Kevin M. Andersen

I keep asking what the bottom rates are -- so I might not decide that taking a job to feed the children would not insult my peers and degrade the art and business of steadicam. Organize? Kevin

As my grandfather used to say..."Just because you have a baseball glove it doesn't make you a professional ball player." What is the bottom accepted rate and deal? Kevin

Don't be bashful, what were these rates/deals that were so offensive? How else can others hold the line if the line is not defined? -Kevin

I'm sorry, was there a question there? I'd say you must master the stabilizer before being able to make a living using it. Until then I think you are doing well by being the "Teachers Assistant taught by Garrett Brown." "I have thought about buying a Flyer to shoot music video shoots and Indie films while I work enough to buy my own ULTRA system, I understand to get work you have to have your own gear." Despite the financial challenges of "working to have your own gear" I would focus your goal on mastering the art of stabilizers, and Indie films (your definition needed here) often requires an advanced skills set. It is noy the gear that makes the operator, but the operator makes the gear (Operate.) Music videos, on the other hand is a different story. My first few gigs were on music videos where they wanted that "modern "dutch" look," in other words...not horizon level. Practice then blow it out the box

$750 for daily rental and $51.50 is not a tragedy...What is a "decent rate" please? I would not want to make any enemies for accepting any less than a "decent rate."

LOL! As if i said "Yeah I'd rather fly your BL4 instead of (anything else)" That was the young Kevin Andersen that said "OK we will make it work" (I wanna work and will try anything) I wonder, seriously, if wearing this exoskeleton could make make my 43 year old body perform better than the average olympian, and therefore canceling out the physical requirements of our job it would separate the artists from the youngster hacks? Is our art a physical craft or an art?

Endurance increase? yes. Physical strength improvement? yes. Does it make art by itself? no Makes me remember a long ago director friend (circa 1979) who dissed the steadicam saying "It won't make camera operators better camera operators." Still I wonder if this exoskeleton would have helped me work those 20 hour steadicam days chasing kids on a football field or rushing up a train aisle with an arribl in low mode. Maybe it could make me taller or have the hair regrow on my head.

What is the scam? Stolen items? Or are they "selling"items that don't exist? Doesn't eBay crack down on fraud? please explain

As an operator who faced death in 2000 and had my career almost terminated I appreciate the fellowship among steadicam operators. I never knew Bob, but while I was recovering from Cancer I had a bunch of pictures that helped me focus on survival. Those pictures included my wife and children, family and friends. Then, as I rebuilt my body to begin working again I had one of Bob's ads on the back of AC Magazine on my wall as a symbolic representation of what can be achieved. So even though I never met Bob, his passing has affected me personally.

Maybe you should have joined them with the whiskey and coke? Noooo. just joking. As I was reading this I expected the end to say that they were going to NOT pay you because they got all f*&%ked up and nothing got done. If you had packed up they would not have paid you anything, no? Just take the money, remember who was in charge (for next time). I wish I could say I never had this happen-- Sometimes, for my own entertainment, especially when the people in charge are half my age, I get involved as soon as I see it is a clusterf*%ck and hold the kids by the hand and guide them to use the steadicam as it is best used. Sometimes this is the catalyst that everyone is needing to make the day productive. Sadly, sometimes it is a waste of energy. But nowadays I would probably just make sure I was getting paid and let them learn a lesson the hard way. Sorry for your bad experience. It will make you appreciate it when you work with brilliance! Cheers, Kevin

This has been bothering me for...25 years. Unlike almost everyone else I choose to operate the camera/sled with my god-gifted right hand. That means arm is mounted on my front left. Since the majority of people are right handed like me, why am I not like the majority of steadiops who operate the camera/sled with the left hand? Can someone please explain why *most* people operate a tripod head with their right hand and then operate the steadicam sled with their left? I remember prepping a Panavision package in Woodland hills in 1994 and the AC said " Oh, you use the arm backwards." I said "HuH?" What do you say?

You know... If you want to live in a particular place and survive in a particular market...Just do it. Geeze, if you wait for the right moment there will be everyone else there too. Just do it. Forget the SAG strike, forget the IA woes, forget the competition, forget whatever anyone says. The conditions will never be "ripe" and if you hear they are you should be skeptical. If you think you are good and have what it takes to survive and thrive just do it!

Last time I looked PirateBay is raging with downloadable lossless FLAC sources of copyrighted music and Big-Music is not winning that war. I doubt the Big-Music will bother to hassle you. If you have any doubts or wish to pay homage to the artist and label simply add links for them on your site. That way you are actually helping them...whether they appreciate it or not

I've found these surfer booties to be worth their weight in gold. I learned my lesson in barefoot operating with a piece of glass underwater. In deep sand I find it less fatiguing on the calf muscles and sometimes it is nice to feel the texture of the surface underfoot. Kevin

Well howz about communicating that tongue and cheek attitude with a little smiley like you did? Otherwise it can be read as insulting. Sheesh! I'll say one good thing about being an non owner is I don't have to play the gear game, the trends, etc. Was that too general? I don't have a say in the gear and must make do with what is (or is NOT) supplied to me. As an owner/operator for many years this is a great relief! Why is everyone busting my balls? Has this forum turned into an elitist clique? I was a charter member years ago and I don't need to be lectured to. Why all the negativity? Thanks for the answers buried in the lectures and ball busting. Now, back to your show... Kevin "doesn't want to be a part of that elitist negativity club" Andersen

Uh, because it is perfect for what the tribe wants me to do. Ever dealt with a soverign tribe gov't and huge corporate mess? I am dedicated to making better use of the gear I am supplied...unlike all you owner.operators (asd i was for 15 years) I can only use what is supplied..but not have to pay the insurance or loans. Any other questions? Kevin "fuck the gear it is about the operator of the gear" Andersen

Jason, Thanks for your reply. This morning I rifled through this company's disorganized boxes and cases and found the same operator's manual as you described. Thanks for your help. I'll have to take a closer look at this and I am embarrassed to admit that many of my answers are in this manual, which I have now, the DAY AFTER I needed it! I'd like to find the hardware to elevate the lens height. My 3A arm let me use tall posts and I have not found all the parts and pieces yet. I will look into the extra extension for the battery via allen wrench. I know it sounds crazy, but with these tiny little cameras I have to rig dumbweight and I want to spread the loads to get better resistance to the mass ratio. I'll take back some of my disappointments as I see some of the fabulous advancements in the upper balancing stage and I finally have a harness that doesn't hurt, but I must be skinny or something because I am dialed as tight as I can on the straps and would prefer to make the hip connection tighter. Thanks for your help. I just feel lucky to be operating again, and with someone else's investment, but the gear is "mine" and after I make some rigging and electrical mods I will be very happy! Best regards, Kevin M. Andersen

Dude, anyone with an ociilloscope is certainly a techie! ;-) Just no time, was hoping for the magic answers, which I got. Thanks. That modification will happen for the next job. In the meantime, I would love to get more technical info on the MSB sled, as I was caught by surprise (DOH!) to have my brick drained by presumeably the flg inside that elegant enclosure. I love the gimbal and arm with this rig, even dialed in at the lowest weight and it was still smooth as silk. I love the big gimbal grip as I always used a 3A gimbal. What I hate is that the clips for the gimbal and telescope were too easy to accidently pop so I had to velcro them. No biggie. Also I would like to spread the battery farther away from the post and the same with my monitor. I'll be making some changes with those areas. In the end, all went well, I am out of retirement and did moderately good work for people who don't know what good work is... Anyone have any more info on the Master series Broadcast sled? I'd like some schematics for the FLG and anything else to help me customise more. Seems like Tiffen should have something digital??? Many thanks to all that helped and sorry for being pissy and impatient. Many Thanks, Kevin Andersen Foxwoods Resort & Casino Norwich, CT

http://steadicam.com/manuals/ultra/Page6Co...ontrolPanel.pdf that link shows the same pinouts for the current ULTRA..... <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Richard, Sorry for my pissy remarks. I can't believe that these people have discarded this lovely rig...but the fact is that tomorrow I am using that rig and I have had to do some major workarounds to make the rig work, which would be a lot easier if I had the proper cables. One day prep with a tiny little camera...adding dumbweight to make the arm work. I actually DO have a sense of humor but not when I am under the pressure of a big-ass project with gear that is not prepped and owned by yours truly. It is a very high profile gig with big stars and I have been retired! Here is also what I found in the rubble: A high end video microwave transmitter/receiver. In the signal rich casino this is what works. I found a TC generator in a cardboard box. Now we can sync cameras that are otherwise not. (I just made a smart slate) I just built some custom a/b brick rigs that can mount anywhere. Now we are working with lincoln logs for adults. All before dinner. I would still love for someone to educate me what the pinout config is for the greenscreen monitor hirose. It is 4 pins carrying DC plus video and I would like to adapt that to my radical mod so I can get the frame lines. Sorry if I was pissy... Why does Tiffen not support their products? Need more info, website useless. Best regards, Kevin Andersen

(sigh) The greenscreen is BO and I have to run a power cable from the A/B brick to power the replacement screen, which is without a hirose connector. Therefore I want to adapt the power/video run to other devices. I'd reply that this inflexibility is a drawback until I have the cables or better yet, the freedom from reliance on these cables. The only way I can get those framelines is to adapt the hirose. I really wish people here would focus on the mission and drop the smartass responses. Does anyone have the schematics or technical info on this sled? Kevin Andersen

It seems odd to me that that you wish to rip this thing apart when you dont seem to know the basic industry standard for hirose pinouts. Maybe you misread my post. Of course I know the basics! Way beyond the basics m'man! Problem is that I have no time and no hirose connectors or cables. I will be cutting them off. While what you said might be true about having to pull it out and use it (for most BASIC applications) I am trying to do some things far beyond basic and mofiying that rig to be disassembled into small pieces and reassembled in a different way each time. The hirose connectors are useless without the cables. I never claimed to be "industry standard" (LOL!) I will need to power and drive several proprietary devices from that rig, not thought of by the designer. The people who bought the gear failed to buy any cables. yes the "basic industry cables." What good are thos hirose connectors without the damn cables? DOH! By the way, after 18 years of steadicam taking weight off cameras, I am piling weight on now so there is no need for these hirose connectors in my world. I'd rather have someone help me find the pinout schematics of that sled to save some lab time rather than question why I would want to modify the MSB. Way beyond the basics here! I can teach some people about adaptability and mods! That comes from 18 years of ripping apart and modifying sleds starting with my model 2 in the eighties. Why rip it apart? To make it better! Kevin "Ain't the hirose that makes a pro" Andersen

Hey all, I have resurfaced after retirement. I left LA for the rural life in Connecticut. Long story. I have taken over the Creative Arts Video Production at Foxwoods Resort and Casino. It is a long strange trip I've been on. Under some junk I found a few cases and inside was an incomplete Master Series Broadcast rig. No one here has a clue what to do with it but in the hands of an operator with decades of experience this could be useable. They are missing all the cables and connectors. After building my own rigs I find this rig lovely for some things, but a piece of shit for others. I am already ripping it apart, but I noticed in my absence that many things have happened to the stabilizer gear industry. I want to get some schematics or any technical details on this sled so I can rip it apart and improve it while eliminating some of the stupidity in it's design. True to my past experience, the manufacturer no longer supports the rig and the manuals are not online. I need to get the pinouts for the monitor and I need a source for those connectors. I've already ripped out that power hog-heavy pig greenscreen, but I want to customise the upper and lower stages and make this rig more adaptable and useful. Don't get me wrong, that rig is lovely and well engineered, but I find it maddening to depend on these connectors and I want to recable for our needs. I have always avoided all CP/Tiffen products, but now I have this rig at my 'disposal.' Any help much appreciated, I've been in retirement since 2002 and can't wait to fly these little cameras. No more BL4s in Low mode for this vereran! Best regards, Kevin Andersen Video Production Coordinator Foxwoods Resort and Casino Creative Arts Steadicam GURU for the Manshantucket Pequot Tribe

(sigh) years ago these batteries were worth so much and now on April 1st 2004 these cells meet their fate at haz-mat and the NC-12 housings get trashed like the company that produced them. Doesn't anyone even want the housings? I guess CP's NC-12's get an April Fools retirement...