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Tips and advice for a Newbie Steadicam operator


Luke Power

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Hi everyone, this is my first post so let me explain a few things about me so you guys can understand where I'm coming from and provide some help.

 

I'm Uk based

Age: 21

Height: 5' 7"

Weight: Hovering around 9 stone

 

I'm just coming to the end of my 3 year Film and Video course at Derby Uni, I've always had a keen interest in Steadicam and when the uni got a Tiffen Steadicam Flyer Le in at the start of the year I basically took it out and kept it for myself for the majority of the year. I've had a great deal of use with it and I think I'm getting very confident and relatively good with it. The camera I've been balancing on it is the Sony PMW EX3 but I'm hopefully going to have some practice balancing a Panasonic AJ HDX900 and with any luck a RED ONE.

 

I really want to get into the industry as a Steadicam operator but I have no official training, no equipment and no money at this moment. I know skillset can help provide funds for training so that's always an option but I don't really know where the best short term courses are or how much they will cost.

 

Some questions:

Is it important to be a certified operator or can you find work without any certificate?

What would be the best way to advertise myself as an operator?

Would my age and weight be a problem when trying to find work?

(it has been a talking point of my lecturers and fellow students who didn't think I would have the physical stamina to operate the system thanks to my weight)

 

Any help other New or experienced operators can give me will be very much appreciated.

 

Thank You in advance

 

Luke Power

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Luke;

 

First of all you have to be a success you are named "luke power". Great name.

 

Size (leave out the jokes) is not an issue.

 

You can work out and get more muscles/stronger.

 

Make friends with operators around you.

 

Take a workshop if you can.

 

No one is certified. If you take a workshop you can just tell people.

 

Have fun, see what you can get and don't apologize to anyone who hires, you rise to the occassion.

Ask the right questions ahead of time and make sure you know what they want but you're on your way.

 

JA

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Hey Luke welcome to the forum.

 

Take a Steadicam training course before you go out and buy a rig. You may think the idea is awesome until you take a course. Its a BIG investment and its not for everybody...

 

Save some money take a course, if you still think its a good idea after the training start looking into buying/renting a rig and landing some gigs. B)

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