JamieSilverstein

And to further what Alec is saying...... I think that in LA they had between 20,000 and 30,000 people attend the Monitor Shootout. We have to show some East Coast Pride and have a great turnout here too. I'm hoping for at least 40,000 attendants............ JUST KIDDING. But we do want everyone on the East Coast to come out and see the monitors, rub elbows, see the D-21 in action and hang out in the New CSC digs. You don't have to be a Union member to come to the event, but because it is being sponsored by the union, you have to call there to resereve a spot. Reservations are to make sure that we have ample lunch supplied. Call 212 647-7300 and ask for Robbie. Come and show some East Coast Steadicam Pride! Any questions, feel free to call me at 917 796-4217. Alec and I look forward to seeing all of you on Saturday at 12. Jamie

One other note about the Monitor Shootout East Coast Style........ Even if you are not a member of Local 600, you are welcome to attend the event. When you RSVP please tell Robbie that you spoke to me and that you would like to attend. I look forward to seeing anyone who is interested in seeing these monitors at the event. See you there!! Jamie

Philip; The reason we ask for an RSVP is so that we know how much lunch to provide and also to give CSC notice as to how many participants to expect. So Please RSVP. We look forward to seeing you there. Jamie

Jeff; I might just take you up on your offer..... Thanks. Jamie

I would also be more than willing to trade my 2" Gyro clamp, 2 2" Gorlok 2 rings and my 2" XCS monitor clamp for the same items in 1.5" size.... Let me know. Jamie

Good idea Jason. Thanks

I need several things for my new rig that has a 1.5" post so if you have these things lying around give me a call. 1 - 1.5" PRO Post gyro mount 2 - 1.5" Gorlock rings for a gorlock 2 1 - 1.5" monitor post collar for an XCS monitor bracket. If it's lying around and you want to sell it or trade it for the same in 2" diameter, get in touch. Thanks; Jamie 917 796-4217 silverodt@earthlink.net

Nothing but praise from here on the East Coast. Service, quick and reasonable, and with a really great attitude.

EXCELLENT! We Look foward to seeing you there James. Let me know if there is anything you need. Jamie

Thanks Charles I only hope we live up to the high standards that you set out west. We are really excited about the event. Jamie

Thanks to Charles Papert's fantastic creative efforts, and the overwhelming popularity of the Great Monitor Shootout in Los Angeles, Alec Jarnegin and I are organizing the event in the New York Area............ So let me be the first to make the announcement...... The Great Monitor Shootout, East Coast Style is being sponsored by the International Cinematographer's Guild, with participation by SOC. It's going to be at Camera Service Center on Saturday August 22, and we will have 11 monitors on display in 'Rotisserie' style. We'll be there from 12 noon to 4pm, and, as well as displaying the monitors, we plan on having several of the East Coast's busiest Steadicam operators sit in on a panel and discuss their art and craft. Lunch and refreshments will be served. Come see monitors, meet Steadicam pals and see the brand new luxurious Camera Service Center. Let me know if you are interested and available. I hope to see all of you there.

It's a cool looking bracket. I have a couple of questions. Do the 19mm rods have pins in them to keep them from rotating? I might like to mount motors on them as well so they would have to be very rigid. Can the 15mm rods that go into the plate be pushed flush to the plate to avoid additional torque and vibration? Otherwise like I said, it's a cool looking and potentially useful bracket.

The Dbox lll has been SOLD. I am motivated so I am taking 10% off the price of the rest of the equipment. Here are the new prices: Jerry Hill base + Batts, charger, PRO connector, Case ($5000.00 new base alone) - $3780.00 XCS Post compatible with Base and Junction Box ($2800.00 new) - $1900.00 PRO Junction box ($1300 new) - $900.00 I have pictures of the equipment if you are interested. Thanks; Jamie Silverstein silverodt@earthlink.net

ANOTHER OPTION: If you already have a Donkey Box and don't want to buy my Dbox lll, I am willing to sell the base, post and Junction Box. The price without the Dboxlll would be $7400.00 and would include: Hill base, batteries and charger, with a PRO connector XCS Post designed to work with PRO components PRO Junction Box. It's too hard to post pics here, so please email me and I'll get them to you promptly. Thanks Jamie

I am selling: 1- Jerry Hill battery base WITH; 2 Hytron 120 batteries (very good condition), 4 Proformers (very good condition), 1 Titan Twin battery charger, 1 PRO Connector on the base. 1- XCS 2" Carbon fiber post, designed with PRO mounts on the top and bottom 1 - PRO Jbox 1 - PRO Dbox lll The Hill base is designed to run one or two batteries for 12 Volt or 24 Volt operation (two batteries are required for 24 Volts). You can also use two batteries to power the sled and a 12 Volt camera separately. The batteries slide on a long worm gear with 8 inches of travel so you have endless balancing options (there is both a fine tune adjustment for the worm gear and a gross adjustment to slide the batteries faster). The base is designed to mate with whatever center post you wish, but comes wired with the 8 pin Lemo PRO standard. This has been an extradorinary battery base for me. Totally reliable and virtually bullet proof, but I have another base and extra batteries so its time to put some of this up for sale. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JUST THE BASE, I AM WILLING TO SELL IT ALONE. The XCS Post is a GREAT post. RIGID and light. The cable running through is extremely durable. The Jbox and Dbox lll are made by PRO, are in excellent condition and are industry standards. ALSO INCLUDED: AJ Sled case. The case is in very good condition, but the foam could use some redoing. I currently use it as my sled case. PRICE: $4200 US (plus shipping) for the base, batteries, charger, and PRO connector only. OR $11,200.00 US (plus shipping) for all of the above. Pictures to follow. Thanks; Jamie Silverstein silverodt@earthlink.net 917 796-4217

The where and when are two good questions Brant. Let's talk over the weekend and see if there is interest in having a 'shoot out east', provided that Charles doesn't mind us getting on the wave and giving it a ride too.

Several thoughts: 1) I guess I like the intensity that Marianne is bringing to the dialogue. Means she must like her product. 2) I own a Hummingbird Blackbird, as well as a Transvideo 6..5" monitor, and I can say that there are times when I look at the picture and wonder why it isn't giving me the kind of picture I expect given a certain feed (either video tap, or HD downconverted signal)....... Some sources are better than others. So that leads me to ask another question........ Weren't all the monitors given a signal from the same source? Shouldn't all the monitors have had the same advantages/disadvantages that that source provided? 3) Charles, if Alec hasn't already talked to you, I would love to find out a way to put on a 'shootout' in New York. This whole thread has been one of the most informative in a long time. Thanks guys..... and gals Peace; Jamie

Yeah but I've been told that the Digital crap is even worse.......... Ahhh hell, it's all crap!

I have been asked to give a seminar and demo for two college classes next week, and I wanted to give the students an opportunity to fly my rig. The only problem is that I only have a back mounted vest, so we will be limited to only those students who are around my size. If someone in the NY area owns a front mounted vest that is not working at this time, would it be possible for me to borrow it from Sunday through Tuesday. I would return it on Wednesday. I will assume full responsibility for the use of the vest, and I will return it in the same condition in which I received it. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. Jamie Silverstein silverodt@earthlink.net 917 796-4217

Hugo; Hoping for the best, and a steady recovery for your wife. Jamie

As we all know, sometimes pictures DON'T tell the whole story. I am and have been an ardent fan of the Blackbird monitor. It's great in the sun, it's great inside, and I can actually see things that I couldn't see with a green screen. That being said, I would never think of prying Alec's TB6 from him. As ardent a fan as I am of the Blackbird, Alec is equally as devoted to his TB6. Chacun a son gout............ To each his own....... My french is terrible. Jamie

Jeff; I did many seasons of Rescue Me, and then another hand held show for two seasons. I have several sports related injuries that create problems with my hips when I do hand held. Without the Easy Rig, I would have never survived the 5 plus seasons of hand held episodic. The only down side from my perspective is that you get teased from all sides for using a hand held aid. It goes against that macho hand held image that we are supposed to uphold. All the razzing couldn't get me to take it off though. Jamie

Hey Erwin; Please don't ever feel paranoid about expressing your point of view. You in no way insulted or demeaned anyone, and I totally understand and respect your feelings about what you buy and why you buy it. I actually feel the same way, but when I pull myself out of myself every once and a while, and look at what I do, I have to stop and wonder. You made some wonderful points. Yes Pelican is made in the USA, and they are a very reputable and reliable company. Their products last a long time and as a result don't really need to be replaced. I have a meter case that is almost as old as you are....... Actually it's 25 years old, and the only thing wrong with it is that it is camo colored. You also pointed out that there are a TREMENOUS number of people out there on food stamps, and more are going on the rolls everyday. So I guess the point is that it's not the $500.00 tool box really, it's me asking all of us to look at ourselves for a moment, not as Steadicam operators, as artists, as film technicians, but as a community of people in a bigger community. I know much too granola for this forum........ but I guess I get tired of only talking about the best rig and smoothest arm with people as intelligent as I think we all are. I thank you guys for your input and insights, and I hope they continue, both positive and negative. It shows that we are thinking. Oh and Lawrence you are right....... It's Eric's car. Psst don't tell him, but I still think he got ripped off. Respectfully; Jamie

Eric; You paid 100k for that car. Man you really got ripped off. Just kidding. But it's still just a tool box.

Guys; This is not to condemn anyone person in here or to criticize their personal choices, but, when I went to the web site and saw the price of the 0450, I had to laugh...... Otherwise I would have choked! Let me put it this way; almost $500.00......... for a tool box......Shipping not included......... for a tool box......... Now here comes the socially important message......... In this economy, in the state of the industry as it is, and given the general trend towards a more frugal and modest way of living, an anti Bernie Madoff, and my ego is not invested in this way of looking at things, isn't a $500.00 tool box sorta out of step? Don't get me wrong, I buy stuff, and I spend money, and I have so far had an ok year, but I could just see my father, long dead so don't diss him, smacking me on the back of the head, calling me a schmuck, and, well......... being right. $500.00 for a tool box. Maybe we need to re-assess things a little. Maybe we, and I include myself in the equation, need to forgo the $500.00 tool box, take one less day of work, and give that day to a guy who is going to be in need of those extra hours for qualification on the health plan. For those of you who aren't in Local 600, giving your pal the day to pay off his huge medical bills. Like I said; this isn't meant to criticize any individual, or tell anyone what or what not to buy. I am only looking at us, and me in particular and wondering if we are helping people, or just spending money cause we can, which is your right in this country. Go ahead and bash away if you vehemently disagree, I honestly welcome your thoughts, and my ego isn't invested in this discussion. Let's have a dialogue about social responsibility, and how it relates to our community. It's really not about the cost of any particular item, it's about looking at ourselves and asking questions. Respectfully; Jamie Silverstein