JamieSilverstein

David;

I was a member of the executive board of local 600 when we decided to buy and renovate the building. My memory is not great, but I do remember a figure in the 3 million range. The building was paid for through the sale of the share of the previous building and sale of other liquid holdings, namely equities, and yes it is a wonderful building, an asset, and an excellent representation of a very fine union and guild. It should serve Local 600 well for many many years to come. One and all should visit.

Stephen;

I think that more importantly than the rates that Will quoted, you should go to the Iatse 600 cinematographers guild web site and look at standards and conditions for a bench mark of what we have. Similarily you should be able to get contracts from the Iatse INternational web site too.

These contracts cover the United States and Canada.

Thank you for your interest in contracts. Its time to stop fighting each other about runaway production and start getting together and demanding similar conditions for all film workers world wide. That should be your rallying cry when your union gets together to discuss wages and conditions. If they start to downgrade your contract in any way, that becomes the beginning of the long and terrible slide. Stand firm and demand what you as film workers deserve, reasonable hours, reasonable wages, and reasonable conditions!

Good luck in negociations

Having flown it once, all I can say is that it is not the camera of choice. Power wise however its not bad, but it really sucks to carry. If you are doing a walk and talk with it or any thing on flat terrain, make sure that the grip has a Western or doorway dolly for you to use because you will need it after take two or three.

Best of luck.

David

thank you so much for posting this article. This underscores my original point concering Runaway, which is that its not just us, Americans that are affected by the concept, but any nation with a mature film industry. Once people demand a living wage, the producers of product run to the next cheapest venue.

It is truly amazing how civilized the are in Canada, with the government fighting to underwrite the industry, knowing how vital and important workers rights and right to a living wage under safe and civilized conditions are. If only our government shared an iota of that sentiment. November is only 7 months away..................

Thanks again David.

All of the features that Jerry mentioned about the Ultra's tilt plate make tremendous sense to me. But I don't have an Ultra, so the next best option is to buy a tilt plate and use it when a "special shot" is called on.......... I put "special shot " in quotes because it used to be a special shot whenever the steadicam was used on set.........

So I buy a Dog Catcher, or whatever name Greg wants to put on his and I leave it on my sled all the time so as to be able to have a tilt in my bag of tricks whenever I need. I balance the sled and I rebalance whenever I use the tilt, and unless I am missing something, isn't that what we always do whenever we introduce a new piece of equipment onto the rig, say a heavier lens or another piece of follow focus gear?

Regardles of wether its a piece that was placed on the donkey box as a permanent fixture or added afterwards, we still do what we always do, which is, try to find the best static and dynamic balance possible for the shot.

Am I missing something?

I have been using my Masters arm (the only thing Masters left of my rig) for the past 7 Years, so I can't really comment on non iso elastic arms. I have however used the Baer Bel arm and I was very impressed! For the cost it was very responsive, smooth, and had a tremendous boom range. This feature I found very appealing. I never put the arm at the bottom or top of its range and never had to feather the clunk that comes with bottoming or topping out if not careful.

When last looked, they went for about $14000.00. Additionally, a used Masters arm might come for even less than that.

Just a thought about alternatives.

Jeff, I too am an LCD user. I have used them on pictures and live concert stuff and everything inbetween, so you are preaching to the choir. However in the realm of Steadicam and Camera operating, the line between need and want are not very clear. What one needs to successfully operate a shot is what one is comfortable with in a given situation. So if Erwin and countless others who use the TB-6 (The best monitor out there bar none) say that in order to perform to their best they NEED the TB-6, then that is what they need.

Would you question a DP who says that in order to get a certain shot we need to have a certain lens, when you know that you have another that is perfectly fine? I most certainly wouldn't, and I wouldn't question the needs of any craftsperson/artist when they feel that they need something to make the process work for them.

Tom designs other items as well and he does a great job of it. He is careful, very communicative, conscientious and reasonable as far as price goes. I can recommend him without hesitation.

Jamie.

I have to echo what the guru of Steadicam says (thats you Erwin), which is that the customer service of a company is all that matters, once the product has been proven field worthy.

So from that point lets start with the basic facts:

1) The BFD has sold many HUNDRED units at this point and there have not been very complaints about the unit.

2) From my stand point, any issues that I have had with my BFD's either due to normal wear and tear or design modification have been taken care of with the utmost concern for my needs and a great interest in my thoughts concerning the product. Needless to say, once sent to Jim, the unit was back to me promptly.

3) I have yet to have see a Benz out in the field, and I was looking at prototypes at Able New York a year ago.

Those are the facts as I see them.

Customer service for a field proven piece of epuipment. And I must agree with the guru of Steadicam on another issue; which specifically is that there are good companies out there and there are those interested in chasing the dollar and only the dollar. Erwin highlighted those companies out there who have a tremendous amount of integrity, and are interested in helping/serving those who buy from them, knowing that a happy customer will be the best advertisment going.

I am the Operator that Alec mentioned in one of his posts, and yes due to the set screws on my Masters low mode bracket, my rig went 435 first into the ground from about 4' in the air. The camera was great, but the rig was pretty much toast. $6,000.00 of repairs later, I love the help I got from Mike Bennett on the insurance, and the rig was better than new. I also spent $1.49 on a bolt that I put throught the low mode bracket so that I would never have to go through that again.

I guess if it could happen to me then it could happen to you too.

Before you go out and spend several thousand bucks, I would check out the Hummingbird. The brightness is reputed to be better and the anti reflective coating is supposed to be excellent. I think you can do a google search for them.

Brian; Several questions.

When will the arm be ready?

What is the price point?

How do you change the springs?

How do you fine tune the arm?

Looking forward to hearing more.

Jamie.

Phil;

Runaway is not about where a film is shot, its about the fact that a film can be shot anywhere in the universe at this point. If not the US, then Australia, then South Africa, then China, then, then,then. This discussion is so valuable because it allows us to understand that we are all pawns. Producers will move to the cheapest port and force all of us to cut our lowering rates even lower.

And yes they are lowering. In the US real wages for film technicians have not risen in many years, and conditions have diminished as well.

Consider the concept of Runaway Production as a harbinger of things to come for all people working in film all over the world if we don't do something collectively. I think that the first step is to stop arguing about who should be doing the work and where, and agree that all of us should be working to make wages and conditions uniform for all of us.

Jamie.

There are more than several options out there....... I own a Transvideo, am looking at a Hummingbird, thinking about a Panasonic, drooling over the Teletest HD, and wondering about the Tamuz. So much time, so little time to spend money.

Jamie.

I own two of them, and I love them. They have been accurate, damn fast and strong, they set up well and are nicely thought out. The complete package, which includes motor, gears, rod adapters and I think a dog bone, is all you need to get going right out of the box. Nothing like plug and play. I couldn't be more delighted with a product.

Nope Don isn't my brother in law, I don't work for him and he isn't having my baby.

Jeff;

Need is a very subjective term. People who own more than one guitar will know what I mean. I need what is best for my operating. If I feel that the LCD that I use is what I need then so be it. Clearly Erwin, Alec, and Larry all need the TB-6. Do you need it? It seems to me that you have a fine and steady career going using your Transvideo..........

I like LCD's and I like the idea of the technology. Would I own a TB-6 if I were not so concerned about my childrens' educations? You bet your A#@. Would I own several of them? Why of course. The point is, is that my need is focused around the college funds of the kids not the TB-6. The disposability of LCD's (great ones can be had for around $3000) is a tremendous incentive for the support. If I can buy 3 for the price of one CRT and they all are really good, NOT great, mind you, then that is an incentive too.

Price, function, need, security, priority.......... How many guitars do you have?

I have used an LCD for the past several years.......... Do I miss the CRT. YES. But the idea and the technology have so much going for it that I think that I'll stay with the LCD. You have to look back at what Larry was saying about the Tiffen VS the best CRT on the market, the TB6. I think the post was towards the end of 2003. He put it pretty perfectly......... There are some things that an LCD cannot compensate for, specifically certain angles, and certain glare situations. Because of that the CRT or TB6 in this instance is superior. Can you make great pictures using either? Always remember, some of the best shots in Steadicam history were performed on 2's,3's and 3a's. The tools only serve to make the job easier. Its up to the operator to create the magic.

More than several years ago, I was lucky enough to get to shoot a film in NYC and in Hong Kong. This is before the unification, so I imagine things are a little different there now, but just the same, I must say that the crew was MARVELOUS. The electricians were eager and focused as well as experienced and the camera crew (five in all not including the grip who is also part of the camera crew) was beyond any criticism. In a word flawless.

Hong Kong was unbelievable as were the people....... Thanks for bringing me back there for a moment Erwin.

Jamie

Phil;

I am sorry about the fact that you can't pay your mortgage and I am sorry that most english film doesn't get the exposure that US films get, but don't attack the technicians for that. These are the guys that work on the movie not the financiers, producers or distributers, just the technicans.

We presumably are all assisitants, operators, or newly into the business and wanting to become one of the above. We need to understand that we are all in the globalization quagmire together. "If not here then somewhere cheaper; Screw the workers here", and off they go to the next stop. We are a commidity unless we find a way, all of us, to stop the flight of productions from our shores. Its not about The US or Canada or Britain, its about Globalization.

Jay you are asking several questions........ As a local 600 member and a member of the Executive Board, I can only answer that being in a Union is a good thing for anyone who is a technician. It provides protection while on the job, standards, pension and welfare, as well as generally a better wage. As for working non-union, the answer is our policy is generally to turn a job around rather than turn it down. You generally only get opportunities to work on larger shoots if you have a union card, so if you desire to branch out and try the "big leagues" having a card is a good way to start.

The only catch is that you are a company as well as a member and there are certain conflicts between the two. You should get in touch with the local union rep down there and he or she will be able to go through the ramifications of billing through your company, insurance etc......

Can't say it more simply than this. Greg is great and his products are just as good. No, I'm not his brother in law, just a very happy owner of an XCS Gimbal, Level, and Monitor Bracket. If I had to do it over again, besides coming back as a blonde, I'd buy one of his sleds and monitors, with out hesitation. His service and his attention to his customers is of the best in the business. No operator is too big or too small for Greg to listen to and try to help. You gotta appreciate that.

So if both Mitch and Jerry are right, then its not the point of attack , but the over use by an FM vest on your shoulders (many injuries reported to date concerning shoulders and fm vests, and back, I need not report on that part of the body to any of us here). The hips bearing the brunt of the weight allow us as operators to use our brains for more operating and less survival. In other words, a back mounted vest is more energy efficient...........

The only question I have concerning point of attack is if your back begins to tilt forward as is the case after a long day in an FM vest, aren't you effectivly bringing your center of gravity foward and placing more and more stress on your lower back. Additionally, in a non rigid vest, if the vest twists as you work, say in low mode, doesn't that also place different stress on the body at different points?

Finally, the design of the BM vest, provides for a "hinge effect in the back, pushing the vest into your back as you walk, rather than pushing the vest away from you as is the case with an FM vest. If the vest pushes into you rather than away from you, doesn't that affect the where the weight affects you? So maybe its not about where the Center of Gravity exists on a vest, if all equal, but how that CG affects you in a rigid vs non rigid vest.

For my body, and career the back mounted system has made a tremendous difference, all of which has been explained.

The bottom line, regardless of the science, is that there is a notable difference between the two systems. I personally prefer the Back Mounted to the front.

Erwin;

I think that there are several reasons for the switch to Hytron from NiCad. First and most crucial is the fact that NiCads are very very very very toxic and polluting, and I would imagine that there is pressure being placed to stop producing them. Secondly, the 120 carries a tremendous amount more "umph" per pound than the PRO Pack 14.4. Only 1/2 lb heavier and twice the power. Finally they might be cheaper to make in the long run, but that is only speculation on my part. I hate the idea of buying new batteries, but its a choice I don't really have. Ultimatly, I am going to go with the little bit of extra weight, and twice the power. It doesn't hurt that I am hurting the environment a little less also.

Jamie.

I too have a Jerry Rig and I have used the AB Digital 14.4 Propacks with the Proformers combination for the past 3 years........ My Proformers are holding up very nicely, whereas the Propacks are dropping like flies. I had one replaced under warranty, and two are on their way to the exchange program shortly because they just don't hold a charge any longer and are out of warranty. I have used them on all types of cameras, the most demanding overall being the Sony Cine Alta 900 with a hungry downconverter and a couple of other power sucking devices to boot.

In the field, I have found that the film cameras used were never a problem (with the execption of the 435 in sub zero temps at high speeds, which just required constant battery changes). Video cameras, specifically HD cameras with downconverters attached, because they are generally on all the time tend to suck more in less time

Now that I am on the road to new batts, I am thinking that I will go with the HYTRON 120's. I have used them on the rig with The Sony 900's and they work like Channuka batteries. For you non-Jewish readers, that means that they virtually last for 8 days on one charge!!!!!!!!!! And the cost difference with the trade in of my old PROPACKS is only $50.00 more per battery over the cost of new PRO PACKS. Twice the Amp hours at only $50.00 extra. I like that cost to amp hour ratio!

If any of you have any thoughts as to why I shouldn't buy the 120's please speak now or forever hold your peace. Is it true that you cannot transport 100's or 120's via an airplane??????? That would certainly change my thoughts.

This is a very tricky topic...... One that has people in the Unions all over the US, Canada and elsewhere in heated arguments over how to deal with the loss of work to other nations. I know the debate is heated because I am an Executive Board member of IATSE Local 600, which is the National Guild for camera people in the US.

First of all understand this, ITS NOT ABOUT THE WORKERS, ITS ABOUT THE PRODUCERS. None of us begrude the fantastic technicians all over the world the right to work and work for a living wage, under safe conditions. HOWEVER, if producers decide to go to the cheapest place available without any conscience towards people and communities that they have employed in the past, then we all as Steadicam operators are in grave danger of losing our livelyhood, whereever we live. Remember they can always go to the next place to shoot, as long as its cheaper, so none of us is safe from Runaway Production. There are always people out there willing to work for less. Are you?

Runaway Production is not soley an American problem, its a global workers problem. There is nothing socialist or communist about that last statement, we are all workers, well compensated, but workers nonetheless, and as such Runaway Production threatens all of us all over the world.

Please don't fight amongst oursleves about this, there are better arguments for us, like which is better back mounted or front mounted. Rather, we must figure out ways to fight producers who are more than willing to abandon any place to find the next cheapest country, and labor force.

I hope this helps to clarify to issue and helps people understand why I for one support Robert Altman's sentiments

Peace.