The ALIEN / Alien Revolution - All about...

[benedictspence]

Thanks Matt!

 

That was the maddest shoot ever- 10 days, the wrong way round the world, 3 hours sleep per night... brilliant but phew! Some great shots but also some pretty shite stuff but considering the situation

 

Sounds like you had fun on that basketball job!

 

Thanks for fighting my corner dude... but don't worry about it mate- not worth getting into an arguement! :)

 

Ben

[Jerry Holway]

Woah there Mark!

 

Sorry, just trying to be friendly, bro.

 

Wasn't trying to be disrespectful, nor smart-arsed, only to clarify. I hope Jerry understands this.

 

I could easily snap back a nasty comment to you too, but I'm not going to because I don't know you and wouldn't want to make any assumptions about you. I'm old enough to understand basic manners, at least.

 

Ben :)

 

Ben,

understood, feel free to use "mate" or whatever. Nothing directed at you for buying what was offered, either...

Jerry

[WillArnot]

Hey dude bro Ben mate,

 

Keep the thread on target mate. This one's about patents and truth regarding the AR.

Your MK-V T-shirt's probably in the mail by now.

 

Nnnaaahhhhtttt!!

 

Cheers china,

 

Will

[flemming laybourn]

As a former Mk-V owner ( now PRO... yes..! )

 

I feel that I have a few remarks that will help me mentally in the years to come...

 

- I have owned a Master, Mk-V and now a Pro.

 

During the time I had my Mk-V I changed my gimbal ( V2 ) 4! times.

The problem was the precision of the bearing. After balancing my rig I would swing it a 180´ and it would....

Loose the balance / tilt to one side... I adressed this problem with howard, And was told that it probably had to do with placement on the rig ( camera,batteries,monitor,ect ) I moved everything.. and I mean EVERYTHING around... the problem was still the same... New gimbal, same problem, new gimbal.. same problem...

 

I went to an engineer, we measured and measured, and his conclusion was that the enlignment of the axis wasn´t precise enough... :-(

 

At this point may ,I comment, I had with my latest V2 gimbal also recieved a handheld note from Howard saying: Hi flemming please refer your problems to me and not the Steadicam forum.....

( I still have the note as a reminder...)

 

To be fair I got some of the earlier versions of the V2.... but on the other hand.. it didnt come cheap...

 

Im not trying to "get at Howard" (which seems the case for a few people in here). My point is that this is an expensive industry, you will not own that many rigs in your career. the choices you make are important, and the more input you can get from colleagues the better.

 

Was I happy with the Master...? nja.. I didnt know better at the time.... And the Mk-V..? yes to some extend.. but the support was not what I had hoped for. and (in my case ) the quality of engineering was not good enough.

 

Im not saying that there are not a lot of happy MK-V owners out there ( the guy who bought mine is happy :-)

All im saying is that we all have individual experiences with people and equipment. And we should be able to discuss them freely in here. After all we put a lot of money into some carbonfibre,bearings and a 4´green screen monitor... :-)

 

I have now found the love of my life in the PRO, and it seems like a good solid relationship that will last many years....

 

This is what I had to say, I will not be answering to any replies, not really interested in keeping the fight going, just needed to give my version. And thanx for reading it.

 

All the best!

 

Flemming Laybourn / Denmark

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

As a former Mk-V owner ( now PRO... yes..! )

 

I feel that I have a few remarks that will help me mentally in the years to come...

 

- I have owned a Master, Mk-V and now a Pro.

 

During the time I had my Mk-V I changed my gimbal ( V2 ) 4! times.

The problem was the precision of the bearing. After balancing my rig I would swing it a 180´ and it would....

Loose the balance / tilt to one side... I adressed this problem with howard, And was told that it probably had to do with placement on the rig ( camera,batteries,monitor,ect ) I moved everything.. and I mean EVERYTHING around... the problem was still the same... New gimbal, same problem, new gimbal.. same problem...

 

I went to an engineer, we measured and measured, and his conclusion was that the enlignment of the axis wasn´t precise enough... :-(

 

 

I had the same issue with my V2 gimbal. that's why I replaced it with an XCS Gimbal. I also had the same email from howard and the same service from howard...

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Eric

 

You are so funny ? when you had the MK-V Gimbal you thought it was the best ? JUST because I would not GIVE you more free equipment (or and I quote, you would post negative things about me!!! ? I think this is called blackmail??)

 

 

What the hell are you talking about howard? what free gear from you? Or would you like me to post the Email from 11/23/04 that outlined the cost of the Pro Upgrade? or how about any of the other emails you sent me where you call other operators "C**ts"...

 

How about you "Blackmailing" People in order to give them service on their gear. "if you really want one then I will do you a deal, but you are going have to really cut out all this BS. AND I expect possitive support - as I have had none from you at all this year. I am more than happy to get this sorted, but under my

rules." That sound familiar Howard? (via email 11/2/05)

 

Then there is the question of why the pictures of my rig are still on your website without my permission, pictures that I have asked you to remove for over a year....

[kip ross]

Eric

 

You are so funny ? when you had the MK-V Gimbal you thought it was the best ? JUST because I would not GIVE you more free equipment (or and I quote, you would post negative things about me!!! ? I think this is called blackmail??)

 

 

 

Plllllllllllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease, MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm getting a MONDO headache from this interminably long and caustic thread.

 

Can it not be taken "outside"?

 

This still remains a great forum for a newbie, but the negativity is polluting the spirit of this forum's intended raison d'etre.

 

Please, pass the aspirin....

[Janice Arthur]

To all;

 

Please keep this thread going its the best thing to read and reread!

 

I am having a great time with it; I AM sorry for those who've lost out in one way or another.

 

If it wasn't for this we wouldn't have anything to read.

 

Janice

 

(Don't worry about the newbies, they understand verbal jousting.)

 

(I hope there is security at the booths during the trade shows.)

[David Allen Grove]

Actually Janice,

 

The Muppet thread under "off topics" has just become so much more interesting than this thread.

 

We've just learned from Jim that Burt (of Sesame Street fame) is evil (he has proof!) and Afton has revealed the identity of his Muppet in silhouette!

 

and there's more but I don't want to spoil it.

[RonBaldwin]

chris, d-box-3 still for sale?

 

rb

[Randall Stevens]

This still remains a great forum for a newbie, but the negativity is polluting the spirit of this forum's intended raison d'etre.

 

I find discussions (or fights if you like) like these, as an invaluable part of any forum. I wish more people would speak up and share their experiences, good or bad, so some poor schmuck out there won?t spend everything he has on something that will only give him frustration and sleepless nights.

 

It was public outbursts like these that forced CP to admit the inadequate design of the Master?s vibrating topstage. Some very harsh comments in this forum resulted (or partly led) in the re-design of the (also-vibrating) Donkey Box 2, and now operators can enjoy the wonderful DB3.

 

The examples are countless.

 

Kip, I believe it in my heart that these fights are being fought for you and all the other guys out there (especially the new ones). We did not have the luxury of a forum back then, and we had to learn our lesson the very hard way. We went through vibrating topstages, squeaky arms, noisy leather vests, the LC3, the Progear nightmare, the original DV steadicam, exploding vest socket blocks, snapped SK arm pins that crashed rigs to the ground, horribly noisy images and power management issues, failing arm trunions, the Hytron/435 problems, early Panavision video-tap interference voodoo, flexing center posts, inadequate cabling, the Steve Byros and Ben Fischers... Most importantly we had to endure some excruciatingly bad customer service, hype and lies.

 

Nowadays, there is enough information around so you don?t have to go through all that too.

 

Nobody forces you to read topics that you feel they have nothing to offer you and ruin your mood. Just skip them.

[Randall Stevens]

I admit Flemming did have a few problems at first with his gimbals.

I don?t know many people who would call having to ship gimbals back and forth for four times (as well as assembling/disassembling and pulling their hair out trying to find what?s going on) as ?a few problems?.

FYI - I saw Flemmings sled again recently and it bares NOTHING at all to the systems we now make. Flemmings system was a V1 Evolution, even the original 4 stage post.The MK-V V2" Nexus systems have moved on a long way since then.

Do you understand what you?re saying ? You are admitting that Flemming was offered a product which was not as good as it should be (despite the fact that you were advertising otherwise), and anyway his complaints and troubles are not important or worth mentioning ,because you are offering a much better product now. Are you going to sing the same tune and disown the V2 the same way, when you eventually come up with the V3 ?

I am sure George went through all this when he came out with the PRO

Far from it. Despite how aggressively CP tried to badmouth the PRO, claiming that you couldn?t dynamically balance it properly, and advertising the Master as safer (!) among others, it was the operators themselves who embraced the PRO and made it the industry?s standard. Very soon, every top operator (except Larry, Jeff and very few others) was flying the PRO, spreading the word, supported by an infinitely better customer service.

 

George actually listened to the operators and their needs, and designed (and improved) his system accordingly. You, Howard, work the other way around, by simply telling the operators how to work around your products.

 

When George designed the VZ gimbal, he was excited to offer a no-tools adjustment by simply twisting a ring, and he thought it was unique and advertised it as a breakthrough. But the moment he was informed that the Master featured the same adjustment since ?95, he immediately corrected his web site and actually apologized (although he didn?t have to) ! George is a gentleman.

 

You, Howard, still advertise your gimbal as ?the world?s first modular professional? one, able to fit on all systems, despite the fact that XCS was offering the same modularity and compatibility since 1999.

Change is good ? BUT People fight change.

Nobody embraced your promise for ?change? more than the operators who have now turned against you publicly. Nobody wanted the AR to succeed more than the early adopters, only to discover that it didn?t live up to its hype. You cultivated a dream in this community?s heart (and many of us spent countless hours dreaming up shots), but you didn?t deliver. Some MK-V owners won?t speak, afraid that they?ll be denied support in case they need something from you. Other MK-V owners won?t badmouth their gear as they hope to sell it, and when they do, they have no need to advertise their discontent publicly (why scratch old wounds?).

 

Nobody plunged into this adventure with more desire for ?change? than Will Arnot. He was the AR?s stronger supporter, the guy who put it in the ASC magazine, for the entire film world to see. And I doubt if he knows how lucky he has been with his set-up as opposed to others. Because he is using his AR on an Ultimate sled, he is spared from some very serious problems that the Nexus owners face, such as video noise on the monitor and the transmitted image, as well as power issues (spending a day on a commercial with the AR and a 435@75fps or more, will get you in a world of pain). After three years, after having spent so much money and energy, after putting his faith in the AR for so long, why do you think he is giving up ? Perhaps "the learning curve" of dealing with you, proved to be too steep for him.

[Howard J Smith]

Hi

 

Nice try!!!

 

Don't forget I know ALL the ops in the UK and you are not one of them.... (there is No Randall Stevens in the UK) - "We did not have the luxury of a forum back then" - So I take it you have been around for a while and in the UK and I have never heard of you, (I have been working in the UK for 25 years) you are not on IMDB or Google? - very interesting....

BUT you do have a very strong opinon about things you know nothing of? - this is also very interesting??

 

I thought it was REAL names only on here!

 

:D Very funny! :D

 

 

H

[WillArnot]

Holy smoke. I would also like to know more about Randall Stevens? I haven't found out much yet, I will, but you cannot deny the experience he has with PRO, the evolution of Steadicam, and I guess the AR. It sounds as if he spent a day operating with it on a commercial w/ a 435 @75fps. He would therefore be speaking from real experience w/ the AR on the Nexus... video noise on the monitor and transmitter signal, and power issues. Something I cannot speak to since I suffer none of these symptoms on my XCS sled. As I will point out below you can research these facts further:

http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...=XCS&st=210

http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...=XCS&st=150

http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...l=XCS&st=30

http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...=253&hl=XCS

Also see pgs 12 & 13 of this thread.

 

Perhaps an important thing to keep in mind, especially newbies, is that us seasoned ops don't go around making things up. I for one have far better things to be doing w/ my time - like not staying up until 2am with a 6am call time - We realise it is very serious business to post about technical issues, and you must consider that it is not done lightly or without careful consideration. But at the same time our livelihoods and perhaps careers lie in the hands of the manufacturers, so we must also be allowed to hold them accountable for reliable support.

 

Sadly, Howard has discredited this person without even knowing him or knowing (or perhaps admitting) the facts. It is quite evident from writing style that this is someone new who we have not heard from before, but we should welcome due to his obvious insight into the evolution of our Steadicam world. i.e. "We went through vibrating topstages, squeaky arms, noisy leather vests, the LC3, the Progear nightmare, the original DV steadicam, exploding vest socket blocks, snapped SK arm pins that crashed rigs to the ground, horribly noisy images and power management issues, failing arm trunions, the Hytron/435 problems, early Panavision video-tap interference voodoo, flexing center posts, inadequate cabling, the Steve Byros and Ben Fischers..." This list is very accurate and not something a newbie or a fake could drum up. No, Randall sounds like he is very credible.

 

Randall, apologies for referring to you in the 3rd person. Just don't know you yet.

 

I am glad to see that Eric has not taken the bait here and has taken the high road appropriately, since Randall Stevens has nothing to do with him. ... Nor with me as Howard might next try to spin and confuse you all with.

 

"Kip, I believe it in my heart that these fights are being fought for you and all the other guys out there (especially the new ones)"

"Nowadays, there is enough information around so you don’t have to go through all that too.

Nobody forces you to read topics that you feel they have nothing to offer you and ruin your mood. Just skip them."

 

Precisely guys. It is not very democratic to ask that certain dialogue not take place. If it gives you a headache then don't read it! Simple.

I have always stressed that what I am saying is based solely on my personal experience. I am not an MK-V saboteur. I am fully entitled to make my experience known, isn't that part of what this forum is about? Due to being ignored forever in private by Howard and MK-V, I am making my experience known publicly - without exaggeration (although Howard may try and convince you otherwise) - so that others do not have to suffer the same horrible frustration.

 

"George actually listened to the operators and their needs, and designed (and improved) his system accordingly. You, Howard, work the other way around, by simply telling the operators how to work around your products."

"You, Howard, still advertise your gimbal as “the world’s first modular professional” one, able to fit on all systems, despite the fact that XCS was offering the same modularity and compatibility since 1999."

 

Who is this Randall Stevens? Spot on I'd say. Thank you for summing up so accurately my experience. If I ever did get a reply or response from Howard other than "I was the only one having a problem", it was always in the vein of, "deal with it" or "it's good enough".

 

What really sickens me in Howard's inuendos is how he tries to align himself with the likes of George Paddock (GPI) and Greg Bubb (XCS). These men are the REAL gentlemen. OK fine, it is clear in many of our minds, but the debate on quality and design of gear can go on until the cows come home. There is just no contest when it comes to customer service. XCS and PRO win hands down and Tiffen are quickly closing the gap especially with the help of people like Peter Abraham. With Howard it is conditional, negotiable, and debatable. With people like George and Greg there is just no discussion, because it just happens. It happens with the utmost precision, speed, and total reliability.

 

"Nobody embraced your promise for “change” more than the operators who have now turned against you publicly. Nobody wanted the AR to succeed more than the early adopters, only to discover that it didn’t live up to its hype."

"Nobody plunged into this adventure with more desire for “change” than Will Arnot. He was the AR’s stronger supporter, the guy who put it in the ASC magazine, for the entire film world to see."

 

Thank you again Randall for helping to keep this thread on track. I have asked that you all do your own research and find out for yourselves what I and others are talking about here. In the process of selling my AR, also I aim to DIFFUSE the myths and spin here, and Howard continues to CONFUSE and deflect and do anything to take the spotlight off the truth.

Well here you go everyone. Order the back issue of American Cinematographer, November 2005 - with JarHead on the cover - go to page 52 where there is an entire page dedicated to my use of the AR on the Chris Columbus movie RENT. I worked hard on the movie, and I worked even harder with the editor to make sure the article was accurate and gave MK-V and the AR a glowing report. Of course I knew then that some things still needed to be ironed out, but I certainly didn't make that public knowledge. 2 years later? And lousy support when all I've done is try cover and support the cause?? That's a problem.

Magazine link: http://www.theasc.com/magazine/archive.htm#2006

 

Needless to say, hindsight is 20/20. I did not put the AR thoroughly through it's paces at the time. I have since come to understand that the AR in it's current design does not perform as well as I want it to, and I have the latest V2 electronics and sensors. This does not mean it will not perform as well as some of you want. For what it is, the AR works quite well. For my needs I'm afraid it has to go back to the drawing board.

 

Of course this would not fix the problem of the royalties NOT being paid to the Patent holder as Howard agreed to do..

 

For those of you who complain of headaches and the such, there is the Muppet forum for you to lose yourselves in. I for one also welcome the levity this has brought, exemplified by my Avatar.... waca, waca, waca - thanks for letting me say that David! :P I do thank you for creating a nice balance to the seriousness of this thread. We should be mindful of likening it to Jerry Springer as this undermines my experience and that of many others.

 

Again, if it is too much, dont' bother reading. It is important to many, many people and therefore worth continuing to back up the facts and the truth. i.e. 6000 hits 2 weeks ago. 14,000 hits today.

 

What I do find quite funny is that Howard himself coined the term "Muppet Forum" (Erwin "with the facts" Landau - what thread was that in??). To be quite honest I thought the slew of new Avatars were taking the piss. The fact that he has jumped in there and spins himself as this jovial, harmless guy is sickening. It is so insulting to this fine community that he thinks we don't remember that his use of "The Muppet Forum" was in utter disdain for it. If my memory serves me there is perhaps a chance that this was quoted by Howard, but in doing so he said a lot either way. This is a fine example of Howard's propensity for spin... spin it his way no matter what.

 

Ironic that Howard's avatar is green and lives in a rubbish bin. I feel sickly green when I read the spin that Howard puts on the truth. And the rubbish bin.... well I won't go there. :D Hey, yeah, let's keep it light and fun everybody :D I'm just a happy, clappy fella'. <_< ( <_< in reference to Howard, in case you don't get the dry British humour thing)

 

Will Arnot.

 

Good luck with everything - this is my last post on this crazy forum!

 

All the best

Howard

 

 

.... and whatever happened to this promise?

[Erwin Landau]

I FELT I NEEDED TO SAY SOMETHING TO HOWARD THIS IS A COPY OF THE EMAIL I SENT HIM

I HAVE NO AXE TO GRIND WITH ANYBODY BUT FEEL FREE TO HAVE A GO AT ME WATER OF A DUCKS BACK

 

hi mate

just read your post on the muppet forum

well said and to the point just one word

comes to mind jellocy you did it they

dont have the ability to accept sucsess

so bitch about it.

 

 

brian