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Lisa Sene

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Everything posted by Lisa Sene

  1. Hi CJ, Boston workshops are typically rare (I lived in Boston for years, and to my knowledge there hasn't been one there since Peter did that one in 2011). The closest are usually NY or PA. Check out https://www.steadicam-ops.com/ for the week-long SOA workshops in PA (also a west coast option). Be well, Lisa
  2. Hi Sahid, Did you add your name to the SOA waitlist? We often have students who have to drop out at the last minute, and since you are local in NY, you could be a great candidate to fill an empty seat. I am also sending you a PM. Be well.
  3. Time certainly does fly! I'll send you a message next time I'm in LA. Let me know if you're ever in NY, and feel free to reach out with more Steadicam questions - happy to talk!
  4. Hi Andrew, I believe we worked together many moons ago in LA - nice to reconnect! Awesome that you already have some training under your belt from Greg Smith. I haven't met or worked with him personally, though have heard great things. I took the SOA workshop as a student, and have since gone back as an instructor many times, including the SOA workshop that Rowan took in San Diego. Yes, you'll get a lot of calls for work, though I disagree with Rowan's statement that work doesn't come from classmates; the other students (and instructors) in my workshop have gotten me several jobs, and vice versa. We still keep in contact and help each other out if someone has an emergency or needs a day covered on a job. Steadicam is a strong community of great people that stems from Garrett himself, and maintaining those bonds between operators is as important as holding a good horizon. You can only benefit from taking an SOA workshop, as you'll get many diverse perspectives on operating. There are multiple instructors, and each will have his or her own way of doing the same thing. Listen to everyone, try out every technique, and implement what works for you. The SOA workshops are also a great way to connect with operators who may be selling gear, and/or meet people who probably know the person listing gear on the forum or Facebook group if it's not someone you know. You'll be exposed to a wider variety of gear, specifically at the SOA workshops, as they are not brand-specific, and aim to have as many brands represented at the workshop as are willing to send gear. When I took my workshop, I loved being able to try out an Exovest before deciding which vest to buy, and it also made me more comfortable buying a sled from someone I didn't know, since some of the instructors I met did know the seller. If you haven't already, get the handbook and read it! Be well, Lisa
  5. Glad you found a solution that works for you! Lisa
  6. Hi Robert, Having used both a Zephyr vest and an Exovest, I can speak to both. I started out on a Zephyr vest, and now own an Exovest. They are both very different styles, and one is not better than the other - it's simply what works best for you. If you're able to try both out before making a purchase decision, that would benefit you greatly. All the videos Chris shared are brilliant for Exovest explanations. The biggest differences I found between the two vests were (and keep in mind this is me, not everyone): - My stamina increased in the Exovest due to the torque being higher up on my back and distributing the weight of the rig differently across my body. - (This is true for everyone) I walk differently in the Exovest, as Chris explains very well in this video. Summarized - you must let your pelvic bones rise and fall in an Exovest so the vest is working with you, not against you. In a normal vest, you must hold your pelvis level. - I can breathe diaphragmatically (versus accessory breathing, which is not wise in any vest - shallow breathing where your shoulders rise and fall, which can cause all sorts of neck and shoulder problems etc.) much easier in the Exovest, as it does not sit on my lungs whatsoever. I also very much like that it doesn't sit on any organs (no feeling your sandwich right after lunch!) or your spine. - The Exovest is very unforgiving if you are out of form; you want the sled on your centerline, or else you'll feel the vest "collapsing" in one direction due to the weight of the sled pulling too much against the pivot points. Personally I see this as a good thing, because you want to be in good form anyway! On the Zephyr vest, it's easier to get away with being out of form, though because there are no cross-back straps, I found this was easy to feel in that vest as well. Again, try both and see what works for you! Happy flying. Lisa
  7. Hi Dave, I'm not a sound person, so I don't know all the pieces involved, though I would explore how to wirelessly send a signal to a pack you could wear, then use a single-ear earpiece (so you can still hear what's around you - I use this one) to monitor. In the narrative world, Comteks are used often for the same purpose - I use them to hear dialog if the actors are physically too far away to hear and I need to move on a line. Not sure what you'd need to get from point A to point B gear-wise, though I'd try that. As Paulius mentioned, you likely won't be able to change levels (unless it's a live-switched show and you do it while your tally isn't on), though you'll at least know if something is wrong. Happy flying! Lisa
  8. FYI for everyone, the Pennsylvania workshop is May 17th - May 21st, 2020. We are still working out some things with the new website. Thanks for your patience! Lisa
  9. Hi Connor, Having been to several all over the country - yes, people do come from all over the world, though the majority tend to be local. I had the same question when I was deciding between the Pennsylvania SOA or flying out to CA for a Gold. I'm east coast based, so I decided to do the SOA one. The connections I made there are now some of my greatest friends, and we've worked together countless times. Personally, I'd vote staying local. Lisa
  10. Hi Connor, The workshops are one of the most immersive ways to learn Steadicam. I took a Bronze workshop and the SOA workshop as a student, and I've since been an instructor at the SOA, Gold, Silver, and Asbury workshops. You're being taught by people who absolutely love what they do, and their passion comes through in the energy of shots, exercises, and discussions; it's hard not to be inspired and excited to learn. At the SOA workshop especially, a lot of operators show up to help out throughout the week, which gives you many different voices of experiences, perspectives on career paths, and options of how to achieve the same goal. Ask five operators the same question, you'll get five different answers, and that's a good thing! Listen to everyone, apply what works best for you, and make it your own. All the people you'll meet through your workshop are likely future connections for jobs, leads for someone selling used gear, lifelines when gear goes down, sounding boards for working through tough set politics, and if you're lucky, phenomenal friends. In short, the workshops are worth every penny! Lisa
  11. Hi Austin, Reach out directly to some local ops in your area. Rates vary based on location and type of work, and are best discussed offline. Happy flying! Lisa
  12. Hi Tom, I use a front-mounted Exovest, and have only tried the back-mount with the Tiffen x3 arm at NAB briefly. I do remember feeling the weight a bit more in my legs, which I attributed to the common center of gravity of myself and the sled being farther back that what I am used to on a front-mounted vest. Not a feeling of "this is a dealbreaker!", more a noted difference between the two styles. I've never used a Klassen back-mounted vest, so I'm not sure how it compares. I imagine the main difference you'd have to get used to are the pivot points in the Exovest; it is very unforgiving if you are out of form, which I find to be a good thing, as I want to be in good posture anyway! You'll need to walk more regularly, letting your pelvic bones rise and fall, which is the opposite of most vests (actually not sure if this is best for the Klassen or not - again, never tried it) where you want to walk with your pelvis level to eliminate footsteps translating through to your sled. I went with the Exovest because it doesn't sit on any organs or my spine - it only connects with the pelvic bones in the front and back, as well as the shoulders. I find it much easier to breathe diaphragmatically in the Exovest, which helps me with stamina. Hope that helps! Lisa
  13. Hi Andrea, Try contacting Tiffen directly; after a quick search, I don't see anywhere that sells the Volt-specific weights individually. Optionally, buy some thin magnets and use them. Lisa
  14. Hi Stephen, I haven't heard of that workshop specifically, though I can speak to the SOA workshops (click on workshops in the menu) and Tiffen workshops, as I've instructed at both before, and I took the SOA workshop as a student. They are a fantastic way to learn a LOT in a short amount of time, though it's up to you to take what you learn and apply it to your operating practice afterwards. If you're serious about operating and willing to travel, they are worth every penny! Feel free to message me if you'd like more info. If you haven't already, check out The Steadicam Operator's Handbook. Happy flying! Lisa
  15. Adorable! Hope to meet Lillie someday! Lisa
  16. Hi Raphael, In order to achieve both static and dynamic balance with the setup you describe, you'll need to find a way to add some weight to your monitor. You could put a battery bracket on your monitor, and then add a battery to the back. You could also look into smaller weights like these, because they can be moved around to wherever you need them. I'm not sure what mounting options you have on the bottom of that sled, but you could always tape the weights where you need them. Not pretty, but works! I did that for awhile with my Archer 1 sled, which had a fixed monitor bracket (and thus position). Eventually I got a bracket that made sliding the weights along the two bottom rods much easier, and saved me a lot of tape! If you haven't, read the Dynamic Balance Primer on Jerry's website, and check out the section on dynamic balance in the handbook. Happy flying! Lisa
  17. Hi BJ, So far I've only used a Volt in the rain once. We covered it with cut up cap-its draped over the Volt with some excess hanging down over the sides to give the water somewhere to go. We were diligent about drying it off between takes, and going under cover while everything was reset (we were on an E-car doing a stunt scene). Held up great, though we were careful about paying a lot of attention to keeping it dry. Would love to hear what others have done! Lisa
  18. Hi Gabriel, Yes - you'll need a Tiffen socket block on your Pro vest. Lisa
  19. Hi Tommaso, Regardless of your location, insure your gear for the full replacement value, as Bryan mentioned. I don't think Tiffen is selling Clipper sleds anymore, so you would insure for the amount of a new Tiffen sled closest to a Clipper model. My first sled was an Archer 1, and it was insured for the value of an Archer 2. I made a note on the breakdown of gear/values/serial numbers I sent to my insurer that the Archer 1 model was no longer manufactured, and the Archer 2 was the closest available model. Happy flying! Lisa
  20. Hi Nicholas, Multiple pairs for different conditions is the way to go. I typically operate in a semi-flexible running shoe with a somewhat supportive sole that's not too thick so I can still feel my way around. I rotate between several pairs of those throughout the week, and sometimes change at lunch. One pair always lives on the truck as a backup. I also have waterproof sneakers, rain boots, hiking boots, and snow boots. I also just got heated socks that I still have yet to try, and always carry toe warmers. I dabbled in the minimal shoe world (for about a month) and found my feet felt too tired at the end of the day, and I needed a more protective shoe for working outside. Also - always have backup socks! Happy flying. Lisa
  21. Hi Ben, Where are you based? Find some local operators in your area who have been doing it for awhile and ask what they think is fair. Rates are a balancing act based on your location, experience level, what gear you have vs. what production may need to rent separately, and the type of job (i.e. broadcast and narrative are different animals). Find out what the more experienced ops are charging in your area and work towards that, and ask them what they think is a fair rate in the meantime for the different types of jobs. Lisa
  22. Hi Marco, Any new findings? Did it happen to be cold outside? I've seen a Volt misbehave a bit in cold weather, though it typically corrected itself after a quick off/on and realignment. Lisa
  23. The Steadicam Operators Association is expanding the workshop program to include the west coast area this coming February. Dates: February 23rd - 27th Location: Pala Mesa Resort in Temecula, CA More info and RSVP: http://steadicam-ops.com/news/index.php/expanded-soa-workshops/ Any questions, please ask!
  24. Hi Austin, If you're near a rental house that has wheels, get a few friends together who also want to practice and ask the rental house if they will allow a few people to come in and practice for a few hours. It's best to go with at least one other person so you have a subject to follow; figure eights and following lines are useful for initially learning the muscle memory, though as constant practice, they are predictable - actors are not. Sit-downs and stand-ups at different speeds and in different gears can only be practiced with a subject to follow. Ask for a zoom lens on the camera so you can practice with wide and tight lenses. Have fun! Lisa
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