operator controlled focus device???

[mattmarek]

"With huge investments in time, effort, money and physical strain on our bodies, aren't we worth a little more than my plumber friend?"

 

i'll play devils advocate on that one and say that a plumber doesn't just go out and get a 12 hour day with that kind of rate. and you're not paying his travel time either i'd imagine. and his job is more important than ours...so... :D

[Mark Karavite]

Dear Matt,

 

I was using the plumber analogy to try to make a point, which is that he charges what the job is worth. If you called 20 plumbers, all their rates would be comparable. I was in no way degrading the plumbing profession, but rather comparing a trade that has fair standardized rates, versus our trade that has rates all over the board.

 

As long as people will work for very low rates, producers will continue to play us against each other. Now this is just my humble opinion after being in the Steadicam game for 19 years. I have always been undercut, but stuck to my rate. That strategy has paid off in the long run, and I was am simply trying to express my personal experience to some of the younger operators who might feel pressured to work for very little money. I just think that strategy is hurtful to themselves, as well as the profession as a whole.

 

Now I agree that the Hollywood elite deserve to make the $2500 / day range, and that all producers cannot be expected to pay those rates to everyone, but why can't there be a standard minimum rate. I personally feel that it should be more than $800 for labor / gear. If you have made the investment in time and money to become a Steadicam owner / operator, than I think you are worth at least $1500 for gear / labor, minimum. If everyone charged the same minimum, call it a Steadicam scale rate, then producers would pay it. If you can get more than "scale" more power to you.

 

It's a free country (as is Canada), and I respect your opinion, this is mine.

 

Best regards,

 

Mark Karavite

Steadicam Owner / Operator

mkaravite@comcast.net

[Leigh Hubner]

Hey Boys

 

Just thought I would add a little to my comment re: assistants and focus pullers etc. I made a comment that seems to have made the drama/feature boys get a little bit frisky. I want to explain my situation and the situation for many steadicam ops re: assistants. Tonight I am heading off to shoot Australia Vs France in the Rugby Union. (Unfortunatly not steadicam, just hand held). There are 2 steadicams on this job, neither will have any sort of focus puller, they do it them selves. This is not a budget issue or a producer screwing to get the best price or any of the other points mentioned in previous posts. Its because only the op can see exactly what he is shooting. The op knows where he is pointing, what he is shooting etc. Can you imagine a focus puller stopping the game to ask a player to stand still while he measures how far he is from the camera? Maybe the steadi op could stop the crowd cheering while he points out exactly which group of people in the stadium he is about to shoot. It simply makes the most sense to do it yourself. I have a BFD setup and when I head on to a set where there is a focus puller, I give him the gear so he feels like he has something do to. In all honesty, I would much rather do it myself. I want to make it clear that I charge a very standard rate in Australia for TV work, $1400 a day. If the job requires an assistant then I will be the first to say so. I am not about taking jobs away from skilled people. I just simply feel more comfortable doing it myself. Nothing looks worse than an actor in focus at his start and end marks, but out of focus everywhere in between. When Im shooting, I like to shoot. That means work the camera myself. Not just point it like a trained monkey. I hope that makes sense to some people. \

 

Too the boys who get to play with the Vocas, enjoy it. I allready wonder how I ever worked without it!! Chat soon.

 

Leigh Hubner

Australia.

[Jeff Muhlstock SOC]

Hey Boys

 

Just thought I would add a little to my comment re: assistants and focus pullers etc. I made a comment that seems to have made the drama/feature boys get a little bit frisky. I want to explain my situation and the situation for many steadicam ops re: assistants. Tonight I am heading off to shoot Australia Vs France in the Rugby Union. (Unfortunatly not steadicam, just hand held). There are 2 steadicams on this job, neither will have any sort of focus puller, they do it them selves. This is not a budget issue or a producer screwing to get the best price or any of the other points mentioned in previous posts. Its because only the op can see exactly what he is shooting. The op knows where he is pointing, what he is shooting etc. Can you imagine a focus puller stopping the game to ask a player to stand still while he measures how far he is from the camera? Maybe the steadi op could stop the crowd cheering while he points out exactly which group of people in the stadium he is about to shoot. It simply makes the most sense to do it yourself. I have a BFD setup and when I head on to a set where there is a focus puller, I give him the gear so he feels like he has something do to. In all honesty, I would much rather do it myself. I want to make it clear that I charge a very standard rate in Australia for TV work, $1400 a day. If the job requires an assistant then I will be the first to say so. I am not about taking jobs away from skilled people. I just simply feel more comfortable doing it myself. Nothing looks worse than an actor in focus at his start and end marks, but out of focus everywhere in between. When Im shooting, I like to shoot. That means work the camera myself. Not just point it like a trained monkey. I hope that makes sense to some people. \

 

Too the boys who get to play with the Vocas, enjoy it. I allready wonder how I ever worked without it!! Chat soon.

 

Leigh Hubner

Australia.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Leigh, ever hear of an AC using a monitor? And shooting sports goes against everything Steadicam operating is about. You need to know where your going before you get there or your simply holding the darn thing too tight. Following random action on any field is just not what the instrument was created for. As for pointing like a monkey, well mabye your on to something.

 

Cheers,

Jeff

P.S. Im am not a Film guy or a Video guy, Im both!

[JamieSilverstein]

I guess I have to side with Jeff on this one. For one, assistants worth their salt will get the idea of what they are looking at pretty much as soon as you do, and because their sole purpose at that point is focus, not operating, will be able to find focus far faster than you. They are trained to do such, and any good ones are far better focus pullers than I ever could be, with or with out the rig on.

Secondly, when doing dramatic work of any kind, or concerts for that matter, or just about any thing, I want an assistant pulling focus because the task of operating a Steadicam is hard enough to do without the worry of which way a focus knob needs to go and exactly where on the knob it needs to be.

If one doesn't want an assistant on their job, so be it, but they are only making their lives harder than it should be. We are paid, and generally paid handsomely to make shots that are creative, intelligent, well composed and timely. That is hard enough, let the other guy worry about the technical aspects of the camera, the focus, the iris, the film or electronics. Do yourself a favor and learn to work with a quality assistant, and your work will only be better for it.

[Brad Smith]

And shooting sports goes against everything Steadicam operating is about. You need to know where your going before you get there or your simply holding the darn thing too tight. Following random action on any field is just not what the instrument was created for. !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

You're joking aren't you!! Not what the instrument was invented for!!!! I've read every piece of litrature I can find on steadicam, taken a workshop, not yet, but on my to becoming an operator. I've Never heard of GB limiting the uses for his invention!!! You may not have ever seen a television coverage of Rugby Leage or Union, but if you ever do you will be amazed at the sidline steadicam shot as the operator goes with the winger as he breaks the (defensive) line and heads for the tryline. I've not seen an instrument that can put the viewer in the game the way a skilled steadicam operator does in this manner.

 

The line of contention in this thread is drawn by people who are acustomed to operating in very different situations. When executing exacting dramatic shots, nobody not even the Aussies, will argue that a focus puller is invaluable. Not all of us are protected by the powerful unions of the American film industry. Aussies have a history of doing more with less and being creative to do it (it was the Aussies who first put a live camera inside a racecar, now a regulation shot in any motor racing coverage).

 

Horses for courses, if the production can fork out for a focus puller, and it will help the product well and good. If you're running flat out down the sideline of an Rugby match, probably not going to help the shot much, and no way you'll be given the option of a focus puller by the OB facility. In that case as an operator best you give yourself the best chance of getting a good shot.

 

In these troubled times don't hate your fellow operators because he does it differently to you!

[Jeff Muhlstock SOC]

taken a workshop, not yet, but on my to becoming an operator. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think you will better understand my point once you have taken a workshop with experienced ops. I dont hate anyone, I am just offering my opinion. This has nothing to do with what part of the world we come from, dont be silly.

 

Jeff

[Brad Smith]

Have taken a workshop, on my way to becoming a steadicam operator, am a camera operator. Do understand :)

[Leigh Hubner]

Hey Brad

 

Just wanted to say what a great post you left on here the other day. I read a few of the others and decided to let the topic go. The comment re: not what the steadicam was designed for kind of left me a little confused also. I think your mention of Aussies always doing more with less is a good call. That really sums up alot of Aussie cam ops. I am a lighting camerman, steadicam owner operator and a damn good crane operator. (Just dont give me a hot head with a dutch roll in it!!) I think you are correct in saying its all about doing what suits you most and being good at it. In my line of work and certainly the majority of other guys I deal with, you do it yourself. I certainly like it that way. I take pride in the fact that I am a multi skilled operator on various levels.

 

Anyway, appreciate your views Brad. Chat later.

 

Leigh

[AdamKeith]

Steadicam was added to Monday Night Football a couple of years back. I am NOT the operator, but I have enjoyed some of Steadicam Shots during the Games. I believe the operator pulls his own focus.

 

This is a subject I have discussed with different ops from time to time. With a range of answers. Some ops would never work with out a focus puller and others not having a problem with pulling there own.

 

FOCUS. Your in or out.

 

I own and operate Jibs along with a EFP Steadicam. I also operate a Pedestal Camera. It takes a range of skills to operate each On a Jib a single operator is responsible for the arm from lenghts of 6'-30' along with Pan/tilt/zoom/focus. You on occasion fly over the heads of many people, and have to pay attention to many things while performing the shot. I bring this up because most Jib ops pull focus. On a Video Pedestal Camera a single operator is responsible for ped height, dolly moves, pans, tilts, zoom and pulls his or hers own focus. Now each of these camera support systems pedestal, jib, and steadicam have there own unique challenges, if it take one or ten to operate, the shot better be in focus

 

I also operate Steadicam, I took a workshop, I live in the USA, I have shot sports, music, drama, comedy, news, ect..... I use a focus puller 90% . But on occasion on Video shoots, I pull my own focus. I choose when. For example: I shot a College Football Host Show. The talent never moved from behind a desk. I had a couple of set shots off some plasma monitors to a wide shot with the 3 people at a desk. A wide angle lens. The glass was always wide to show off the set. No Zooms. I pulled my own focus. Focus was never a problem. I followed well respected operator who pulled his own focus when he operated. I was followed by 2 other operators who pulled there own focus. No one had a Focus issue.

 

 

 

Regards,

Adam Keith

www.qvideo.tv