Critique of Work

[David Pannkuk]

I started working with Steadicam back in September. I'm a Film Production student at Huntington University, and I've been using my school's Flyer LE.

I worked on a music video back in December, which was released a couple of weeks ago.

 

Demo Reel:

 

Music Video:

 

What advice do you have for me? (Other than practice, practice, practice)

I know I need to do line dances, and work on framing.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

I started working with Steadicam back in September. I'm a Film Production student at Huntington University, and I've been using my school's Flyer LE.

I worked on a music video back in December, which was released a couple of weeks ago.

 

Demo Reel:

 

Music Video:

 

What advice do you have for me? (Other than practice, practice, practice)

I know I need to do line dances, and work on framing.

 

 

tell you what, why don't you tell us what you think you need to work on and what you think of the reel, and we can go from there

[Haris Pallas]

Hallo David,

 

First of all I agree with Eric...

 

I will not judge your reel...I just want to tell you that it took me 3 years and lots of projects to publish my first steadicam showreel.

 

Watch it a few times and you make your first critique before anyone else!

 

With all the humbleness and good will I may share!

 

Greetings,

 

- Haris -

[James Davis]

Hi David,

 

I'll chip in with some pointers if thats ok:

 

1. You need to learn to "fly" your flyer, at the moment you are pushing/pulling the rig along instead of using your body to control the motion effectively.

 

2. work on maintaining consistent headroom.

 

3. Before you shoot another video for anyone, get some advice on proper technique from another operator, or better yet, take a workshop, even if it is just a one day workshop, there are basic principles of Steadicam which you are clearly not yet putting to use.

 

4. When point 3 has been adhered to.....before you shoot anything for anyone, spend time practicing in the rig, if it owned by your school, then book it out as much as possible, because those things are not cheap and as soon as you finish school you will have to pay rental on one or buy one, take advantage of this fantastic free resource!

 

5. Practice with people in and out of the frame, not every steadicam shot involves talent.

 

6. Practice a variety of shots with a variety of lenses, wide angle lenses, mid lenses, tight lenses (50mm upwards)etc....versatility is your friend.

 

7. Consider taking up camera assisting, there is a lot to be said for the opportunity that you have as a camera assistant to learn from great operators.

 

8. think about what you are trying to say with the camera, with the lens you are using, the motivation behind the shot....etc

 

 

I think one of the best things you can David, is see how the top pro's do it.....look up www.steadishots.org and check out the kind of standards that we all dream of achieving, then look back at your reel and give it an honest critique.

 

No one expects to be the worlds greatest overnight, but one thing you have to realise in the beginning before all else, is that when you first start out in Steadicam....you will suck.

 

Check out a lot of the work on Steadishots and you are seeing the Formula 1 drivers of the Steadicam world, the elite of the elite in some instances, but just like everyone else...they had to spend plenty of years go-karting before they got the calls to go jump in a 200mph+ machine and buy their own yachts.

So just like the rest of us David, you just have to accept that you are gonna be go-karting for quite a while before you get to jump on a proper racetrack.

 

Good luck and I hope it goes well for you mate.

[Pedro Guimaraes SOC]

I did not see you hold a frame at any point....you were all over the place.

 

the reply above is 100% correct.

 

Do yourself a favor and now that you got some feedback pull those videos down. They will hurt you more than they will help.

 

Go back practice, do everything the guy above said and you will improve.....buy the steadicam handbook and take the workshop....

 

nice try.....but keep trying....

[David Pannkuk]

Hi David,

 

I'll chip in with some pointers if thats ok:

 

1. You need to learn to "fly" your flyer, at the moment you are pushing/pulling the rig along instead of using your body to control the motion effectively.

 

2. work on maintaining consistent headroom.

 

3. Before you shoot another video for anyone, get some advice on proper technique from another operator, or better yet, take a workshop, even if it is just a one day workshop, there are basic principles of Steadicam which you are clearly not yet putting to use.

 

4. When point 3 has been adhered to.....before you shoot anything for anyone, spend time practicing in the rig, if it owned by your school, then book it out as much as possible, because those things are not cheap and as soon as you finish school you will have to pay rental on one or buy one, take advantage of this fantastic free resource!

 

5. Practice with people in and out of the frame, not every steadicam shot involves talent.

 

6. Practice a variety of shots with a variety of lenses, wide angle lenses, mid lenses, tight lenses (50mm upwards)etc....versatility is your friend.

 

7. Consider taking up camera assisting, there is a lot to be said for the opportunity that you have as a camera assistant to learn from great operators.

 

8. think about what you are trying to say with the camera, with the lens you are using, the motivation behind the shot....etc

 

 

I think one of the best things you can David, is see how the top pro's do it.....look up www.steadishots.org and check out the kind of standards that we all dream of achieving, then look back at your reel and give it an honest critique.

 

No one expects to be the worlds greatest overnight, but one thing you have to realise in the beginning before all else, is that when you first start out in Steadicam....you will suck.

 

Check out a lot of the work on Steadishots and you are seeing the Formula 1 drivers of the Steadicam world, the elite of the elite in some instances, but just like everyone else...they had to spend plenty of years go-karting before they got the calls to go jump in a 200mph+ machine and buy their own yachts.

So just like the rest of us David, you just have to accept that you are gonna be go-karting for quite a while before you get to jump on a proper racetrack.

 

Good luck and I hope it goes well for you mate.

 

Eric and Haris, I appreciate your approach to helping me learn. James' approach covered about 90% of what I was thinking/feeling about my abilities.

 

James and Pedro, thanks for your honesty. I've already bought the Steadicam Handbook, and read about 3/4 of it. Most of what you're saying is stuff that I've already thought of, but I have a few questions to go along with them.

 

3. I just looked up the upcoming workshop schedule. The only workshop closest to me is the Lincoln, NE. I think I might ask my department to contact Tiffen for an On Campus Steadicam Workshop.

Also, do you know of any Steadicam Operators in Minnesota or Indiana that I can talk to?

 

7. This is a really stupid question, but what do you mean by Camera Assisting? Do you mean AC on any film set, or do you mean find a Steadicam Operator that I can shadow for the summer? Because I was thinking of doing both. The only problem is that I live in Minnesota, and go to school in Indiana. I feel like there won't be too many opportunities available in either state.