grip guiding you backwards using strops

[Thomas English]

American Cinematographer April 2011 Hannah

 

Amazing magazine. Anyone not subscribing should. I notice that Peter Robertson has a climbing strop attached to klassen and is being spotted back with It. As per the attached photo.

 

Is this common? I normally have someone grab me by the collar of my t shirt so I know what direction they are trying to pull me. This also keeps them close should I fall... maybe too close since they could trip me up.

 

I would love to know your thoughts and comments.

[Richard James Lewis]

The guide handles attached to the back of the Klassen work well ;)

 

The older Klassens had them attached on the lower part of the shell at waist height, and this caused the grip to pull your hips which could throw you off balance. The newer ones are in middle of the back and are much less disruptive. I don't know which ones you have.

 

I can't imagine having someone pull me around by the throat is much fun!

 

Best,

Rick.

[RonBaldwin]

I can't imagine having someone pull me around by the throat is much fun!

You've obviously never been married

[Tom Wills]

Look closer - it appears he's strapped on to a rig. Those straps don't appear to be going to the grip - much more like they're going to the dolly or rickshaw he is standing on.

[Thomas English]

On the first photo he's attached to a rickshaw. On the later photo coming down the escalator he's being pulled by the strop.

[RonBaldwin]

On a less serious note than marriage...being "guided" by someone tugging on the vest never worked for me. Especially with the back mounted harness it's not easy for me to feel. I need the tapping on the ribs or shoulders like "rolling a bowlingball" as one of my instructors once said many moons ago (was it Larry? Bob Crone? Janice? Charles? Haarhoff? Bee? ...can't remember). That and tape marks on the floor (when I won't see them) are the only ways I can navigate a tricky space (or relationship)

[Thomas English]

Yeah I far prefer physical contact. Ideally a hand on my neck and another in my back pocket gently nudging.

[Dean Smollar]

That's the shot from Hanna! that was an amazing moment in that film.

[Peter Sheppard]

a hand on my neck and another in my back pocket

 

We're back to talking about being married aren't we?

[William Demeritt]

I usually try to prep my spotter that I don't like being physically guided the whole time unless the shot is in a tight space, in which case I don't mind being "operated" a bit. If the room is open and free, I usually tell them to just stay nearby, and if I look like I'm starting to go down, grab the handle on my vest (thanks, Jack @ GPI!). I usually say "You grab me, I'll grab the rig.

[Peter Abraham]

I hate being guided. I love Don Juan. So, it rarely is an issue. Running down stairs? Yeah. Hold on somewhere. Now that I'm living in the most amazing Exovest, a grip has PLENTY of real estate to grab- the set of back rods.

 

Get very very good at Don Juan. ( Sorry Charles :D ). Get very very good at switching especially at speed.

 

Even if I'm with a very seasoned grip/ spotter/ assistant etc, in my mind the idea that another person who is not operating the frame and is not adjusting moment to moment and step by step as I am could be one footstep away from tripping me up inadvertently makes spotters a rarity in my work life. Your mileage may vary. If I suddenly change speed because the actor did so that I can maintain exactly the same frame and actor size in the frame, my spotter won't know it. Until I trod upon his instep.

 

Worrisome........

 

Having said all of this, I must publicly thank Adam Keith for holding on to the back of my vest for dear life when I did a switch while quickly moving down stairs on the last Election Night coverage at ABC. He Operated, I spotted him. I operated, he spotted me. Heck of a night. HIM I trusted, and even at that, I rarely wanted him holding on.

 

Best to all,

 

Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

[Robert Starling SOC]

Peter drummed Don Juan into me early on and the switch became muscle memory. I've never found a way that I like being guided but there are a select group of cable utilities in live work that I know 110% that I can trust. Two of the three times I've taken a fall have been while counting on someone else to watch my back. The third time was body part failure during a running switch and a torn ACL in my right knee.

 

Robert