Aaron Medick SOC

Great news indeed. I'm very happy for you both. I wish Liz a continued speedy recovery.

I haven't done kettle bell, but I'm sure it's great. my aunt swears by it. She is Diesel. I'm in the middle of week 8 of P90X. I feel great. have have put on about 10 lbs of muscle, lost 5 lbs over all, so far, and had to buy larger t shirts. I'm not doing steadicam every day. I work as a DP, steadicam Op and/or camera op. So far this year, my steadi days have been few. I figured I needed to stay ready for the 12 hour days. I'm on a show that started with steadi but was cut back to "we'd like it." then "no steadi, but maybe." All be for the first shoot day. I've been working with the DP for 3 years. It's union 3 days a week and 10 minutes from my house. So the steadi stays at home. I get up, workout, work 12 hours come home kiss my sleeping son good night, have dinner with my wife, and do it again the next day. I don't work out on steadicam days, unless they are light days. I just start the next day with the work out I missed and keep going.

When I'm on a run of steadicam days or I'm working 4 days a week. I try to end each day with yoga. About 1/2 of vinyasa 15 minutes balance poses and 15 minutes yoga ab work and stretching. If your hearts set on the gym, I'd recommend lighter weight high reps circuit training. Do a warm up first and the circuits done right will keep your heart rate up and a light sweat going. Most important is hydrate while you work and work out. If you are in the gym after a steadicam day you should have an electrolyte replacement drink.

Any one have any gyro mounts they want to sell. I have two ks-4 with out mounts. I'm looking for 2 - 1.5 inch post clamp mounts and open to other options. I fly a PRO2 Thanks, Aaron

This is bazaar. I just started doing P90X as well. I've considered it a thousand time and finally order it a few weeks ago. I love it. I was a college wrestler and can't stand to be trained any more. When I go to the gym with out a partner, which is most of time, I either plateau, half ass it, or get too busy to go. There is nothing I hate more than having a gym Membership I don't use. These work outs are tough and fun. I'm in the middle of my second week. I hope to make the 90 with out missing a day. Actually, I'd like to make it my permanent routine. Time will tell. I already eat that diet so I didn't need any of there supplements. My only recommendation is don't try to be a hero. I haven't done some of these moves in years so, I'm making sure I don't injure myself in the first month. These works out are nothing like a traditional weight training and cardio work out. It's an elite athlete work out. It's high impact. I'd say if you do spin class, monday, kettle bell tuesday, Vinyasa Yoga wednesday, body weight circuit training thursday, hill climber on friday, and a 50 laps of free style swimming on saturday, each for and hour, you'd get a similar result. Or if you joined a wrestling, boxing, MMA program and ate properly. For me 1 hour a day in my home is perfect. Good luck everyone.

Chris, I run like that, but I have not been able to walk smoothly toe strike first. Unless, i take short strides, when the pace picks up I'm striking my heel first until I'm in a jog/run. Any pointers on achieving smooth quick walking with toe strike first? Other than Practice practice practice:) Thanks, Aaron

BMT UPDATE I'm a convert. I will always have a pair. But not for steadicam. I had no issues wearing them and operating. But, one day at lunch I was feeling more tired then usual. I bent over to stretch my hammies and was face to face with the reason. I finished the day in my favorite running shoe. On days I will be doing a lot of walking they are great. Charles, What have you found with the sketchers?

I think I had a similar/same issue. I also operate Goofy. I don't think that has anything to do with it. I had no issues with my body and BM vest for the first 2 years I was using it. What triggered this pain and tightness for me was a Music Video Oner. We shot over night on a very cold night. My normal warm up and stretching was not enough. I did 14 takes of the 4 minute song. I was hurting for a while after that. I called Walter and we talk it over. The one thing that helped the vest was putting the vest arm in the middle position. I was constantly leaving it low and then adjusting it up when a shot needed it. Walter recommended I use the middle as my default and go up or down as needed. I could feel immediately relief to the injured muscles with the arm in the middle. I also noticed that when I was waiting around I would put most of my weight on my Left foot. Now I try to stand with my weight evenly distributed. I also added a layer over all to my body so I would stay a little warmer. I realized I'm not a spring chicken any more and we are basically professional athletes with out all the GHB, fame, and money. In my mind i was a gladiator, in reality I'm a fragile pitcher trying to stay loose and warm between shot/inning. I also got the pieces so I could change the side that I operate on. I believe that I over trained my left side. I also, bought a front mounted vest. I believe that to achieve balance I should use both front and BM vests and operate from the left and the right sides. I haven't been bold enough to switch sides will on the clock, but If I have done a few days or a hard day with the back mounted vest, I switch to the front mounted vest for a few shots or a day. And Stretch and work out, consistently, I had gotten a little slack at that time and I paid the price. Today I feel good, so rest assured you will figure it out and heal up. I have been waling in MBT shoes as much as possible and they really help me get in alignment. That reminded my time to update taht thread. Hope that helps. Call Walter he wants to be involved and help in any way he can. Aaron

Hey Alfeo, I'm not sure if you were joking, but a mini worral is a gear head. It's only a mini because the standard worral is a beast. I think the mini is 35 or 40 lbs. and the regular is over 65lbs. AM

Tell them to shove it. They pay around $2000/day plus $600 for an AC. I get that every time from NBC, CBS etc for show lead ins, wraps, etc.

Great thread everyone. Well Alex, Did you make your time frame to purchase before the new year? What did you decide on? I have a PRO2 and XCS franken sled, WK vest, a modifed 3A front mounted vest for tight spaces, and G-70. I'm happy with all, but if I was starting over is would be very tough to choose.

My wife and I had our first, Luca John Xavier Medick on Christmas Eve. I was 8lbs 3 oz. We are home and doing well. Happy new years everyone.

Congrats!! I beat you by a few day. Good luck and happy new years:)

Congratulations. My wife and are expecting our first any day now. In fact contractions are about 10 minutes apart right now.

I haven't used a Bebob, but the g-zoom works and feels like a good rear control on a studio set up. I highly recommend it. It functions as it should.

I'm not a doctor, but I would agree with you that it is likely a hernia. If it is I believe that most of the time surgery is needed. I would definitely not do any lifting including a steadicam until I consulted a doctor. You can make a small hernia into a big one. The recovery time for surgeries are vastly different depending on the size/severity of the issue and the skill of the surgeon. I had laparoscopic gall balder removal, I was back to work in 4 weeks. if they opened me up it could have taken up to 6 months before I could have done steadicam again. I guess what I'm saying is live to fight another day. Hope it's small enough(sounds like it is) for laparoscopic surgery. Free music videos are not worth much:)

Hi Mike, I have a guy that I can recommend. I'm not sure he wants me to put his info out there so I'll email you shortly. If any one else need one PM me. Aaron

I have the G-zoom focus and zoom, canon, fuji, focus thru bartech. It's great. I bought it for the zoom and figured why not get the focus. Two weeks ago, I was shooting in midtown manhattan. The bartech went crazy. RF hits on every channel. I've never had this problem before. All I had to do was switch over to the g-zoom and we got all the shots. Later I talked to a Cop in the area. He revealed that there was a big meeting of government officials around the corner. It's protocol to run interference on all RF devises. The sound department was boned, but not me:) thanks Eric.

John can you post some pictures of your mounting solutions?

Jess, I agree with Alec and Charles' points. I keep all stylized shots off the reel. For one simple reason, if one person doesn't hire me because they think that "Style" was a mistake than I can only fault myself for leaving it in. There are too many reason that we don't get a particular job. I never want it to be something that i could have prevented. The vibration is a big problem. Fighting that vibration is sabotaging the quality of your work.

We really don't think about it. I've never seen or used one. Everyone has to start some where and it may be a great start for you, but I don't think anyone here has any experience with Glide cam. If you have any questions about Tiffen Steadicam, GPI PRO, XCS, Preston, Bartech, etc., we will gladdly answer to the best of our ability.

I say make'm wait. It takes 1 minute to unscrew and re-screw as long as your ACs are ready for it. Most jobs don't move fast enough that is matters. If they do in my experience we are shooting with an ENG style camera and I have a chrosiel/sony quick release on. If I felt that time was the major factor, I guess I'd pick the ronford, but I'd keep it in my pocket. We only have one body. The extra time may just be the recovery time your muscles need.

Find out about sound. if you are getting wireless sound find out what the sound guys plans are. talk to him/her directly. Some guys show up with light recievers and attachment gear. Others show up with heavy cables and machined hard mounts. I probably don't have to mention this, but Don't even consider teathered sound. Double check on the analog signal. I know the new panasonics have a VBS setting, but I feel like the older varicams(tape) needed a external down converter. I see that you have AJA, but every pound counts so better to know before you show up. Have lots of charged batteries and a charging station setup close.

Thanks, Brant

Hi all, Can one of you enlighten me in the ways of looking up these connectors? I need to order a male 4 pin to connect into the PRO video/power port. we commonly use for our Modulus/on-baord recorders. It would be great if you could post a link to a company I could order it from. Thanks.