Aaron King

James, Thanks for letting me know your experience. I had many opportunities with the Archer 2 at a recent Workshop in Maine. It was really one of my more favorite rigs and with my market it seems to be a great rig to get started with. The RED is the most utilized camera here in Nashville right now with the 5 & 7D close behind. There are a few 16mm and seldom 35mm jobs on occasion, but nothing larger than a 435. The Archer 2 seems to work great in the weight range I would predominately work with for a while.

I am very interested and close to purchasing an Archer 2 and I have read through this thread several times. I would like to hear from you guys on what your current experiences have been with the rig. What cameras has everyone successfully flown on the rig, what is the max 'camera' weight limit some of you have found for the rig, what configurations have you come up with to keep it within the limit... etc. This thread has been great, and I am just curious to hear some more stories as I get close to making my final decision.

Does anyone have suggestions or experience securing a Lease for used steadicam equipment? How about securing a Lease for used equipment from another country? Is this even possible?

I just got back from the Maine Steadicam workshop and had a great time. I really enjoyed working the most with the Archer2 and the new Phantom, but I would like to hear from those of you who have real on set experiences operating either of these rigs. I realize the obvious differences such as weight capacity, but what else can you tell me? What cameras have you successfully flown on the Archer2 before you maxed the weight capacity and how do you configure them? Are you able to fly 235, 435 or the ARRI Lite on it? The Phantom is brand new, who out there is (or has) operating it that can share how it works in a real environment compared to other rigs. I am still analyzing my market and the cameras used the most as I make a decision. Any advice and knowledge is welcome.

Dear Aaron, There is much good advice here. I would add the following comments. Regarding your budget for purchasing a rig, it's tough to know everything you'll need when you haven't been operating Steadicam before. Make sure you have everything you need on your list before acquiring financing. If you miss something you need, you'll likely have to pay cash for it later, which can put a pinch on cash flow. I have a spreadsheet from the last rig I built which has every item, down to the cable. I'd be happy to send it to you. You certainly won't buy everything on that list, but it will show you what to consider. Roughly, if you plan on spending $50K, in addition to a business plan, a bank will look for you to have around 20% minimum cash into the deal, so you'd need $10K - $15K cash on average. Say you put $15K down, and your loan is for $35K. Try to find a bank that will amortize a business loan over 5 years (instead of 3). You're payments will be lower, and you can always pay extra principle if things are going well. On a $35K loan at prime interest rate, you could expect to pay around $700 / month. Now that is less than 1 day's rental at normal rates. On my first loan, I showed my bank how many days a month I was already doing Steadicam (renting a rig) vs. how many days a month I needed to work the equipment to pay the note (which was 1). Now banks are very tight these days with their lending practices, so you may have a harder time. All the more reason to have a solid business plan. I did my first Steadicam loan 2 decades ago, and I am still with the same bank, and the same loan officer. I've done several equipment loans and real estate deals with the same guy. It pays to look closely at the bank you start with, make sure they're a good fit & establish a track record with them. Subsequent deals will be much easier to finance. Email me at mkaravite@comcast.net if you want to look at my equipment purchase spreadsheet. And by all means, make sure you love this craft before you take the plunge. Wow, great advice Mark. I really appreciate that. The more I am working at this, the more I am realizing exactly what you just told me. I believe renting a rig locally for a while is the way to go as I put money away for my own and gain experience to prove myself with. Then your right, I will have hard facts to show the bank on what my work expectancy, and monthly intake will be like. I will send you a personal email about that spreadsheet.

Ron, I will be taking my first workshop this July, but I have been meeting with Jim Wells (an operator here in Nashville) on a couple of occasions and has put me in his Ultra rig and showed me a few basic things. I waited to make any true commitments in pursuing steadicam until I had the chance to try on a full size rig and make sure I liked it. I wasn't about to throw down the money for a class to find out if I enjoyed steadicam when I knew I could find that out for free in the area. I will not make any purchase until after the class because I realize there's a lot that can happen between now and then, and plus I want to get as much instruction and guidance as I can in making the right choice for me.

Alan, I like your plan of gathering letters of intent from all your clients. I have been informing several producers, coordinators and directors I work with here in Nashville and have gotten a very good response from them all, but I never thought to get a letter stating their intentions to utilize the steadicam on upcoming jobs. Great idea. Richard, I have thought about private investors but I have no idea who to always approach, especially outside the film business. I also had written that idea off thinking that it was more a fantasy situation rather than real, but since you had success in it I will resurrect that idea as a true possibility. I had once thought about approaching a couple of the companies that routinely higher me and talking to them about investing in the rig and as payment I would do that many said jobs for them until it is paid for. Does that sound like a reasonable approach or any accident waiting to happen?

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.

Hey everyone, I'm not sure if this have ever been discussed here, but I have some questions about how some of you have purchased your Steadicams. I am taking the approach of getting a business loan, but I am having a difficult time researching and putting together a business plan, especially since buying a Steadicam is different than creating a business in the traditional sense. Has anyone else gone this route before, and if so what advice do you have? What about a Lease company? Interest rates are a large concern I have as I would like to go the route with the smallest percentage.

Thanks everyone for your response. I recently picked up the Steadicam Manual and have been reading it as well as going through the forums for a while. For someone new, it can be so overwhelming learning about new tools that you are unfamiliar with and trying to weed through to find what it is you are looking for. Also, the cost of it all is mind blowing as well. Thanks for the advice and pointing me in proper directions. I am excited about the prospects of Steadicam and am enjoying learning a new trade. Thanks again.

Hey everyone, I am beginning to make the transition from AC to Steadicam and this is my first post. I am signed up for a training course in Maine for July and have already had a couple good opportunities to try on an Ultra rig to make sure this is something I truly want to pursue. My question is, for someone just getting started, what are the absolute necessary tools you need to begin working? I live in Nashville, and our work is with ARRI, Red, and now the 5 & 7D shooting primarily music videos and commercials. On occasion things are shot with Panasonic and Sony ENG cameras, and Varicam. There is so much out there, but I just want to get the basic materials needed first, and will get additional tools and accessories as needed and money is there. Also, with certain pieces (follow focus, wireless transmitters...) what are the recommended brands and models that people use and are at a comparable price range? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.