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Interesting new rig


Charles Papert

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We should keep an updated list of "game changers" in a Steadi-wikipedia page, complete with things collectively deemed a "game changer" that sink or soar.

 

"Game changers" of varying degrees could include (but are certainly not limited to):

- "Film adaptors" (35mm "film plane" spinning glass/plastic for shallow DoF on smaller chip cameras, i.e.- Letus 35, P+S Technik Adaptor, SG Mini, etc).

- DSLR cameras (apparently we're all going to be shooting on them next year)

- RED One camera body

 

All of these devices had major impacts on our industry, from influencing the push of digital cinema cameras to increasing chip size to allow for shallow DoF to dropping the price of commercial videography, etc.

 

I think the important thing to keep in mind is that these "game changers" are heralded as such by a hybrid machine that is part industry enthusiasm (usually 80% fanboys, 20% actual working professionals), and part homegrown marketing blitz (notice how everyone heard about it on YouTube before you read about it's use on a major project).

 

To me, they just foreshadow new opportunities, new technologies and new tools in our bucket of tools. Over a decade ago, lots of people proclaimed the death of film, but only recently (last 2 months) did Fuji announce they would stop manufacturing motion picture film. 10 years for a "game changer" to really touch the market. How many people have finally embraced HD upgrades for their Steadicam equipment? I expect we all will have to, and soon lest we're left behind.

 

I think a lot of the reactions here are most likely just kvetching about the sudden interest in a new piece of equipment that's gone viral. Everyone is asking if we're threatened, or joking that we're obsolete, so the harsh attitudes are probably just frustrated people venting some anger to a community of "threatened" individuals.

 

My opinion? I'm more concerned about the overall health and direction of our industry, and the viral response of tools like the Mōvi just reflect the unstable nature of our industry right now. New tool? Game changer! New camera? OH MAN GAME CHANGER! HEY did you hear an episode of "House" was shot on DSLR? Did you hear Peter Jackson owns like a hundred RED Epic cameras?

 

Dude, did you see that video of the guy with the shaking camera? Oh man, are you worried your job is going away? :lol: :rolleyes:

 

Equipment is getting better.

Technology is getting better.

Our industry will still need smart artists and technicians who understand the equipment, technology AND the art.

 

Now if we could just get back to making GOOD movies? Original movies?

 

Reboots and unnecessary sequels shot on brand new, "game changer" cameras. Now that's ironic.

 

I look forward to making some game changing movies on antiquated, "dead" tools... if they're the right tools.

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Probably it'll be exactly like you said and relatively untrained people will be asked to carry the gimbal while a operator with more practice is doing the remote control. But I just thought that actually a steadicam operator would be the best "carrier" for the gimbal to get the best out of the device. We are trained in starting and stopping with the actors, booming up and down for headroom with our steadicam arms at the first step if an actor walks on stairs. Also if an actor is just coming closer like in the video https://vimeo.com/62917185 at 4:30 min. A trained steadicam operator would have boomed up naturally with his arm as the girl was coming closer and this way avoided the cut off of the head. No remote operator in the world has a chance to correct the framing that fast and even if he does, a detracting perspective change would be the result.

 

Just that the horizon is kept automatically doesn't mean our other learned skills are useless.

 

In the 2 person mode you could have a PA run with the camera, heck you could have the most uncoordinated PA actually holding the rig. As long as he can hit a mark and you have someone operating remotely that has talent your gonna come up with a pretty sweet shot.

Edited by AndreasKielb
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So... A Movi with a Steadicam arm and vest will do... What a Steadicam does, but not quite... But you won't need skill or patience... But you will still need to invest $30,000... And need a second operator for the remote head.

 

Did anybody think this through?

 

Just wait a few months until people start shooting crappy short films on them. They will find their place soon. Charles hit the nail on the head. People with skill will still be hired while these hobbyists say that we're all dinosaurs.

 

Edited by Alan Rencher
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I guess I am missing the joke that the blogosphere seems to be making by saying this will be competing with the Steadicam. If a seasoned operator's shots looked like half of the shot's in Laforet's film, it would not be a good day for them. Can you imagine having a reputation as the guy who can't shoot longer than a 35mm and his operating looks like that? Handheld stabilizers will always win in two ways: vertical clearance and boom range. In almost every other regard they will lose. Don't get me wrong, this will be an awesome tool for very specific types of shots. But I find it a little funny suggesting this as a replacement for a slider, sticks, or steadi. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on one and possibly adding it to my kit, but I'm not losing any sleep over this possibly taking my job.

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After Playing with it today

 

All of the guys at their booth agreed that it was absurd that it is even being touted as a steadicam replacement. I agree that there definitely is a place for this tool and the technology is only going to get better and better. It will be fun to see where it will go and how we can adapt it to fit all of our creativity.

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Glad I bought an EZrig awhile back.

Might make the MOVI useful now and especially if it can take Alexas and regular cameras with accessories down the road.

My rollerblade skillz evidently will always come in handy.........maybe even the decade of halfpipe riding.

Don't worry - just get prepared.

 

Cheerz,

D

www.daveisern.com

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Might make the MOVI useful now and especially if it can take Alexas and regular cameras with accessories down the road.

I dont think you will see alexas on there any time soon... Having a background in camera stabilization, I can tell you it is much more difficult to scale things up to larger cameras.

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Probably it'll be exactly like you said and relatively untrained people will be asked to carry the gimbal while a operator with more practice is doing the remote control. But I just thought that actually a steadicam operator would be the best "carrier" for the gimbal to get the best out of the device. We are trained in starting and stopping with the actors, booming up and down for headroom with our steadicam arms at the first step if an actor walks on stairs. Also if an actor is just coming closer like in the video https://vimeo.com/62917185 at 4:30 min. A trained steadicam operator would have boomed up naturally with his arm as the girl was coming closer and this way avoided the cut off of the head. No remote operator in the world has a chance to correct the framing that fast and even if he does, a detracting perspective change would be the result.

 

Just that the horizon is kept automatically doesn't mean our other learned skills are useless.

 

In the 2 person mode you could have a PA run with the camera, heck you could have the most uncoordinated PA actually holding the rig. As long as he can hit a mark and you have someone operating remotely that has talent your gonna come up with a pretty sweet shot.

I was ruminating on exactly these thoughts tonight driving home. We have long judged great Steadicam as being a combination of the mechanical mastery of the device (how level is the horizon, how invisible are the footsteps, how much does it look like a dolly) plus the artistry of where one places the lens at any given moment. In many ways, the two aspects are mutually exclusive: learning how to control the inertia of the rig has nothing really to do with shot design. We are rapidly closing on a time where one way or another (be it post stabilization, rigs evolved from the Movi or real-time internal stabilization at the chip level) the achievement of precise axial stabilization will be an automatic function, not based on operator skill. Look at Mike Heathcote's recent music video; so many expressed insistence that post-stabilization was in effect even after it was indicated that other than a little in a specific spot early on, it was all Mike.

 

The part that will not be affected by technology (at least not in a way that can I imagine) is the second half, the placement of the lens in space. It's truly grating, Joshua, to suggest that anybody can run around with a device like the Movi and it doesn't matter. A great operator will calculate exactly where the camera should be at any time and know exactly when and how to get it there. When to boom, when to slide this way and that, when and how to accelerate, how to make an elegant little buttonhook rather than standing like a tree and relying on the pan to tell the story. There's so much nuance to it. Andreas is right that an experienced Steadicam operator will do a far better job of it than most people on set. I'd bet a great dolly grip would also be a good choice.

 

I will be very surprised if the future generations of this system continue to be a two-man operation. Putting this on a Steadicam arm will free up the operator to control the system via onboard controls, be they joystick, paddles or force-sensitive handles and that's really what will make the most sense. Of course there are various technical hurdles to be achieved before all this works well enough to give a solid Steadicam operator a run for his money, but it does seem like GB's long anticipated theory that Steadicam will be replaced by a black box with a blinking light on it is getting closer to reality.

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Hi !.

Is not the first time I heard the death of "STEADICAM" at hands of a new gadget. (With those all users´ books I have a tower).

MoViE is a new tool in film/video production. WELCOME for a new tool.

But... For the "other galaxy gurus" who speak about the STEADICAM end... I only can said that they try to do this:

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151542149741182&set=vb.732531181&type=2&theater

 

We are speaking about a shot whit a full dressed Alexa Plus....

Welcome to all new innovation for our cameramen work. But to kill STEADICAM is ....

 

My 2 cts.

(I can´t upload the shoot because the film is in progress, but I´ll do it ASAP).

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The Movi is a new tool, not a gamechanger.. Only very late in this thread did someone mention the obvious: gyros and electronics dont make you a good operator. I can imagine that this will be usefull for those " people running on beach " shots, where the classic combination : wet sand / Strong winds, is not really the best options for a steadicam shot..

But also remember that now we do all the framing manually.. with the Movi you will be working with/against gyros with a mind of its own.. no easy task i think..

I think that the next gamechanger will come from MK-V in form of the Omega.

( Yes I have the AR system.. no im not playing golf with Howard )

Like Charlie mentioned earlier, we spend a great deal of our energy and attention on a very mechanical job: to keep the camera level..

Its second nature to most of use, not something we think about.. and still its often the bar we set when we compare shots/operators..

 

When I started using the AR it was extremely strange that suddenly Level was not a problem... somehow I almost felt that I was cheating..;-)

This feeling ofcourse dissapeared when I started to tilt/pan and jib the camera from ground to head height... Believe me.. no easy task..

 

But autolevel will ( in my opinion ) be the future.. why..? because its possible, and it releases a lot of energy for the important part of our

work: framing.

I have not tried the Omega myself yet.. but I have no doubt that it will be systems like this that will dominate the market i 5-10 years..

 

all the best

 

Flemming / Denmark

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