Brant S. Fagan SOC

Meg-- Rich and I took the same Workshop way back when up in Maine and both chose to purchase used rigs and upgrade whenever and wherever possible. Assuming that after your Workshop you wish to make a go of Steadicam, get what you can afford, and then practice, practice, practice. Repeat. Buy only what you need to get started and let the work describe what you need to upgrade to as things progress. More than one Workshop participant has shown up with the latest and greatest with serious goals for the week after the class. More often than not, people like this are unfortunately dissapointed and frustrated and now up against a financial brick wall. Take a class and find out if this is really for you. It is more than just another toy--rather, Steadicam is a career and lifestyle choice that should not be rushed into. Best, Brant S. Fagan, SOC

Gents-- Here is a slightly older photo of the loaded up Magliner with MagDock and built up Steadicam. Pricing to follow shortly! Best, Brant

Gents-- Until this society and global community gets around to working towards anything but greed driven ends, this is our lot in life. Wait, isn't that more important than anything else? LIFE, that is. When was the last time anyone out there lobbied for life itself? Work for change but be careful what you wish for as you just might get it! Brant S. Fagan, SOC

Gents-- First of all, my bracket does not use a pin to mount a docking bracket to. My bracket wraps around the tubing and has a tubing brace that goes two places. First, we support the MagDock vertically and then we span the gap between the vertical tubes of the handlebar. On the whole, VERY rigid. Yes, you do need to keep some cases of stuff on the cart to prevent a rollover, but then again, when do we roll about without at least some stuff with us? I carry two 1600 Pelicans with all the video and follow focus bits, and a Porta-Brace PS-2 production case with tools, spares, etc. As to the brakes, well they leave a lot to be desired so I went low tech on this one and just have a set of wooden chocks just like the ramp crews use on aircraft wheels. These items are painted yellow and have a rope lanyard to keep them around and close at hand. Simple and most folks know how to use them. Since I am still building my website, can anyone tell me how to include images in the post? Otherwise I will have to send them to the interested parties. Best, Brant

Gents-- One thought on demo footage. Keep in mind that most folks at home won't even watch a :30 spot all the way through. Hit 'em hard up front, show some famous faces if you got 'em and keep the shots brief and moving. End the piece with something just as strong as the first piece in case they watched the whole thing. In my experience, brevity and variety will always keep them calling! Best, Brant S. Fagan, SOC PS If you even hesitate (about a shot) take it out!

Gents-- I have taken my Magliner Jr and added a bracket to the handle bar loop to allow docking a fully built sled, in high or low mode, right between my hands while pushing. Also, I added a set of pneumatic casters to the cart's handle end to allow travel over rough terrain and boy does that make the difference, cobblestones or cable or even snow! I chose a set of casters that are the same size or even a touch taller than the stock front nose wheels that come with the Magliner. While this does slant the cart like a dune buggy, it does tend to keep the rig hanging just so and not slamming about like some other docking brackets allow. Since the rig tends to ride lower than other brackets, I have felt more comfortable with this arrangement. Plus, I added a front box to the nose plate, which I can remove to transport the cart, to carry my stand--a Mathews aluminum combo reflector stand--this way I am self-contained on one cart for the day! I have pictures if anyone is interested and I have some more of the bracket which I call the MagDock. Best, Brant "Snowing Already in NH" Fagan, SOC

Colin-- I have a Pro 1 Monitor, in a case, with a bracket if you need it! Give me a call at 603-826-3445 and we can arrange details. Best, Brant

Folks-- I, for one, find the SOA to be a valuable part of my Steadicam scene. For one, I have actually received calls and JOBS from people who found me through the SOA, even bfore there was a website! I know, hard to believe, but actually true. The gear rental from the SOA came in handy on a NYC based job recently and was a big support boost. Also, just what is required for membership has always been the fact that you place YOUR name and experience in the form. This is either factual or dream-based, but then again, it is YOUR name out there for others to find or lose; your call. For those who like to bitch and moan about what others "need" to do for them, I say get up, get out and get moving! It is up to you 'cause there are no FREE LUNCHES. Take charge, not sides; there are enough labels thrown out by the politicals. Best, Brant S Fagan, SOC SOA member since 1991

Folks-- AB can be reached at 800-422-3473. Ask for service and let them handle your woes! Mention that you were referred by Paul Dudeck and Brant Fagan, by way of the Steadicam world and enjoy the service! Best, Brant Fagan, SOC

Gents-- The problem here is termination, plain and simple. A video DA will not correct the termination problems. Just had this problem with a multi camera show last month. The engineer explained the video voodoo to me and this situation seems to be the same problem I had as well. However, my situation was caused by my rig monitor (the Panasonic 7" LCD monitor) being an auto terminate device rather than one which can be selected as terminated or non-terminated; also like some women can accomplish during a relationship, but a video DA here likewise will not help. While adding a small video DA is a great idea to help sort and spread out the precious little camera images, termination is rather less forgiving, even when compared to women. Definitely a binary world rather than shades of gray. All video signals must be terminated, just once with a 75 ohm load, either from a device in the signal path, or by adding a 75 ohm terminator. Happy signalling! Best, Brant "Definitely Non-Terminated at home" Fagan

Gents and Ladies-- I would have to agree that the supply and demand ratio has not improved in terms of take home pay, credits, and benefits. I would also suggest that as a group, we must band together now more than ever as this issues must/ should force us to take a stand and not "give it away." It seems to me that I get a higher rate by asking producers and UPMs to take a look at my demo and then let's discuss rates. This tactic has worked for me on a week long commercial shoot and even on a NYU student film. (I haven't done a student film in like ten years, but it is Panavision and only about an hour from my place in NH!) Granted, the Under Armour shoot was a BANK fest, but the NYU deal doubled their Steadicam budget (from No-Way rate to OK why not). If they only have $500 a day, why bother when our costs are much higher. Sure, they can hire the greenie for that but sooner or later they have to look for a pro-level operator to get the job done! My experience has shown that asking for a higher rate can make for a nice tilt in the playing field of negociations. True, it can place you out of the range of some work, but by asking enough questions up front, you can make a more educated negociation and hopefully work it out to your benefit. Granted, most think of Steadicam as a One-Man(Woman)-Band job, but if we act cohesively as a group/team, we all stand to benefit. It takes time, but isn't it worth it in the long run? You all make the call! Best, Brant S. Fagan, SOC

Mike-- For real help with Anton Bauer products, try calling Paul Dudeck at A/B (800-422-3473). Mention my name which is the Steadicam family password for great deals on hardware. Paul has backed me up for the past dozen years with great products, service, and the best prices on the planet. Good Hunting! Best, Brant S. Fagan, SOC

Folks-- Some time back, I spend three weeks up in the Abysinnian Highlands of Ethiopia at elevations from 8,000 ft ranging upt o about 10,500 ft. Since I was shooting running shots from a truck mount for the first week, I had little chance to wear the gear to help acclimatize. Once off the truck, my body responded quickly and stamina increased quickly. My suggestion is to consume as much water and healty food as you can manage and still fit into your rig. Your body will be using up more energy to maintain itself on the thin air and water is absolutely critical for this to happen smoothly. Remeber to have other people watch out for signs of trouble amongst your crew; if you don't feel right, don't fly the rig. Falls or injury aren't worth the risk in remote areas. Best, Brant S. Fagan, SOC

Folks-- It has been my experience, both in Steadicam work and life itself, that you get what you pay for, and that there NEVER is a free lunch! Especially if the UPM or AD/1 says they are buying!. Back to batteries. Yes, options are great, but reliability, versatility and customer support will win out every time. If you need help with A/B stuff, just check in with Paul Dudeck at A/B 1-800-422-3473 or pdudeck@antonbauer.com. Best prices and best support on the planet. Period. No, I don't work for them or receive a cut, but they have never left me high and dry over the last fourteen years. And for the $100, that meter is a lifesaver. Between the meter and carefull ACs, I don't really think about the batteries until I have to pack them up. Speaking of universal, when I went to Ethiopia on a feature, the local AC and gaffer were thrilled to "show off" their gear knowledge and take over my batteries for me as they had the same stuff over there. Yes, you could find them under a eucalyptus tree. Best, Brant "Still in NH Mud Season" Fagan

Folks-- Your post will bind for several reasons: 1. Out of round. Even by one or two thousandths will make telescoping a chore. All, I repeat, all aluminum posts will be out of round of they are not centerless ground when manufactured. Carbon fiber posts, by the very nature of their manufacture are centerless ground to make their outer diameter round. Many out of round conditions are caused by over torqueing externally clamped devices which range from docking rings to gimbals and monitor brackets. 2. Dents. Enough said. 3. Debris. Maintenance is critical for all moving Steadicam parts. If it is a rental rig, look out! Remember that the tolerances we must utilize for our work have closed up significantly since the Good Old Days. Happy Dynamic balancing! Best, Brant Fagan, SOC

Peter-- Of course I remember why Zalex is the name. It does tend to sound much more impressive and confident that the Helga Helper HotLight! But then, my Helga has gone the way of my original Model 2 sled---On down the road! Where is YOUR Helga? And what happened to those great bird masks which you and Kenn wore for the closing ceremony? That would be something for the Steadicam Museum Exhibit! Best, Brant

Folks-- I have a stock of NEW and Ready to Ship VLMBs! Fits just about any Sony, Ike, etc camcorder or Triax rig as long as the camera's handle is close to the CG of the unit. Yes, this unit works on the HD line from Sony just fine. Cost is US$325.00, plus shipping. Write with shipping information for international quotes. I have shipped these units to most continents of the world, even to New Jersey and Cleveland. Simple, solid, easy to use and easy to love. Let me know if I can be of service. Best, Brant S. Fagan, SOC

Folks-- Peter has hit on a strong and important theme here: Cost Effective and Versatile! I have owned and USED my PeterTally for over a year now and I love it! Simple enough and definately BRIGHT enough; I too use some ND gel over mine while on INT shoots. Can't say enough good things about it. I am still running on the OEM battery! Sure, folks could add $400 worth of Lemo connectors and run them wires inside the post, but for US.10, I used velcro and my PT box lives underneath my Preston MDR so I see the light as I look past the MDR towards my monitor; I see the light, but don't have to look away from the monior. Keep on, keepin on! Best, Brant "Stuck in Mud Season Now" Fagan

Folks-- Call Paul Dudeck at A/B 1-800-422-3473. Mention my name "Brant Fagan" and that you are a Steadicam operator and get the "special family price." He will have the best price in the universe, bar none. Best, Brant

Folks-- What you have here is a classic case of bearings not sitting true inside your Gimbal. The only way to correct this malady is to shim the bearings back into a true state of flattness. This process is critical down to one-half thousandth of an inch. Needless to say, this operation requires a surface plate and dial indicators and steady hands. Been at this Gimbal game for a bunch of years now, so if you need help, drop me a line. Best, Brant S. Fagan, SOC

Erwin-- As the foremost Steadicam information source other than Garrett, Larry, Tiffen, GPI, et. al., I would have guessed that you would know what happpended with the SOA back in the mid to late 1990s. As most people know, Garrett Brown and Jerry Holway were the main components which both formed and held the SOA foundation together. Once things got politically charged with the release of the PRO and the polarization of the Steadicam world, there developed some feelings, on both sides of the equation which placed "strains" on "relations" among operators. Not only did many operators, in my opinion, forget the foundations of the trade and what made this whole thing possible, but they began to drift into "camps," one for one side and one for the other. While many people may feel that the SOA was a failed experiment and simply developed work for Garrett and Jerry, this simply was not the case. I for one actually received calls and BOOOKINGS from my SOA listing! But the main focus of my post was actually supposed to be about the SOA Steadicam Letter and the Forum. Back when the Letter was possibly the only "forum" for the exchange of ideas, concepts and parts, let's remember who generated this material;readers and SOA members! Since the rise of AOL and later the original Steadicam Forum, who was left submitting articles and ads? Everyone had left for greener pastures on line. Many folks clammered for a downloadable resource containing the Letter. I for one enjoy perusing my copies of the Ltter from time to time. However, there were two avenues for placing the Letter on line. One was to simply scan the printed pages and be satisfied with that. The second was to rebuild the documents from the component level and make a truly original and downloadable document available. Since this work would undoubtably have fallen to Jerry Holway, who has been rather busy working as an operator and DP and Ultra designer, you can imagine how we arrived at this juncture. Any folks who would like to contribute to the efforts needed to rebuild the docs should step forward and be heard. Let's remember how the original documents were generated: by many different people. While the SOA may not be as "aggressive" a unit as say, oh, the Teamsters, let's recall how the Steadicam community developed and surrived from the early days; teamwork and fraternity. You may not want to admit it, but Steadicam still is a "team sport." Folks should remember that when the s&%t hits the fan, who can you call? I for one, have already voluteered to help scan pics for Jerry. Anyone else got some free time and computer skills? Brant "Getting Colder Again in NH" Fagan

Folks-- Why not just get both, that way when the crap pie is served, just pass and say, "No thanks, I'm driving." I do in fact own both a Preston and two BFD units. Both systems are great and so far, knock on some wood please, neither system has failed me. Plus, by having both systems available, I can even set up the other system for another camera and try for hero status! So far, I cannot claim to having been fired for my choice of FF system, but I do believe that at some point in your career, you must make choices that either advance your standing in the marketplace or rather hold you back. It is a shame that attitudes from others can force you into big expeditures, especially when those folks will sometimes turn on you faster than a NYC cab. If this career was really all that easy, everyone would do it. Except for the producers, of course. Best, Brant "Finally no so damn RFC in NH" Fagan PS We did have temps WELL below zero all last week so when it hit 26*F on Saturday, we felt like Coppertone Time again!

For what it's worth, I am using the ONLY vest I have yet to own. That is, my Model 2 Vest, as first rebuilt from the original WHITE plastic by Peter Abraham over a dozen years ago. Since then, I have added some MS/Ultra straps/buckles as well as the oh so comfy shoulder pads-to-waist belt straps. This vest is VERY sturdy and rigid, much like the new Ultra front piece, but with even stiffer plastic parts. My pads are filled with high density neoprene rather than closed cell foam rubber. Yes, I do have my Steadiman logo on the back of the shoulder pads, for promotional reasons, of course! How many of us have gotten into BTS and EPKs but have been shot only from behind? My reason exactly! One part of vest maintenance that is frequently overlooked is how you "park" the vest while not in use. I ALWAYS re-lock all the connectors and hang the vest from the stand, rather than toss it to the floor. I do feel that this has contributed to it's solid performance over the years. Just some 2 cents worth... Best, Brant "Still RFC in NH" Fagan (Yesterday's HIGH temp was -4*F)

Folks-- I have been using a Hytron 100 and Compac Magnum (NiCd 36Whrs) as my battery combination for the past 5 years! This combination runs EVERYTHING! Hot, cold, and just this week I spent 6 straight hours at from 0* to 6*F without a problem. If you want the straight talk from AB, just call Paul Dudeck at 800-422-3473. He has backed me and many of you folks for many years without fail. Anyone have an answer from FAA, Homeland Security, etc about battery restrictions? Best, Brant "Still freezing in NH" Fagan

Charles-- I like the idea of the rosette/PAM mount system! There are some pre-made rosette parts out there among the bits. For my two cents, my MDR would have to stay within my bubble and not leave for other cameras and other units. Not to toot one's horn, but through a quirk of lucky purchasing, I happen to own 2 MDRs. That however, doesn't change the idea of how to mount one on-board. Count me in! Best, Brant "Freezing my iris rods off in NH" Fagan