Keith Wood

This was one of the things that I had to learn doing newsgathering -- we are designed to want to help, to want to talk, but a professional has to BE a professional, and weigh the consequences of each option. This is one of the two biggest differences between ENG and field production -- the other is also a mindset issue, that being knowing that in ENG, you get one chance, so you have to think about the mechanics of getting the shot, rather than concentrating on what is IN the shot. I have never had to decide between a camera or a victim. Fortunately, I have given it some thought, and have a general set of conditions already "programmed in."

Thanks, Peter! I figured it would work.

What are you shooting, and what do you WANT to be shooting? The answers to these things are your answer. A bunch of street scenes might interest the local tourism board, or local politicians. Walk in with a demo clip and find out. Shooting a bunch of horse-carts in the park? Find a horse-cart company and put together a commercial for them, an on-spec rough-cut. Check with real-estate and insurance brokers, they may want some documentation and see your Steadicam skills as something they can use, without seeing how new you are (remember, Garret started this whole phenomenon with a demo clip of shots that hadn't been seen before)! Got a lot of scenes of the docks or utility workers? Put together a puff piece to get interest from the local labor union. Go shoot Little League tryouts and a game or two, then sell the video to team sponsors (be sure to get shots of the sponsors' signs and especially any products which are donated). If a pizza place is one sponsor, get shots of the kids digging in after the game. A shoe store? Low mode, follow a runner around the bases. I'm sure that you have business cards. SIMPLE business cards: "JOSH POWELL, Photojournalist, Videographer, Steadicam Operator" and your phone number and email address. Forget fancy (and expensive) cards. No physical address, unless you have a storefront. AVOID any geographical reference ("Serving NYC"), those limit you. Don't throw them away, but anyone who seems like they might have a use for you shouldn't be allowed to escape without your card. There is a MASSIVE amount of money to be made from industrial videos (one company near me spent tens of thousands of dollars on a 10-minute familiarization video for visitors), and after you do a couple of those, you can shop that same basic format to other companies. I got a job doing a video for a tour-bus company when I got a couple of nice B-roll shots of their coaches arriving at a tourist attraction ("I'm a videographer, and I wanted to tell you that the paint schemes on your coaches showed up very well when they arrived here a few minutes ago -- if you give me your email address, I'll send you the clips after I get this other assignment edited, either tonight or tomorrow . . .") Of course, not only did I get HER card, she got MY card. Weddings, parties, town hall politics, club meetings and activities, a walk through a big garden, urban-cleanup projects, ANYTHING being planned . . .all of these are opportunities to pass out cards, even if they don't need you now. It's like a pachinko game, one contact can bounce you to a job for someone they know, then that job can bounce to another, and another, and sometimes you drop into exactly the right pocket and hit the jackpot. Again, shoot what interests you, and that interest will show. Put your demos onto your smartphone and in your tablet, and ALWAYS have a thumb drive with demos (ONLY!) on it, that you can hand to a particularly promising prospect. With a card, of course. You NEED a website a website with a simple name, then A), mark the URL on the back of your Steadicam vest and your gear cases, and B), put examples of your work on the site for people to see. Hand out LOTS of cards. I haven't the slightest idea about Steadicam get-togethers, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone at the one mentioned above can use a second shooter on some upcoming project and is willing to give you an opportunity. Oh, and did I mention cards . . ? Kaze

Unfortunately, this is not always true. Sometimes it's more important to get a record than to provide help. It depends largely on two things -- the extent of need, and the capability to fill that need. If you can't do much to help, but may save lives through documenting the event for later evaluation, you keep shooting. One example was the guys who shot photos in the German concentration camps, rather than joining in the effort to give immediate help to the survivors. Following an earthquake (I've been through a few myself), getting records of extent of damage may make a difference in the future. Or imagine the video from the 9/11 attacks, which showed the extent of damage to the WTC immediately following impact, and the inability to make rescues in certain areas or above certain floors -- these are things which could not be reconstructed later, after the buildings came down. There are some survivors of the Tohoku event whose only path to closure of their loss was video showing their loved ones being swept away. I would consider providing such a service more valuable than putting down the camera to give first aid. This is a hard decision, and one that I never want to have to make, but it is far from the cut-and-dried assumption that there is no excuse to keep shooting.

Never having been to one, is this pro-only, or is a lowly Pilot-pusher going to get anything out of this if I make the trip?

It strikes me that I can get the most versatility at the least effort by leaving the Merlin dovetail attached to the camera, then mounting the tripod adapter to the Pilot mounting plate. This should let me quickly go between Merlin2 and Pilot without having to resort to screwdrivers. With appropriate markings to line things up, it should save a lot of work. Can anyone think of a reason NOT to do this? The only cons that I can think of are adding a little weight and cantilevering the cam up a little. Neither looks like much of an issue to me, but I'm new around here. One major PRO is that I can standardize the tripod adapter as every mount for the camcorder (the guys at Adorama won't mind selling me a few more). However, if there's a problem, I'd rather hear about it before going any farther. Thanks, Kaze

Lisa: Understood on the total weight, and agreed that heavier-duty is desired. And I didn't make myself clear when I was talking about end weights, but my understanding of the math is that a large part of the balance is due to moment arm (that is, distance of masses from CG) rather than sheer weight. And, thinking about it, that really doesn't matter anyhow when considering all-up weight. It DOES matter when measuring moment arms from center of the stand to the ends of the legs, and from ground to height of the stand. So, I'm looking in the 20 - 25 pound range (mass) at about 4 feet. A stand which is stable with 15 lbs at 8 feet SHOULD handle this easily, because the shorter the arms, the greater the capacity (cube-square rule says 4 times as capable). A stand which can support an M-1 tank would be better, but not practical for my application. ;) Just FYI, when I've got it all set up, my rig will be an EX1R (powered from sled btty), with either shotgun or wireless mic, POSSIBLY a Bluetooth transmitter to earphones for sound monitor and an appropriate fill light (also powered from sled btty). I'm guessing about 8 pounds, but want to plan max load for the Pilot. I'll mostly be shooting packages for a v-blog, pretty much for fun (I figure that if I'm interested in something, there will be other people also interested). I may do some MVs and industrials (I did a lot of that in an earlier life, before I got into Steadicam), but I'm never going to be competition for you Steadicam pros. I may WANT a bigger rig, but doubt that I will ever go past the Pilot. For that matter, I got to the Pilot through a Merlin2 (with vest) that came in a package deal when I bought out another shooter near me, and found a good deal on the Pilot sled. Not too many people will know the difference between the Pilot and anything else anyhow, so I get to bask in the image of being a "real" Steadicam operator when surrounded by shooters lugging 40 lbs of cam, sticks, batteries, etc (You know why shooters don't need a health plan? We get all the exercise we need as members of Club Sony!) BTW, as near as I can figure, the only reason C stands got popular is because the legs stick out far enough for ADs to trip over when everyone needs a laugh. I knew one AD who fell over or onto so much stuff that the grips handed him a membership application for IATSE and said if he laid down any more fingerprints, he'd have to join their local. Kaze

Lisa: It's not overkill if it does the job. However, bulkiness is a problem -- I go into the field with a Mustang, so I need to be able to fold things up. Shouldn't a 10lb camera have a significantly lower weight at the bottom of the sled? My battery is a V-mount, I'm getting away from AB (both due to weight and because I've gotten very tired of every month (seemingly) having a new standard which requires a new charger. I only have one camcorder that uses ABs, and it's on the market as a whole package. The light stands and C stands I'm looking at all meet their load ratings while fully extended, and anything other than a Billy Barty will be long enough for the balancing while at half height (so will carry more than the rating). I guess I'll have to use a sand bag. Theodore: Thanks for the advice on the pin. Kaze

If you mean using a Steadicam rig for documentary or newsgathering, ABSOLUTELY. I thought you meant having it record the actual quake (known in the field as an "event") as it was taking place. You will want to wear personal protective gear, such as kneepads, gloves and hat or maybe even a helmet, with dust mask and goggles handy for when you need them. I would also suggest that you have someone with you to act as a guide dog and watch your surroundings for threats that you aren't noticing.

Can anyone suggest a minimum load capability requirement for a stand to use for a Pilot arm with full 10 pounds of equipment? I'm pretty sure that a 20-lb rating is more than enough, but what about 15? 12? Thanks, Kaze

Your idea is to mount a Steadicam arm on a wall, put a camera on that, then have it not move with the building shakes in a quake? Interesting idea. Mechanically, I think that it would work, but I'm new here myself and one of the experts may have other ideas. I don't know if this would be any better than having a firmly-mounted camera, though.

You already have the most important skill to take to any new adventure -- you know how so say that you DON'T know. You might be surprised how many folks just don't seem to competent in admitting that they came to learn from the beginning. I watched a self-proclaimed expert dump a $45,000 camcorder right on the lens because he didn't know that he needed to latch it into the "shoe" on the tripod, and his ego wouldn't allow him to ask. I also had a TRUE world-class expert shooter ask me for some minor detail on the camera he had borrowed, because I was using the same model and he figured that I knew more about it that he did. When you go to the workshop, watch what other people do and whether it works or not. Don't claim a moment of experience that you haven't got, because if they assume that your skill is at a certain level, they won't mention something that they figure you already know, and they may use jargon that you don't understand, leaving you lost while they move on. Most of all, HAVE FUN and PRACTICE. I'm having a blast playing with my Pilot and EX1R, a highly-capable, complete system that weighs less than the Sony shoulder rigs that I used when I got started (so far back that we logged our shots on stone tablets). Don't worry if something doesn't sing to you the first time you try it, keep going and eventually it will be as second-nature to you as it is to the instructors. Kaze

Thanks!

My carry-on is usually a computer case (with munchies and gotta-haves stuffed in with the laptop) and a big Sony shoulder DVCAM in Porta Brace armor. My checked cases and my sticks are stenciled with the company name. I haven't been asked to show company ID in years, they somehow seem to just KNOW . . . About 10 years ago, I watched Delta strand a guy and his service dog in Seattle. The guy rushed to Southwest, which had closed their counter for the night -- the staffer came back out and had them hold the plane at the gate while she re-opened, cut his ticket and put them on a cart to get to the plane. I've flown a lot with Southwest since then, and this was the last straw with Delta, I haven't been on one of their planes since then. Kaze

Silica gel is CHEAP, so I would just toss any desiccant pack that I wasn't sure about. 100% silica gel kitty litter costs a few pennies per pound (pack into cloth or make an envelope from a paper towel), or if you're near a dealer who sells new Japanese motorcycles, they get at least one big desiccant pack in every shipping carton. Kaze

(Holy resurrected zombie thread, Batman!) I cheated. I bought a dog tag debossing machine (Addressograph 350). Dog tags are stainless steel (won't rust or burn), can be bought with a single hole, double hole (perfect for attaching with wires or screws), slots (for straps), etc. They fit 5 lines of 15 characters each. Kaze

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