Jump to content

Mark Stitzer

Members
  • Posts

    17
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Reputation

1 Neutral

Contact Methods

  • Website
    http://vimeo.com/markstitzer

Profile Information

  • Location
    Pennsylvania, USA
  • Rig
    LUNA upgraded Model II arm and vest, MKV-Evolution sled

Recent Profile Visitors

1,055 profile views
  1. Agreed! Luna does great work on our older arms and is very easy to work with.
  2. I have an MK-V Evolution sled and have experienced monitor signal drop too. My electronics seem to be very picky with the video cable used to feed the sled. When using some old or cheap cables (don't ever buy a monoprice BNC) I will routinely have the signal drop out completely requiring me to power cycle the sled to get picture back. Other times, the image will flicker a bit and slowly get darker to the point where the monitor is only about half brightness. I can reset it by disconnecting and reconnecting the video line from the camera to the sled. With a good quality cable, It works fine all day. I've checked all my connections on those other cables and they are solid and carry signal directly to a production monitor just fine. Seems to me that maybe the MK-V electronics are more sensitive to cable construction and impedance. Mark
  3. I actually occasionally experience a chest pain when operating a Steadicam Scout loaded up to 15-18lbs. It has happened on several occasions and only with that vest. Like you, it is centered and sharp, though it only happens while operating for me. My best guess was that perhaps the front of the hip pad was pushing into my abdomen at a bad spot and I felt it further up somehow. My model 2 vest flying twice the weight never hurts. I've been operating for 6-7 years and have taken the workshops so I know how to fit a vest and operate. Like I said, I could only attribute it to the scout vest pressing on something differently that my body doesn't like. I would suggest completely refitting the vest, every pad and strap, just start over and see what happens.
  4. Anyone who wants a proper start in the world of Steadicam, and even those with some experience should do this at least once. THE best training you will get. I came to it with a few years of limited Steadicam use and this workshop immediately improved my skills and taught me the correct ways to operate. Tons of fun and tons of collective knowledge from the instructing group makes for an awesome week.
  5. Ask all the questions you can. Don't be intimidated by the more seasoned operators, they were once inexperienced too and asked just as many "dumb" questions. A workshop is a must, and I would consider that as a first step so you can get your hands on a variety of different types of rigs. As for the rig size, don't worry about it. Get a Zephyr or a Scout and get good at it. If you can nail down good operating and solid horizons on a small rig, you'll be amazed how "easy" it will be to get shots with a bigger, heavier rig. Basically, listen to Janice.
  6. I agree with Janice and others that there are moments, or even plateaus when learning to operate Steadicam. I used an old one my company had for years and thought I had figured it out. When I finally went to a workshop, I realized I had some poor operating habits and so got knocked down a peg. The workshop helped tremendously and my setups and operating was immediately better for it, so again I thought I had it all figured out. I felt comfortable in the rig, I was able to disengage from the rig and my operating felt almost automatic. Then I had to do some slow moves and longer lens work and quickly realized I had a long way to go in getting the precision needed to be a good operator. After some time feeling like I'm stuck at a particular skill level, I'll finish a shot and check playback and realize that I did some good work and I don't even remember intentionally doing some of the movement in it. It just starts to come naturally. I'm sure next week I'll have a shot that will knock me back down again, and then I'll reset my level of personal expectations a notch higher and work towards my next "moment".
  7. Thanks for the info. I'll reach out to him and see. Mark
  8. Hi all, I've got an MK-V V2 gimbal that is in need of some servicing. I've got noticeable pan friction and cleaning/re-lubing did not help. Anyhow, I'm looking for someone in the US that is able to service that gimbal. Karen at MK-V said there was a place in the US that services them, but I can't seem to find the info and I haven't heard back from Karen. Thanks! ~Mark
  9. When instructing new operators at workshops, I've found that having then focus on the camera instead of the monitor produces more accurate operating, especially if they have some operating background. We often get too focused on the boundaries of the monitor resulting in a reactive operating situation rather than anticipatory. Wide shots are certainly easier without a monitor. I've had to complete a few shots midway due to a signal loss. I just focus on the camera instead of the monitor and it often works out.
  10. I have a Bartech with a small wired thumb wheel that I mount to the gimbal handle. It works well, especially for documentary work where you may not have an AC or don't want to rely on someone to do it for you in a very live environment. There are other options for ENG/broadcast lens controllers too, but I haven't used them.
  11. I agree with others in that it is probably your weight shifting and hip movement on the socket block side that adds the vertical bump. But, I would say that arm friction can be a big culprit too. I see steps much more when I use smaller arms like the Scout system I sometimes use. My old model 2 arm, however, is much smoother and I don't notice steps. I have found that having a heavier build(more inertia) helps a lot in overcoming the friction in an arm.
  12. I checked again and was incorrect on my model number for the arm. The arm is actually #173, the Vest (Steadicam Suit) is #179. You can see in the pictures that even the Arm bones are stamped with the serial number. https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BwuhzoBfEMgvUDc1NDhoTTdILTA&usp=sharing The old Sled, which I still have and still works, is marked with #153. It still has the AB power mount that Jerry Holway added decades ago, and it still works. The original monitor is long gone so I just mount a light weight LCD on it if I need to use it. The original electronics have been hacked to simply supply a video signal up to the stage and power to the monitor. It still has the TK-76 control module in the Sled body...for weight I suppose. I'll have to find a recent picture if it. I own the gear, but I kind of feel like a curator of the gear as well. Lots of history in these old rigs and hopefully more life in them too. Mark
  13. I'm looking to switch my MK-V Evolution power system from PAG to Anton Bauer. Does anyone have either an AB Dual Battery 12/24 mount for MK-V systems (see pic) or a couple of PAG to AB adapter plates they are looking unload? Thanks! Mark
  14. Yes, original springs! Robert Luna modified it with long adjuster screws to make them adjustable from the original 39ish lbs only to a useable 19-39lbs. Silky smooth and I can fly lighter loads now.
×
×
  • Create New...