Looking for Steadicam Operator for RED, warning: LOW BUDGET

[Robert Starling SOC]

...It's not just a free for all where everyone holds hands and we build the barn like the Amish...

 

LMAO! That's got to be one of the funniest things I've ever read here in the Forum that didn't have Lisigav on it !!! Nice Mr. Seeber!

 

Sorry Mr. Xiao.. this has nothing to do with you in this instance. Best wishes for the complete and utter success of your film

 

Robert "hitchin up my Steadiwagon" Starling

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

Xiao,

 

If you haven't come up with someone when you get closer to your date, Peter Abraham with Tiffen will be conducting a NY workshop and I'm sure you can pull in a newbe from there. Or even take the workshop, it will only help your skills to understand the best way to move, light and build a steadicam shot.

 

http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?sh...c=10058&hl=

 

Best of luck

 

-Alfeo

 

[that Amis crack was a good one...]

[Brant S. Fagan SOC]

See, that's what I love about being in this community of diverse and crazy people!

 

Many have jumped in here to offer advice and suggestions about how to attract more flies with honey rather than, well, you know. What I find interesting at a different level is that while many established operators here most likely would not find the situation inviting and yet many have worked to make the situation even better for some greenhorn who may find some early-career enlightenment along that path!

 

Even saying "no," many have worked to improve the situation and help move our collective community forward by educating and informing the folks who may one day actually hire us on a future job.

 

While it's not exactly holding hands and wearing "plain" clothes, it is working together to make things better in the long run for everyone.

 

So break out the Lisigav and have a party!

[RonBaldwin]

So break out the Lisigav and have a party!

 

Sat the 18th at my house.

 

rb

[Rob Vuona SOC]

As Brant said,

"educating and informing the folks who may one day actually hire us on a future job."

 

SO, Xiao,

 

Now that you've hung in there, took the criticism, rectified the situation, made a reasonable tradable offer and hopefully have a taker for you offer.

 

Please hire us below the line, littlel people, when you get that 100 million dollar movie . . . . . 8-)

 

LOL . . .hahahahaha . . . . .

 

Good luck with the movie and getting your steadicam shot,

Post a video of the shot when it finally gets done

 

All the best!

[Amando Crespo]

Hi Mr. Xiao. Please, do not forget the peanuts to feed the crew. They´ll happy.

Good luck with the movie.

[Mark Schlicher]

Xax,

 

I looked at your music videos...very nice lighting, art direction, and shot design, particularly in the concrete garden clip. Editing also cleverly hid shortcomings of the moves. Well done.

 

I hope you are successful in finding an up-and-coming operator who is ready to step up and execute a challenging one-er, in exchange for whatever value is agreed to be mutually beneficial. If the feature is as well-planned and well-conceived as the music videos, you will both get some handsome footage.

 

Best of success.

 

Hi,

 

for the low-budget feature film "SUMMERTIME", shot in NYC, Manhattan and Brooklyn, we are looking for a Steadicam Operator for our RED ONE for a party scene. It takes place in the evening on the 16th of July 2009. Please only apply if you are available.

 

The scene is an aproximately 1:30 minute long one-shot of one of our leads walking through a party in Brooklyn and involves some very interesting movements.

 

As we're on a low budget, we can only afford to pay a small compensation of 150 USD. I am very sorry to have to ask this, but it would be perfect for someone who is starting out and needs the experience or some 4K material for his reel, plus it's just one shot basically.

 

It would be great if you would have your own remote follow focus as well.

 

Thanks for any applications in advance,

 

cheers, Xax

 

PS: you can email me at xax at stilfabrik dot dot at

 

http://www.stilfabrik.at - cinematography / http://www.stilfabrik.cn - photography

[geoff shotz]

xiao su han- i commend you for sticking this discussion through! most impressive. if i felt like sticking my ass on the line as a director and had a spot planned, i'd trade you steadicam for free for the use of you and your gear for my spot. i agree with this being a business, but this is a business built on relationships more than money. you have offered to stick your ass on the line in return for a favor. and if someone takes you up on your offer, it may be the beginning of a great relationship, both creatively and personally. hopefully! we are all in this to make a living, but money can not be the only factor. to the newer guys, i know that this is much easier to say now that i make a good living. you have presented your situation well and have recovered from a badly worded introduction to this community. sometimes we forget the beginning of this creative journey we are all on. over the years, i have taken many favor, free, or worse jobs. many i regretted. some i walked from. some i gave everything to and got nothing in return. some have created the business relationships that have paid me back a 1000 fold financially. always though, i took the 'job' knowing it was my choice. you have made a choice to dp and have used the red as your way in. it may and it may not pay off, but it is no different than me buying a steadicam to become an operator. i hope you find someone to do your job well and maybe in return, you'll shoot the short that gets them a great director gig! if you are in l.a., i'd be curious to meet you. give me a call.

 

geoff

[XiaoSu Han]

Hi guys,

 

thanks so much for your help and replies.

 

Through this discussion I've once again learned a bit more about the psychology and sociology of this job. I tried to stick through the discussion as I've run into too many dead ends in the past in discussions and tried to learn from it and formulate arguments better and actually come to a conclusion which is good for all parties included.

 

I am definitely going to come back here and ask for someone as soon as I've got a proper paid job to offer. For this, I've found two operators in the area willing to do it, and I am interviewing them regarding their equipment and experience and next weekend I am going to post the shot as soon as it has been shot. I hope that it's going to be good enough to be worthwhile showing here :)

 

If anyone needs help with a RED or DPing, operating whatever, let me know, I am willing to give a favor first, then ask for one in the future :).

 

If I am going to be in LA one day, I'll definitely call!

 

Thanks again everybody, cheers,

 

Xax

Edited July 10, 2009 by XiaoSu Han

[XiaoSu Han]

Here's the result:

 

http://www.stilfabrik.at/summertime/steadicam.mov - either click the link or save as

 

Brendon Sumner from Brooklyn came out to help us on this and I think we've got the best out of our budget despite the occasional soft spot and boom shadow.

 

PS: I added some music because I don't have the sound for that yet- I know I am using copyrighted music, but I hope that's ok for those purposes.

[XiaoSu Han]

http://vimeo.com/5661382 on vimeo as well,

 

password is steadi

[Martin Stacey]

Found the focus too shallow for my liking during the walk. Maybe it's just me but I found my eyes searching for some reference as to where the actor was heading whilst following her. Would have benn nice to get at least some glimpse as to what was in the background as I don't think the back of her head needed to be the centre of focus during the entire walk.

 

Just my .02

 

Marty

[Ricardo Ribeiro]

LOL...oh my gosh...are Fu$%¨& kidding? People like you destroy the film industry. Go back home and try fastfood business...stupid :angry:

[Lohengrin Zapiain]

LOL...oh my gosh...are Fu$%¨& kidding? People like you destroy the film industry. Go back home and try fastfood business...stupid :angry:

 

Hey Ricardo,

 

I don't think there is a reason to be so rude to somebody who is just trying to make it in this business. I believe we can all politely just pass on the offer and remember: we all had to start somewhere and there is absolutely no reason to insult a fellow filmmaker for believing in his dreams and personal projects

 

my 2 cents...

[Charles Papert]

I agree with Martin, and in addition, I'm not sure what the point of that shot really is. By focusing on the back of the actresses' head, we don't take in the room as she sees it so it becomes a shot about following a girl through a room, and not a particularly exciting one at that (your original post promised that this shot would contain "some very interesting movements"--do you feel that you captured those and which parts of the shot would that be?) Even though we are viewing it out of context and we know nothing about the character, I personally can't imagine that shot will add much to the storytelling of the film.