Newbie Footage

[AndySchwartz]

Hey all.

 

 

So, I finally am working on this website that I have been putting off and off. I learned this Adob program and got it up and running. Not much on there as of yet.

 

However, I did get a little quicktime movie from an editor on one of the shows I am shooting. He gave a few steadicam shots without sound to try and post it onto my site.

 

here is the link -

 

http://www.endeavorfilms.net/steadicam.html

 

let me know if it works and if the site is looking ok on your computers. it looks fine on mine.

 

critiques are welcome. i have only been doing steadicam for about a year and a half but shooting/editiing/producing for almost 7 in documentaries and some indie films. i am taking a workshop in may. and by the words in this post i am obviously prepping myself to show some footage to people who i know have much more experience, skill and knowledge than myself, a little nervous i guess about putting my stuff out there, but i am looking for the wisdom i always get from here.

[jmf]

Cool!

[LeighWanstead]

Hi Andy,

 

May I ask how many hours in total you have been practising the steadicam? Just curious.

 

Regards

Leigh

[AndySchwartz]

hi leigh,

 

in hours, i don't know if i can remember. i would say when i first got my rig, maybe 2-3 hours/day for a few months, at least 3 days a week for sure. i would put it on everyday, and practice balancing the rig from scratch each time. i started shooting a series with it last june and i was using it for at least 5 hours a day, sometimes at a time even, which was nuts and not very easy, and i did that for each shoot which lasted about 7 days, and i did 7 of those.

 

when i returned and finished shooting i calmed down a bit and now i only practice a few days a week with it for a couple hours a day. and i still do shoots regularly with it where i use it for a couple hours a day.

 

i practice alot. sometimes it shows, sometimes it does not. it is strange, but probably normal, that i find i have "off-days" sometimes where i just can't get my body and the rig to work together fluidly. somedays it is flawless almost. that is where i think alot of practice comes in, being consistent, and creative.

 

andy

[LeighWanstead]

hi leigh,

 

in hours, i don't know if i can remember.  i would say when i first got my rig, maybe 2-3 hours/day for a few months, at least 3 days a week for sure.  i would put it on everyday, and practice balancing the rig from scratch each time.  i started shooting a series with it last june and i was using it for at least 5 hours a day, sometimes at a time even, which was nuts and not very easy, and i did that for each shoot which lasted about 7 days, and i did 7 of those.

 

when i returned and finished shooting i calmed down a bit and now i only practice a few days a week with it for a couple hours a day.  and i still do shoots regularly with it where i use it for a couple hours a day.

 

i practice alot.  sometimes it shows, sometimes it does not.  it is strange, but probably normal, that i find i have "off-days" sometimes where i just can't get my body and the rig to work together fluidly.  somedays it is flawless almost.  that is where i think alot of practice comes in, being consistent, and creative.

 

andy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hi Andy,

 

Thanks for the answer.

 

Regards

Leigh

[RobVanGelder]

Andy, you are doing very ok.

I like the staircase shot, they are always a bitch but can be very rewarding if it works.

 

Can I make some suggestions?

 

Look at the shot next to the metal railing, you can see your footsteps very clearly there. Loosen the grip on the gimbal and arm, let it find it´s own position and adjust it to the proper height. (longer/shorter arm-post?)

 

Vary with height, specially when people come closer. It´s often much nicer if you don´t look into their nostrils.

The shot on the balcony, when passing the people from behind to in front could especially be nicer if we, the viewers have an idea what those people are looking at.

 

Practice A LOT OF Don Juan or walking backwards, preceding the actors. This is what directers ask you the most (in my experience) , and it is much harder to do than chasing people.

 

Oh, it´s nice to see a cage of mine on another operaters sled! :)

 

best,

 

Rob

[AndySchwartz]

Rob,

 

Hey thanks alot, I appreciate your review! And the weight cage I use all the time. Works great.

 

This is from this documentary series I have been doing for Discovery Chan. The stairs, I had 3 takes on and that was it. Time and money are always short on these projects. So I was happy how it came out, given the practice time.

 

The railing. Yeah I see all that hopping around, kind of a bummer. I try to watch my grip, but I guess I still need to let off a little. I am wondering if I am riding the connection to the vest in the wrong place maybe, and that is accentuating the footsteps look I have mastered. I have an SK2 and I am thinking maybe I should slide the vest/arm connector up or down to see if that makes a difference. Is that a possible help to the problem maybe?

 

Don Juan I need to work on. It is tough, such an awkward position, for walking and viewing the monitor. I think I just need to stick to the old line dance for a bit until it becomes more natural. I love the shots I can sometimes get with it, and all the ones I see you guys doing. Crucial stance I know.

 

 

Thanks again for writing

 

talk soon

andy

 

 

 

 

 

Andy, you are doing very ok.

I like the staircase shot, they are always a bitch but can be very rewarding if it works.

 

Can I make some suggestions?

 

Look at the shot next to the metal railing, you can see your footsteps very clearly there. Loosen the grip on the gimbal and arm, let it find it´s own position and adjust it to the proper height. (longer/shorter arm-post?)

 

Vary with height, specially when people come closer. It´s often much nicer if you don´t look into their nostrils.

The shot on the balcony, when passing the people from behind to in front could especially be nicer if we, the viewers have an idea what those people are looking at.

 

Practice A LOT OF Don Juan or walking backwards, preceding the actors. This is what directers ask you the most (in my experience) , and it is much harder to do than chasing people.

 

Oh, it´s nice to see a cage of mine on another operaters sled! :)

 

best,

 

Rob

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[LeighWanstead]

Hi Andy,

 

Have you tried Steadicam Flyer? I heard that Steadicam flyer reach to around 80% performance of Steadicam Ultra IIRC.

 

Regards

Leigh

[AndySchwartz]

Hey Leigh,

 

Nope, have not tried out the Flyer. I had the Mini for awhile. Decent, but nowhere near the arm that the Flyer appears to have. I hear great things about that thing.

Really nice arm for the price, probably better than my Sk2.

 

Maybe they should make an arm like that for the SK2, or they could make a ProVid, or even a ProVid2+ that does HD!

 

Wait, they did that already.

 

It would be cool to get that arm and use it on the SK2 though when I run small DV cameras. I wonder if that is possible?

 

Anyone know that?

 

Thanks

 

Andy

[MichaelStewart]

When I put the second section on my SK2 arm, it made a world of difference, it is almost impossible with only one section to keep it smooth.

 

 

Mike

[AndySchwartz]

hey michael

 

where/how did you get the second section for your arm.

i am on the single articulated and am wondering if i have to buy a new arm and get my vest tweaked or can get my arm modified by tiffen. cost? on the new site they show a dual articulated arm on the sk2 page

 

any leads would be great

 

thanks

andy

[JobScholtze]

hey michael

 

where/how did you get the second section for your arm.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Upgrading to the second section is not that great. Because the sk2 post is short your monitor is in the way. So when upgrading to the provid style arm, be sure that you also upgrade the monitor to lcd