Guarnanene

oh, oops... sorry I tried to re-register as a different name, but it won't let me because I only have 1 e-mail address.

no, does it mean something that I should be concerned about? thanks for the comments, they were really helpful! I will definantly be looking into the workshops before I get any more serious.

yup, I was planning on long periods of time for learning, it may be a couple of years before I get one. but I'm looking and learning now.

Thanks for the comments! I really appriciate it. sorry, my sarcasm misslead you as well, please read my latest posts,.. I didn't go indepth into my plans, which I should have. I work for a lot of people doing contract concerts and video shoots, who are all in need of a steadycam op. (one is also doing basketball games) right now I'm doing handheld stuff with them, and we both feel that a steadycam would be very helpful without the huge price tag of contracting one person for one day to come in with their stuff.

That is honestly what i have been doing for the past 2 years, more seriously in the past year, Didn't mean to give off the wrong impression as a fly by night wannabe. I've talked and helped many steadicam ops, as well as worked with them. I've spent the last 4 years training my eye, learning composition, lighting, and how to deal with directors. as well as reading this forum in particular for a while, as well as a couple others. sorry, I meant the thing about the summer job kind of sarcastically..guess i didn't write it sarcastic enough. (there was actually a lot of sarcasam in my last post (about pay, and working etc... )

I know I know, I hate one post wonders too, but we all have to start somewhere. I am in the market for getting a starting rig, and not sure where to look, I've done several searches on this fourm, as well as couple more, (looking at Basson Magicam and glidecam) but I havn't really found what I was looking for. My history: I started running handheld camera in the 7th grade, and started running jibs in the 9th. Through the help of many many people willing to work with me, getting me used to the camera and teaching my eye, I have become fairly good at operating a stage camera. (I am now in the 11th grade) my current status: In the past 3 years, I have had the pleasure of doing a lot of contract work, mostly stage handheld camera. including several concerts where there was 20,000+ people, and mass produced DVDs were made. I've worked with several studios, production trucks and different confrences (and, unfortunantly, a crap-load of weddings.. ) in-which I have grown acustom to 2/3" triax type cameras. so I am used to full on full fledge cameras, trucks, and loud producers through the com :D. the last shoot I worked on was a full DVD concert with 10 cameras, (4 hard (big boxed, 70 whatever lens'.) 2 stage, 2 jibs, 1 track and 1 steadicam.) so heres the thing, I've always been in awe of the steady cam oporators, it often seems as if you can shoot the ground and because of the steady cam make it look good. :D heres my problem. I don't see a future in this, I make more per year than a lot of the 25-40 year olds i work with who do this as their living. I feel I have the potential to do well in many fields, including video, but I don't see it as a way to support a family. however! all feelings aside, [sarcasam]It is an amazing way for me to make a little money over the summer! [/sarcasam] So here is what I want. So after seeing by shooting the ground and making it look good, the steady cam operators default to making 4 times as much as me, I'm looking for a camera suport system. Somewhere in the 2,000-10,000 range. I need it to be able to support basically a panasonic AJ-SDX900 camera, because that will be the main camera I use, (or a between a JVC 550 and that) now right now, I'm under the impression that SilverArrow925 will support this camera correct? so far that seems like the most logical solution. please help me out I've seen videos of the magicams in action, and I honestly feel like I can get pretty close to making it that smooth by myself, I was fairly dissappointed in its performance, but it is only 2000 and it won't support my camera. so I guess I don't need to worry. some personal info: I'm 6'2" and 165lb, if that matters. BTW: this is not a, I'd like to go buy one tomorrow thread.. this is a I'd like to prepair and learn how to use one, and hopefully be able to buy one in the next year or two. [EDIT] sorry, I do not mean that I plan on buying one, picking it up in a couple of hours, and going and making billions. thats not what I meant, your missreading my post.. (sorry for missleading :) ) . read on further down for a more detailed explination. [/EDIT] So if you could, help me figure out what would be my best solution. Thanks!