julian chojnacki

LOL No, I used a Marshall HD monitor. No small 3D monitor yet. We did, however, have a 50 inch LCD 3D monitor on set. You viewed it with glasses and could see 'real time' what the 3D image looked like. None of the camera controls used Prestons. It was all hard wired. Focus, Zoom, Iris, Mirror, IO, and convergence. All to the 1st AC and Convergence puller using the Cameron/Pace system called CAMNET. When using the Steadicam, we reduced the cable bundle as much as possible but it was still a little cumbersome. A lot of intelligent cable management was required. The system actually worked great!

Hey Mark! Good question. Since those batteries essentially only ran the lower module and monitor, we got a few hours of 'hot set time' with each pair. The cameras and 3D sled were all powered externally through the cable harness. I'm not allowed to show any details of the system due to an agreement of confidentiality with Pace Technologies. Thanks for your question. Best Julian

Thanks! Vince Pace and his crack team did an incredible job of building the components to make it all happen. He was kind enough to let me be involved with the refinement of the system. We had to update the software within the 'sled' a few times but other than that the rig worked flawlessly. As far as the weight goes, well...what can I say. It was a brute. I quickly learned how to deal with that. I bought a 'Moses Pole' to dock the sled between takes, but most of the time I just cradled it on my shoulder. Oddly enough, that in itself became a problem as the very delicate mirror assembly was thrown out of alignment when pointed straight up. I got a lot of evil looks from the AC's(who had to re-align the mirror) everytime I did that. LOL All in all, it was an incredible experience. My wife loved the way I 'buffed' up after 3 months of slugging that baby around. :-) I literally made '55' the new '35'.

Wow! I just now noticed this thread on me! I'm very flattered and humbled by all of the interest. There are a lot of questions regarding my operating this 3D rig that I would love to address. Most of your observations are right on point. Ya! It was heavy. But I started my Steadicam career almost 30 years ago flying a Panaflex Gold with a Super Panavid. Long before any lightweight cameras designed for the Steadicam. It also helps to be a big guy. :-) I've always believed that form over size always wins. You just learn how to deal with it. I'm sure most of you know that. Now that I'm back in the loop here, please post any specific questions you have. I'd be happy to share. Just in case any of you find yourself facing that kind of a beast hanging on your dock! Best Julian Chojnacki

Hey Jens! I'm doing great. Thanks for the info and keep well!!! xoxo

Does anyone know where you can buy a Hummingbird Monitor for a Pro Sled here in Los Angeles?

Good reel. Many similar shots. Lets face it. If they see you can compose on the fly and move with a level horizon that's good enough for most :-). Secondly, I would suggest superimposing the show titles at the bottom of each shot. Lets people know what they're looking at. Good job! J

Leigh, DGA - Directors Guild of America DGC - Directors Guild of Canada SOC - Society of Operating Cameramen SOA - Steadicam Operators Association

In an indoor situation a polarized filter would most likely affect the look of the rest of your shot. It would also affect the stop which may be critical to the DP. Filter?.....Possible but most likely not probable.

Leigh, If you're shooting day and you're ending up in front of a window it's always a good idea to ask the DP what he's exposing the outside for. If it's going to be a 'hot' window then you will probably not have a reflection on film. It will be completely white. Also sometimes when you're on a set with a lot of windows, the production designer in conjuction with the DP may have had enough forethought and budget to put tiltable window panes in, which would allow you to carefully manipulate the glass to elliminate the reflections. Good luck.

Also...sorry for the dumb spelling mistake. :-)

Just wondering if anyone else had to re-register after this most unfortunate event. I couldn't log-in using my old name and password. And to be perfectly honest, I wanted to see if my post showed up in the forum the way it should. Sorry.