Alex Kolb Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Hi all, I got a last minute call today for a live concert broadcast. Unlike most of my work, this isn't a TV-specific show, but rather a concert that's being broadcast. This means that I'll be in the pit, rather than on-stage like I am with a typical show. I've never operated in this kind of scenario before, and don't have a tilt stage (nor can I get one in the timeframe I'm looking at). Any tips from someone who's doing this sort of work more often? Much appreciated, Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Rob Vuona SOC Posted May 2, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Alex, What's the gig? Where is it at? What camera? What lens? These are questions that will tell you the kind of crowd around you? How much space you'll need or get from production, will there be a security barricade ? If so you'll need an extra 2 feet because of how the barricade is built. Where it's at may dictate the stage height or amount of people in the pit with you The camera and lens are obvious questions but for this kind of show are tethered or not tethered? I have done tons of this and having a tilt stage is not necessary a luxury but not necessary. Just adjust your sled for the tilt needed to the stage your working with you may even have to go almost neutral if the stage is really high If you have anything more specific feel free to hit me up 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Rob Vuona SOC Posted May 2, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Alex, What's the gig? Where is it at? What camera? What lens? These are questions that will tell you the kind of crowd around you? How much space you'll need or get from production, will there be a security barricade ? If so you'll need an extra 2 feet because of how the barricade is built. Where it's at may dictate the stage height or amount of people in the pit with you The camera and lens are obvious questions but for this kind of show are tethered or not tethered? I have done tons of this and having a tilt stage is not necessary a luxury but not necessary. Just adjust your sled for the tilt needed to the stage your working with you may even have to go almost neutral if the stage is really high If you have anything more specific feel free to hit me up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Kolb Posted May 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Thanks for the advice Mr. V! No security baracade, stage is 4 ft high. It's a riverdance concert, so there's nobody in the pit. I'm not sure about the crowd - should I ask for a security guy to be assigned to me? I'm calling the tech department today for the camera info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Rob Vuona SOC Posted May 2, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Riverdance . . . . . . sounds fun . . . . .LOL . . . . 4 feet high is perfect, no baracade even better and I am assuming the crowd will be pretty tame so you won't need security with you and they won't be in your way fending off stage divers. Your biggest worry is staying out of the way of the other cameras since the stage is so low. You should have an AC, Grip or utility with you depending on the type of show you have going on to watch your back and or coil cable for you. good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Peter Abraham Posted May 6, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 To chime in and suggest you focus in on one of Rob's comments. Slow down your drop time since you cannot tilt the camera independent of the centerpost. It is immensely useful as a trick to allow you to move with grace- and if you're moving laterally as the "human dolly" typically does in the pit, all the more useful. On Friday I shot a ballet. two 50 minute acts, rolling nonstop. The stage was 5 feet up and I did indeed slow my drop time down so as I moved laterally and panned with the dancers my centerpost was easier to control. Enjoy the live gig and come back in and share the experience with us ! Best, Peter Abraham, S.O.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Kolb Posted May 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 Thanks very much to both of you for your experienced testimony. The show was on Friday, 2 hours and it went very well! It was indeed a lot of lateral moves. Working with a slow drop time was adventageous for my tilts, but I did have one problem. The director ended up changing his mind mid-rehearsal about dutch angles, and I ended up doing a lot of extreme rolls as I crossed through the pit. Unfortunately without the sled aligning itself fast enough, I had to push through a bit with my left hand, and it wasn't always silky smooth. Is a tilt stage the only course of action for that 2axis type of movement, or do I just need to practice more with horizon rolls? Cheers Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Kolb Posted May 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 Oh I suppose steering the post through a semi elipse to keep tilted appropriately contributed to the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Peter Abraham Posted June 10, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Hi Alex, Apologies for not following up here to your statements. While it is true that using a tilt stage is enormously useful for this kind of work, it is not nearly prohibitively difficult to NOT use one. Until it was invented and now for anyone not flying one, we train our post hand to compensate for the horizon roll inherent in side to side work, especially rapid shots typically offered during a live concert when you are in the "pit" in front and below the talent/band. It's very useful ( as always ) to practice this work. You don't need a stage or a band to do it. Shooting 90º off of the axis you are walking is a great thing to practice. Some folks are very comfortable side-walking. I'm a big fan of walking forward and aiming the camera 90º off to the side. Do what works for you, but when you find a relationship to the post and sled that seems most comfortable, practice moves with it. The details of rigging the fiber cabling and having good wranglers are best left for another thread ! How did it all go? Best, Peter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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