Keith Wood

The Civil Air Patrol learned decades ago that, when flying search missions, someone had to devote their whole attention to piloting the plane, while others looked for the target. I would think that the same holds true in using a vehicle with Steadicam. Someone has to drive, someone has to shoot, and the workload demands that these not be the same person at any particular moment, because the mindsets each job requires are too different, yet both immersive . . .and the slightest missed "ball" in that juggling demonstration could cost thousands of dollars. Kaze

If you put soft cloth around the tires, you would probably eliminate what little noise they make. This, of course, would be negated by the playing cards in the spokes . . . Kaze

A standard van would be my last choice. Doing news, I've used vans, SUVs, cars, a Rand Lover (at least, that's how the bank account saw it, no matter how it was spelled on the emblems), trucks or various sizes and configurations, production trucks, motorcycles and ambulance refits. Each has advantages and disadvantages ("The truck gets you respect, the motorcycle gets you THERE"). For doing news, I found that a small 4WD SUV was the best all-around vehicle -- fairly economical, rugged, more compact and easy to drive than a van, able to leap tall curbs at a single bound (well, MEDIUM curbs, anyhow), with more than enough room for the gear I hauled plus a helper or two. With a luggage rack on the top, even more gear could be carried, and more than one shot over a wall came from the top of an SUV. You may also be able to find one on the used market for less than you would have paid for a van. If the only reason to get a van is to haul a little more gear (or haul more comfortably), you might want to consider a TRAILER. A small trailer is inexpensive and can be towed by anything that has a hitch on it (including motorcycles!), and is actually easier (and safer) to get equipment into and out of than a van (the exception being an ambulance with outside compartments). If you get a cheap flatbed trailer, then mount a box on it, you can take the box back off for more versatility, or have several boxes with various kits in them and mount the one you need for a particular job (think Thunderbird 2). Kaze

So, when is your book coming out? I'm ready to order.

If you like Filipino food, it's worth the trip to go to Salo-Salo Grill (check them online). If you've never had Filipino food, it's DEFINITELY worth the trip (I suggest the chicken adobo, rice and lumpia). A good place for lunch and camera work (I'm going to assume that bring your rig) is the In-N-Out Burger at the east end of the runways at LAX, if the planes are coming in from the east. Actually, you want to be in the little grass area next to the In-N-Out, because you haven't lived until you've had a 747 fly over you so low that you could read the stencils on the bottom of the plane. A good place for practice catching stuff coming overhead. Tour the Jet Propulsion Laboratory: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/tours/views/ -- you might want to check with them about bringing your rig. WhollyOdd -- er, I mean Hollywood -- Blvd. The Mormon Temple visitor center. Mulholland Drive overlooking LA. Mullholland at Edwards Corner (https://www.wired.com/2014/02/mulholland-the-snake/), usually good for a few motorcycle crashes on any warm Saturday, You want to STAY UP ON THE HILL. Don't ask how I know this. The air museum at Chino Airport. There are some other good museums. Some don't allow photography. Most of SoCal is "film related," so pick a couple of your favorite films or TV series, figure out where their locations were, and go look at those places today (for instance, you wouldn't recognize Rampart Station today as being related to "ADAM-12" but Station 127 out in Carson still looks like when they shot "Emergency!" there).

Hi, usually when I get into a forum, they ask "Which newbie do YOU be?" so I figured that I would introduce myself. Many years ago, when I was young and dinosaurs ruled the Earth, I took a two-day familiarization on Steadicam. That was the last time I had any real contact (I watched a Steadicam op do his work on a film which rented military vehicles from me, but that's about it). I was doing TV news at the time (don't be impressed, I was the whole news department at one of the stations where I worked), and thought that Steadicam would be a good platform, but it was outside the budget. Now, just shooting for fun (and getting set up to do packages which will probably go on YT) I am getting started with a Pilot (with vest) and have a Merlin2 in the gun-and-run bag. Camera is a Sony EX1R, sound is Sennheiser ew100 G3. I got the Handbook, and the DVD is on the way (I'm SERIOUSLY impressed with the support that I got from Walter at Tiffen). I think I'll be Goofy Foot most of the time, it's hard to fight 40 years of having a camera on my right. I think I'll watch some K-pop videos to pick up the dance steps I'll need. SERIOUSLY. It's all about balance, foot placement and traction, so there is no reason not to let the high-paid choreographers give me some help (I'll be the old white guy doing the Crab Dance, gee-gee-gee-gee, baby-baby-baby)! Anyway, if anyone has bothered to read all of this, I'll see you in the Forum! Kaze