Brant S. Fagan SOC

See, that's what I love about being in this community of diverse and crazy people! Many have jumped in here to offer advice and suggestions about how to attract more flies with honey rather than, well, you know. What I find interesting at a different level is that while many established operators here most likely would not find the situation inviting and yet many have worked to make the situation even better for some greenhorn who may find some early-career enlightenment along that path! Even saying "no," many have worked to improve the situation and help move our collective community forward by educating and informing the folks who may one day actually hire us on a future job. While it's not exactly holding hands and wearing "plain" clothes, it is working together to make things better in the long run for everyone. So break out the Lisigav and have a party!

Philip-- Before saying "yes" to production, try and find out who the Key Grip on the job is. You really shouldn't have to "sit on" the crane to make this work. Take a look at the physics involved when creating a force moment like that when you sit and extend the arm out to clear your body and the seat. The Key Grip should be able to fashion an appropriate platform to meet the demands for function and safety. He will also make certain that the crane base is absolutely level to ensure safe and proper operation of the crane. I wouldn't undertake the shot otherwise. You do yourself and the rest of us a disservice if you do. Good Luck.

Gents-- I would be happy to contribute to a New York Monitor Shootout. Count me, my Boland and my "other" monitors in. Where and When?

Gents-- I leave all my A/B products on their chargers when shooting and when resting at home. All the time. Never had a problem. Remember, their chargers talk to the batteries so if there were a problem, the charger would stop the trickle process. If you have serious technical concerns, why not send an email over to Paul Dudeck and let him set the record straight. Any battery will last longer when maintained at a high state of charge rather than slowly self discharging.

Folks-- I have to take issue with the comments made about the Boland. First off, I own one and have had tremendous results with it in full sun with full snow cover to boot. When it comes down to it, I do change the angle of the screen but only if a particular shot demands it. I still have several Panasonic 7" 16:9 LCDs and still marvel at their performance for only $489. The size and capabilities of the Boland far exceed the Panasonics but for many, cost is still a major factor in selecting a monitor. I agree with Eric about tabling the monitor. Works for all the right reasons. If you haven't tried it, go there, you will be surprised how well it works. When I started out, green was it. For many it still is. For me, the trade off by going LCD has been more flexibility and a better workflow since many shows now are HD and certainly the color film taps have improved things as well. There still is no replacement for using your eyeballs to confirm the nature of items in or near the frame you are carrying. I believe that color helps solve potential problems before seeing them in playback. What is compounding the problem is the relatively lower light levels being generated today thanks to new emulsions and new digital sensors. Operators must make it happen, of that there is no argument. What we choose to help solve problems is as individual as each of us.

Given your local environmental conditions, you truly should be wiping down your aluminum arm parts, along with touching up the steel ones too, with a product like CorrosionX at a bare minimum of monthly if not sooner. While anodizing does provide some basic anti-corrosion protection, local environmental conditions will dictate what keeps the gear working and looking good. Even human sweat is enough to eat away at the arm components where there is body contact. CorrosionX can be found at sources such as with aeronautical and marine suppliers.

OK, Alec, I'll see your '900' with the following "package:" Varicam, Pro35, Cooke 15-40mm CXX zoom, 6x6 clip-on matte box, 2 trays, on board battery and downconverter: OAL = 49"

Mike-- Basically, what Janice said X2 and the following. No matter what the producer "said," there is the real world that happens all around us as operators which has little bearing on what was promised ahead of time. Take a look at this configuration with the RED One on my full size rig as seen below. They will tell you whatever it takes to "break" you and your rate to make things work on their budget. You are left trying to make it happen in the real world while the clock is ticking and they are watching. Ask all the questions and demand reasonable and factual answers; your reputation rides on your ability to produce results no matter what "they said." MysteryTeam_4355X

For folks getting started, I usually recommend getting what you can afford and upgrade as your skills and resume expand. Start looking for a rig that will handle your needs based on a business plan that includes 1, 2, 5, and 10 year goals. Of course, it's the accessories that can bury you! Keep looking for good condition used components as your needs develop as there are always operators upgrading around you and the globe. Thanks for the internet and this Forum, you can find almost anything almost anywhere! Back when I got started, almost twenty years ago, it was word of mouth or the quarterly SOA Steadicam Letter. Try to keep in mind that some jobs will come up with little warning and require additional gear. That is the beauty of the Steadicam brotherhood and community. Make friends and back them up as some day you will be able to return the favor.

Way too familiar! I just had a producer actually say that because they had hired this big time director, everyone was cutting their rates in half just to work with this guy. Would I do the same, she asked. I replied, "Sorry, I just doubled my rate" once she told me who was directing. She was stunned and said so. By the twelfth hour of the day, she came to me and offered to pay my overtime in cash to "help save on the P & W." I explained that she was now asking me to pay her share of the taxes and skip the P & W she was bound by contract to pay. Not to mention the unpaid employer contributions for FICA, Medicare, and state taxes. She claimed not to know about all that stuff. By hour eighteen, she was completely useless, just like the experience she brought to the job. Who are these people and how do they sleep at night and look themselves in the mirror?

Speaking of noise and fun from carbon based fuels, take a look at my rig below. Should be running on biodiesel soon, just like old Rudolf planned when he designed the engine almost 100 years ago. Love that Duramax rumble and torque! The 6-speed manual is fun to run, too. If I had to get a commuter machine, I would opt for the VW Jetta TDI Wagen as the power and mileage are key.

Yes, I did have to make a new hole to adapt the Boland 8.4 to my GPI PRO monitor bracket. I did also add a washer to back up the UMB as it has been "relieved" on the monitor side to save weight. You can play with the screen image size in the Menu to make it smaller but like any frame, after a few takes, I tend to notice the important items contained within to keep me honest. I agree that "too big" takes some scan time, but being able to discern what is truly in or out on the first pass through the shot is worth the viewing time from my perspective. Like any lcd, you must learn all about what viewing angles work best under certain conditions. As stated earlier, I am very, very pleased with my 8.4 and am working on a yoke to allow for better dynamic balance adjustments.

That is exactly why I went the other way in vehicle choice: Full size 3/4 ton Turbo Diesel GMC pickup with the 6-speed manual. Even with all the gear aboard, I get 22 mpg on the highway! I installed a hard bed cover fabricated from aluminum diamond plate which opens with two panels, one rearward and the other to the front for great access. And if Ron wants to experience the thrill of the open road, clean up is a simple flush with a water hose. Plus, with the diesel, I get lots of respect from Transpo when I show up. They tend to notice the manual real quick, too. I love the power of the diesel and the fact that I can make my own fuel and store it at home as well. Working on a solar panel project for charging batteries either on the road or on location.

Mike-- I had an 18.5 hour day on Monday and I couldn't see the computer much less type after that one! You should be committed! Mike Marriage--You need to set limits as to how big a set of bumps you and your Steadicam rig and mount can handle as well as speeds that won't cripple you. Another concern with large suspension travel demands--you need to be restrained so you are not floating above your camera platform and alternately crashing down and being flung about. Just because your arm range is 30" or so, that doesn't mean that situations could arise when the motion combines to double up the wrong way and snap the arm in two. This is the same problem with boats in rough sea states. You need to be mounted as well. And I don't mean by a lovely PA or "background" player. Think worst case scenario and set the limits below that to allow for "unexpected" developments.

Gents-- I would be happy to bring my Boland 8.4 to a shootout. A note about the 6.5 Boland: it mounts in the same aluminum case as the 8.4 so I don't see a size benefit there and the additional brightness might be moot since the 1400 nit 8.4 is plenty as I have used it in full sun with total snow cover to boot and no worries! On my rig, I can run HD-SDI down my post, direct to the monitor, loop through the monitor and feed HD-SDI into my Decimator thus giving me composite SD into my sled which contains a video DA. From there, I have my SD for transmitter, recorder, and SD back into the monitor for my on-screen level and framelines.

Adam-- You can also request funds through PayPal and charge the appropriate fee to cover the transfer, usually 4% will make you get all the money you agreed to in the deal. Nice because you get your money quickly and the buyer can use a credit card and not worry about identity theft, too. I use this system for the Antlers and the VLS brackets.

Rich-- Sounds like you may have some "old wire" issues or he overpowered your video wiring. Are you sure that your sled actually contained a video DA? What are your specific video needs for this upcoming shoot? You can drop me a line at brant@brantsfagan.com or give a call in the morning at my home number 603-826-3445 if you want to speak direct. Best, Brant

Gents-- I had a similar problem some time ago. Here is the remedy: Go to your Control Panel. Delete some old photos from your list. Once you have eliminated some "dead" or out of date images and freed up some storage space, you will then have "room" to upload more pictures. Easy to do, but not the first thing that came to mind for me either!

Gents-- While we are at it, anyone get a price and delivery date for the Lockheed Exoskeleton? I want one so I can then justify and write off the Pelican tool case. Tools are nothing to be ashamed of. Rather, bring them along and make yourself indispensable to production. Never chide another for moving on a good idea. Get on the bus and enjoy the ride.

Back in the late 90s, I worked on a feature called "Endurance" that shot in Ethiopia but was based out of England. All the gear came from JDC in London until I arrived with some my Steadicam and some accessories from TCS in NY. No local gear there but the locals did know all about my Anton Bauer batteries and charging systems which was a relief for all. Bring multiple backups for EVERYTHING! For my trip, I took two arms, three lens control systems, my field tool kit and lots of hardware. Expect things to be shipped in as you indicated but don't hold your breath on any details until you have the items in your hands. Don't trust power adapters unless you have tested them and perhaps metered out the power once on location. Get your shots well in advance to make sure they are actively protecting you before you land. Don't be suprised when lots of helping hands start picking up everything in sight to help move from setup to setup. Watch out for yourself if you will be working at elevations significantly above sea level and keep yourself hydrated day and night to help acclimate. You may want to bring some Western food items to help "dovetail" your digestive system into the local cuisine. I spent weeks out in the "countryside" with little or no Western food except for what I had brought in with the gear. For me, it was peanut butter and grape jelly slathered onto flour tortillas since they were "packable" with the gear and traveled very nicely. Ask questions and get firm answers. The devil is in the details. Try to exclude Murphy by making a list and covering all the bases ahead of time. For me, customs was a breeze on both ends, but the locals in Addis Ababa were interested in items that could be sold locally on the black market rather than my fourteen cases and Magliner; just my SLR and video cameras. Good luck!

Ron-- You owe it to yourself to check out the Boland. Great piece of gear at a reasonable price. Excellent customer service as well. I also added the XCS UMB to allow the monitor to attach directly to the GPI/PRO monitor bracket for absolute rigidity. I am in the process of designing a new monitor bracket that will handle the mass of the larger monitors but still have enough holes in it to handle the lightweight lcd units as well.

Gents-- Sign me up for one of the Lockheed sets! Remember the seemingly ancient US Army tests of the Steadicam as a platform for the M60? Once the user was knocked to the ground he was in fact "turtled" under the gear and the weapon. I like the medium tech version of the Lockheed system and the fact that it comes off and apart quickly and stores compactly. Check the Raytheon video and notice the long tech-wrap covered umbilical snake that must connect to the DIT tent and a bank of Genesis batteries. Just what we all need, another honking cable run! Even if you can't feel it!

Gents-- Yes, you can leave the VLS in place while operating the camera in high or low mode as well as for shooting off the Steadicam in other modes. That's one of the beauties of this system; build it once and just leave it along for the ride.

Erwin-- I am sure there is a remedy for this ailment: "postus-shortus" There must be a little blue something that allows extension of the post. I have heard that you should check with your doctor or machinist before using it. If your post remains extended for more than four days, you should seek professional attention or at least take photos to post!

Nikolay-- The Board won't allow more uploads because you have used up all the space allotted to your profile. Go in to your Control Panel and delete some older or unused uploaded files and then you will be allowed to upload some new files. I had the same thing happen to me last month. Nice Monitor! Best, Brant