KellyHernsdorf

Hi there- I'm just posting on this topic to say that Howard has been TYRING to reply to the incorrect technical information on his cables, but his posts have been continually deleted. Very frustrating to not be allowed to post the CORRECT information about your own product!! Take care all, Kelly

I read this thread today and I felt sick to my stomach. The truth does not hurt, if there was some in here. But Slander, lies and bulling do hurt. I can?t believe the level of misinformation and slander that is going on here. I see a camp of people jumping on the bandwagon claiming Howard is all kinds of nasty things, but no one here really knows the true story. I have been involved with this project a long time; as some of you might know I was a Steadicam Op before I met and married Howard. We got together right before he met up with Lynn and saw the Alien for the first time, after he had shown Lynn the Revolution. I believe I was the first person to see both rigs. I was also there when Lynn didn?t want the Revolution released at that fateful Cinegear, and when Lynn told Jason things that he did not need to know and never used. I was there at the negotiations between the two. Howard has never used any of Lynn?s technology ? not as an ego trip, but because they are 2 truly different machines that achieve the same end. Designed separately and independently. I am also there when Howard answers phone calls at 11:00 at night, helping a customer with a problem or question. Even when he has spent hours on the phone trying to help Will. I am also there when Howard has a new idea, or receives calls and emails from many many customers who are as thrilled as the newly converted, or are long time happy customers who come back again and again. No one has heard Howard?s side of this long one-sided conversation. I see Will Arnot acting as a PR advocate for Lynn, but Howard has tried to honour the confidentiality agreement that he and Lynn agreed on. I see bits of truth spun to favour Lynn in this diatribe against Howard that can only have come from Lynn and are skewed to his perspective. I believe Lynn is an honourable man as well, but he has a different picture in mind of what he wants the Revolution to be ? something more than what the Alien is, something unattainanble without these ?millions? of dollars. But the Revolution IS a working product that many many people are thrilled with. If you are disappointed because it doesn?t make you a cup of coffee yet, maybe it isn?t for you. If you need what I used to call a PHD camera, (Push Here Dummy, or point-and-shoot), then the Revolution probably isn?t for you. Having said that, it is very simple to use for something so complex. Not to say there isn?t a learning curve ? of course there is. Just like anything worth learning. I remember Chris Haarhoff saying once that you should throw away anything you shot within the first three years of learning Steadicam. How many virtuoso?s are there out there that play the violin in a concert hall just after starting the instrument? I look forward to seeing what people do with the Revolution in the future. I hear stories of what people are doing with it on shoots as I am writing this that sound absolutely fantastic. Can?t wait to see even more groundbreaking footage. With regards to the picture of the Revolution with the monitor off level ? this is simply due to user error, not a problem with the technology. It wasn?t booted up level. If you grind the gears without using the clutch in a sports car, is it because the car wasn?t made properly, or you are doing it wrong? As far as these nasty comments about what Howard is ?thinking? in the photos of him with the Alien, I say, ?huh?? And how are these people all making it so personal when it has absolutely nothing to do with them, and these judgements based on mistruths to boot? Plus these complaints about releasing the Revolution ?late? ? they come from people who do not own companies that produce and design cutting edge technology and do not understand what it takes to get a product out there. I see Howard sitting here night after night until midnight working on emails and talking to customers. I have seen him working since we were first together four years ago ( and I know itsactually been more than six years) without getting any breaks or holidays from his company. Even so, I see him caring deeply about his customers. I see him bending over backwards to get someone into their dream rig, coming home and telling me how he feels good today because he was able to help someone out ? not for the money, but because he was touched in some way by the client. And I see him being misjudged, misrepresented, and slandered and I do not understand how it came to pass.

I feel I must post my sadness and condolences. I am in shock at the loss of a friend. While I was still living in California Matt and I would head out fairly regularly for hikes together, and I would joke that once we got in really, really good shape we should organize our hike to the top of the Santa Monica Mountains into a Steadicam Guild meeting. "Promise?" he would say with a grin. His loss is tragic and he will be sorely missed. Kelly Hernsdorf