Alex Olszewski

Thanks Afton, David and Tom! Tom, you?re so lucky to be 17 and know exactly what you want to do with your life. If you stay on this path, you should become a top operator. Another Question: Do the skills learned on one Steadicam rig translate to other rigs? Or does every rig have to be learned individually to master its nuances and intricacies?

If you're an aspiring steadicam operator, will making your own rig help you learn basic skills that can be transferred to real steadicams? Some home made rigs look really good, like this one. However, I'm worried that it will take a lot of time to get it working right, consume more money than it's worth, and won't be good preparation for a real steadicam. What do you think?

I live in the middle of Evangelical America and am probably the only non-Evangelical in the state of Arkansas. Evangelical Pros: If you're ever stuck on the side of the road, these people will offer to help you while most people will drive right by. Evangelical Cons: Some odd beliefs, eg, Rapture, and sometimes hostile to mainstream Christians. The film tips its hand by focusing on the most extreme element, kinda like focusing on Hezbollah when making a documentary about Islam.

Guys, Thank you all for your advice. This thread confirms my brief experience doing grip work in middle-America. I noticed that while the actors & producers could be difficult to deal with, the camera and sound crew were almost always personable, down-to-earth guys. I don?t know how it?s in the big city, but you guys are certainly welcoming. Alex

Thanks Gordon. I didn't realize rigs were so expensive, and I thought production supplied all gear. I could buy him a low-end rig, but that means I'll be driving my POS '89 Dodge Aries for a couple more years. Good thing I'm not dating much these days! Does it matter what rig he trains with when he does go to Steadicam school? I mean, if he learns on Brand X, will he be able to use Brand Z? Or does each rig require specialized training?

Thank you Lars & Stephen. He is 22 years old. I checked with him and learned he's done simple field shoots, eg, local news, but no professional-type filmwork. What is the best way to make the transition from small-time local studio to the real world, ie, a movie or something with a real budget? I don't think he's worked on anything with more than a $1000 budget. He's in New York City right now, but doesn't have a film degree or other certification.

My younger brother works for a local TV studio doing low-level stuff and is interested in perhaps doing steadicam work. However, he hasn't done any field productions at all, and probably won't for at least several years. He would like to go to Steadicam school ($2200 which I would give to him), but I'm not sure if he should go until he has some prospect of working on a professional job. Should I give him the money, or should I make him wait until he has a little more experience? Any advice appreciated as $2200 is a lot of money for me.