Alan Lifton

Wow, Mike! Thanks for the info. I'll get on it first thing next week.

Thanks, Mark. That's a great idea. We run HD on fiber. Actually, we're in the process of purchasing the system right now, so if you have a specific recommendation for the cable, we can include it in the original purchase, along with an additional fiber cable. Excellent idea...!! Thanks again.

OK - thanks for the feedback, Alan. Much obliged.

We're gonna incorporate the feed from the rig into the switcher and record it. It'll be just another video source from which the Director may choose. As to budget, well... we don't have much money, so the smaller the better. If it costs too much (and I just don't know what the magic number is...) we'll have to do without. Hope this helps, and thanks for responding.

Hi Everyone - We're buying a Tricaster-based portable production system (we're calling it a fly-pack) to produce college atheltic events (basketball, voleyball, soccer) and currently use Sony NX5 camera on a Scout. Can anyone recommend an inexpensive wireless system to get the video signal back to the production switcher so the signal could be used in the production of the game? I've been reading the various threads here and there seems to be no real concensus. Thanks for your considered assist.

Victor, I just checked it and it works fine... sorry you're having trouble with it.

You gotta check out this story, with the videos. Hysterical... <http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/11/28/166059579/is-life-a-smoother-ride-if-you-re-a-chicken>

Alfeo, thanks for posting the article on Google Docs. There was some question as to the legality of sending out a copyrighted article to others, but I always included a statement about "for educational use only" as a disclaimer. I'll respond the those asking for the article, but it's good to know that it's available on Google Docs. Thanks...

A business plan is the only way to go. Back when I bought my used Model II in 1986, the bank insisted on it. So I did a marketing survey of all the businesses in my market that I thought might use my services; ad agencies, TV stations, colleges and universities, in-house corporate video departments, and like that. If a group would show interest, I asked them for a "letter of intent" indicating how often they felt they might use me. With a bunch of letters like that in hand, the bank was happy to provide funding. All the bank cares about is how it's gonna to get its money back. Period. They don't care how cool the steadicam is, or how beautiful your shots are, or anything like that. They just wanna make certain that they'll be repaid on time. Do the business plan. It'll also help assuage your fears about making a legitimate go of it; if the numbers add up you'll feel better...

I have "Steadicam: An Operator's Perspective", an incredible two-part article written by Ted many years ago. I'll be happy to share it.

Tyler mounts were used in helicopters during the Vietnam war. For machine guns...

I'm wondering if any of you have ever seen this happen before or had it happen to you. Backstory is, I'm teaching a Steadicam class and groups of students (university students...) are practicing a variety of shots. This one guy is getting ready to follow an actor up a spiral staircase in a large foyer. Three people spotting him. He begins the move following the actor, and then mis-steps on the first step. At the precise moment that his foot slips hard off the step, he booms up to keep the actor in frame. This perfect storm of timing leads instantly to the rig flying off the arm and the arm slamming up and backward! Missed the spotter on the right shoulder by millimeters. This guy is probably still shaking. The operator had a pretty good grip on the handle, and another spotter was quick enough to also grab the rig, so no damage to anyone or anything. I've been operating and teaching for a while now, and have never seen this happen. Has anyone on the forum seen this? Please share...

Mike, go to the bank, borrow enough money to purchase a new Flyer LE (or someone's used rig...), and then charge the students a "special" student rate of $200. You'll pay off your rig in no time, and you'll be able to practice every day. It's the practice every day that'll make this a worthwhile venture...

Well, this is a great debate. But I think everyone is missing the critical point here. Rates are being driven down because of supply and demand. When I attended the Steadicam Workshop at Silvercup Studios in Astoria NY back in the early 80's, there were only a few hundred operators in the world. Rates were high and people were doing well. The success of Steadicam and surely the marketing success of the Workshop concept has seen the numbers of operators skyrocket into the thousands worldwide. Also, the price of a rig has fallen significantly. Along with the remarkable new technology that goes into the newer rigs comes a reduction in costs and a wide variety of choices and pricepoints for potential operators. Now anyone with a few thousand bucks can buy a rig and attend a workshop. Voila! A newly minted, "qualified" operator willing to accept any work at any fee. Can you see where this leads...? It's not a pretty picture, but I'm not sure there's a simple fix, either. I'm not offering solutions, just my perspective and a couple of pennies... Maybe we outta do what the American Medical Association does; put a cap on the number of people allowed into medical school to train to become a doctor. In this case, substitute "steadicam operator" for doctor, and "workshop" for medical school. I dunno. Whaddaya think...?