Luke Willson

Hey, I'm by know means an expert but I had a look at your video and noticed some horizontal jolting which makes me think you might me controling the gimble a bit too much. I was told to try flying with no hands and see how the rig moves. Look at how your sled rotates and pans with no hands and hopefully you'll know how to control it when you get your hands on it. Apart from that its a great little video. Thanks for sharing.

That thing really is quite awsome! I saw this a year ago and thought it was brilliant, not only a great animation but really well thought out too! PS: I had some trouble with the above link but its avalaible here http://www.kindyland.com/Animator_vs__Animation.htm

Thanks for all the advice guys.. I've taken it all on-board. Just about to go.. just need to get suited and booted then im off. Wish me luck!

Hi Guys! I've decided to bite the bullet and see if I can get funding for a steadicam. I'm off to the bank this friday and wondered if you guys had any tips or advice. Any figures about the industry that might help instill confidence. I've already got my best and worst cash flow forcast and profit and lost statements in order along with a pretty sound business plan. Just wondered whether you guys had any pearls of wisdom? Cheers Luke

Hi Curtis, Thankyou so much for you advise. You can always get straight answers on this forum which is why I love it so much. Your right aswell, from what i've read and after speaking to people most have dome alot of camera work before they take on more serious stuff. I'm trying to gain as much experience as I can working on amateur jobs and low budget productions. I've applied for some runner jobs with Tiger Aspect aswell, just waiting to hear back from them. Im also working as DP on a Low Budget film being shot in April sometime. I have an education in Film Making and have taken a Film Studies course at College which taught me alot about the composition of shots, why things are filmed in certain ways and to what effect they have on the audience. I spent a whole year running out essays on Cinematography which has all put me in good stead for getting some practical experience. Thanks for all the advice guys! For those of you that had to get loans who did you get them from and how did you pay off that first year? Thanks Luke

Thank for the great advise Louis, i'll be sure to contact some ops directly. Thanks for the links to some UK ops aswell, much appreciated. Hows work going down under? Do you ever get called down to New Zeland? I know the american studios shoot alot of stuff down there?

Wow thanks for the reply Steven. I only wish a had the forsight to realise how much a would want to enter the industry. I would have made far better use of the time I had with him. If anyone has any contact details for him that would be awsome! Sounds like he would be a great guy to learn from. You right aswell Steven, he seemed like a top guy when I spoke to him, I went to college with his daughter, sadley I don't know how to get in touch with her. Cheers Luke

Hi Guys, I've searched and searched and can't find the answers to a couple of questions I have. I currently own a cheap as chips 600 quid steadicam bought from India. I only bought it to work out if steadicam was indeed the industry I wanted to break into. And after reading a million wall posts, books, websites and speaking to a couple of people in the industry i've decided this is the direction I want to go. I'm currently producing online streaming media content for UK businesses and have also worked as a freelance editor for the BBC. I'm going on the UK course at the start of July and if I enjoy that then i'm pretty sure my mind will be made up. Anyway, a couple of questions for UK Ops: 1) I know its been asked a million times but I can only find answers relating to the US. Is there much demand for UK ops. I understand you have to be good and its not a case of buying the kit and bam.. your there! But is there the work in the UK. Are people struggling? 2) For those of you that got a loan to finance your steadicam have you got any advice. Best provider? How did you keep up with payments in that first difficult year or so? 3) I know it?s an awkward questions but what are the accepted standard rates for UK ops. I'm putting together a business plan for the bank manager and need to know what rough figures I can plug into it. Also I don't want to make the major Faux Pas of undercutting everyone. If I go for this I want to be in it for the long haul and don't want to, for lack of a better phrase, "piss you guys off", and drive down rates. Its not good for anyone. 4) Are there any London / East Anglia Ops interested in having a "keen to learn" kid shadow them for the day? Any help you could give me would be more than appreciated. Cheers Luke PS: Does anyone know an Op called Roger Tooley? He came into my old college and couple of years ago and was the guy that first introduced me to the steadicam.

I'd also like to know what the Demand is for operators... Especially around the London, UK area. Any contribution would be appreciated. Cheers Luke

You might want to note the sellers zero feedback rating. He may be legit but try getting a phone number or something from him. Just a heads up :)

Thanks for the reply Robin, didn't realise these courses filled up so quick. End of may isn't great for me anyway but the 2nd of July sounds cool so if you could add me to a reserve list or something that would be great. Many Thanks Luke

Hi Guys, Any idea when the next Tiffen run workshop is? I was at the Live Broadcast show in London a couple of weeks ago and someone on the steadicam stand said the next course was in May sometime. Is that right? Thanks.

I'm heading up on the Friday. Im "working" today :)

I look forward to it! I'll be heading up there on the Friday. Can't way to see all the new technology thats on offer. Anyone else on these forums going?

Hi God, tell me about it, that was filmed on the 23rd of Dec and since then i've mad some improvments. It didn't help that my setup was about as dynamically balanced as a 1 legged chicken. Robert has been in touch and i'm waiting to hear news on when the next wokshop is. All the money i'm making from this work i'm doing for the BBC seems to be pouring back into stadicam stuff. Thanks for the comment anyway :P