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>

May I present to you all... https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B-VQAy0gxWItOGVhZTcxYWUtNWIxMS00MzNlLWJiODQtMjBhODExYmI0OWE2

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...

Thanks Alfeo,

 

Currently the budget my wife and I have established for this is 50K, which is based on the used items I have my eye on here in the forum. I know the business plan route is the smartest, it's just creating a well constructed budget plan is becoming very daunting and it has gotten me a bit frustrated. I still have plenty of time to get this put together as my training course is still a month away and then I will have an even better idea of items I'm not thinking about, which could very well change the amount needed. I will look further into specific banks and bankers in my are of Nashville TN to find ones that have approved Small Business Loans for the film business here. Thanks. Any other input and advice from others is much appreciated.

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...

Small bit of background: I am 24, I have a bachelor's in film (graduated 1 year ago), I've been working as a cam op/ AC since graduation, attended the lake arrowhead workshop in the spring to fuel my steadicam interest and it caught fire. I know a local DP who will rent their Steadicam SK and all supporting equipment to me when I need it.

 

Last week I made a bunch of cold calls to the local universities stating who I was and that I am interested in working on student films as a way for me to get my on-set steadicam experience up as well and benefiting the students because they get the steadicam look in their films and get to learn to work with day players and budget for their services. Most of the department heads were interested and I've booked times to meet with them next week.

 

I was wondering, what are some key points for me to hit while speaking with them about this deal? I do not wish to make any sort of money on this, I just want the practice and get to a reel going. The one thing I would like to try and get is the cost of the rig's rental covered covered. I can rent the rig for only a couple hundred dollars a day, but I would like to try and get this cost paid for through either the students' films' budget or from somewhere else.

 

What tips can you all provide me for these meetings?

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...?

I've had some recent experiences when making a deals on features, TV and commercials that point to a seismic de-valuation of the steadicam operator and his craft. There is such a downward pressure on rates that the sun may be setting on efforts made by many fine operators to secure steadicam as a valuable contributor to the production process. It may be that we are now dealing with a newer brand of executive that does not have the sense of history that we nurture, but I suspect that the real issue comes from within our ranks. These are no doubt difficult economic times which the studios will take advantage of when severing our tendons but it is our own willingness to roll over too quickly that points to the end.

 

I personally have walked away from two features, a TV oportunity and even a commercial recently. This has not been convenient, but a matter of principal on which I hope other operators feel the same, but what I would like to suggest is that we start re-engaging each other in an effort to keep the value of steadicam where it belongs. Naturally talking about money is a bashful exercise, but I think that the newer operators may be looking to some of the older operators for some historical perspective and possible guidance. This is obviously a way to public forum in which to air our financial laundry, but I wonder if we were able to set up a discussion away from here that would remain specific to our working group. My one thought has been to create a facebook entity that would require a password sign on similar to what was put in place during the " Back To Work" campaign by Jon Philion. Or maybe we all just need to get together and have a piss-up at the pub. Either way I really feel that there is a certain urgency to this and I would be interested to hear comments and ideas.

 

Chris Haarhoff

An absolutely spectacular book, Jerry! Thanks for all the hard work putting it together. I teach in a university and will be using it extensively in my classes. Will you be available to sign my book at NAB...? Please say yes...

Just found Erwin's email address on his website. Sorry for the confusion... you should have the article by now...

Hi Erwin -

 

I'm here. Sorry to not have sent you the article, but I don't have your email address. I'm happy to send it if you tell me your email address. Really... It's not a problem at all...

 

Best,

 

Alan

 

 

 

 

FYI:

 

I think it's a mood point...

 

I replied a while ago to this offer and never received anything... So I'm guessing that he was/is overwhelmed by the demand and just stopped send it out.

 

But good luck,

 

 

Erwin

Hi Erwin -

I'm here. Sorry to not have sent you the article, but I don't have your email address. I'm happy to send it if you tell me your email address. Really... It's not a problem at all...

Best,

Alan

FYI:

 

I think it's a mood point...

 

I replied a while ago to this offer and never received anything... So I'm guessing that he was/is overwhelmed by the demand and just stopped send it out.

 

But good luck,

 

 

Erwin

I'll be there for the week, but have never gone to any of the gatherings. When and where is the Tiffen gathering? I know I shouldn't even ask this, but... what do I need to bring to get in? Is there a secret handshake?

Is there gonna be another get-together aside from the Tiffen one?

I took the Workshop back in 1985 at Silvercup Studios in Astoria, NY. If any of my classmates will be at the Vegas get-togethers, it would be good to re-connect...

Well, this is a Ted story, and I hope I remember it correctly. I met Ted at the Steadicam Workshop held in NYC at Silvercup Studio back in 1984 (I think it was '84, anyway...). Ted told the story of how he was shooting on a garbage barge in NY Harbor as it was approaching Staten Island to dock. It was a project for the City of NY or something like that, and the shot required Ted to step off the barge as it docks and to walk ashore following someone. Well... the barge and the dock were both slick and slippery and wet and gunky and as Ted steps from the barge to the dock, he of course slips and starts to fall into the drink. Pulls the ripcord, vest and rig hit the drink without Ted, Ted also hits the drink but bobs up and yells... "I'm alright, Im alright...!" Meanwhile, the entire rig becomes new fish habitat. But he lived to tell the story...

He also told the tale of climbing on one of the bridges in NYC to do a shoot about how the bridges are being painted. According to the story, he's walking up bridge strut and as he nears the top the wind picks up and gets sorta scary dangerous. Once again, he pulls the ripcord and loses the rig to the water, but lives to tell that story...

Over the years, I've tended to believe the first story, but have my doubts about the bridge tale. Can any of my workshop mates from that time recall any of this...?

You've raised all the appropriate issues. Safety is prime concern, but you might want to also consider that the saltwater spray is gonna get into your system and eventually have a detrimental effect on the rig. Even with using some sort of steadicam raincoat, the spray is pervasive. Me, personally...? I'd turn it down...

So where is this shindig gonna be held, what time, and how does one get in...?

You might wanna check out the Proprompter, made by Bodelin. The screen mounts easily to the front of the lens and the system uses a pocket PC to control the script. Wireless mouse controls the pocket PC. Works like a charm. I've owned two (at two different universities...) and have had no problems. Weighs less than 2 pounds on the front of the lens. Very cool system..

David, I'd be concerned about copyright issues, but I certainly can't prevent you from wanting to share... :)

I could put this on the Steadicam Guild website.

 

email: davidgrove(at)Gmail.com

 

Thanks.

I also found an old "Explorer" segment where GB is interviewed about how he invented the rig and other things, and there is also some interesting old footage from the workshops back in the "80's. Garrett's flying the rig while riding a bicycle...!! Great stuff... I did my workshop in either 83 or 84 at Silvercup Studios in NYC. For me, that was my life-changing experience (well..., at least at the professional level... nyuk nyuk nyuk...). The segment is on VHS and I bumped it to DVD. I'll share if we can figure out how...

Best,

Alan