gone too, much more stable with flat inner and outer soles. After the switch it was only the 2 month and recently just healed stress fracture that hurted in the left foot. Hehe, yeah... To put it simple, my point is don't wear training shoes with high arch support or anyhting like that, it hurts like hell after a long day. Especially when you have a stress fracture. On the plus side my knees and back had never felt better as after that week - if a career fails I still have to have a big rig for the workout! Best regards to you all, /Fabbe