Premium Members WillArnot Posted March 23, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Hi All, I have received my AR in full working order. I did a demo for Chris Columbus, our director, his producer Mark Radcliffe, and our DP Stephen Goldblatt. This demo was necessary to explain to everyone what it does, and to justify them forking out alot more money to rent it and the Arricam LT that I want to put in it. Needless to say, all their jaws were on the ground and the demo was a raving success. They are going for it even though it blows the camera department budget by over $5000 / week. I am going to be extremely busy on this production of the play "Rent". We are hoping the AR will lend nicely to the dance numbers. In the first week and a half there has been alot of Steadicam. Because of the more dynamic movements you put the camera through in the AR it is best to have a nice short, compact camera body that can clear the legs easily. I will only go so far as to say that it is like doing low mode all day long. It is very hard work. Hence on the maiden voyage of the AR I am having the company rent an Arricam LT with a Panavision lens mount. This has to come from Panavision London, hence the whole demo and cost factors etc. I am still putting the AR through its paces. With Lynn's and my help, Howard has made a beautiful bracket to mount the data boxes and sensor pack onto my XCS sled. A 2" post on your sled is critical, and the more power you can provide the better. Not that the AR actually draws that much given the amazing feat it performs. Fred Davis has been helping me with making all the right cables I need. Thanks Fred! Not that the AR doesn't come with everything it needs, b/c it does. But there are so many variables. OK. I can hear the barrage of questions brewing. You must understand. Yes this has been a long time coming, but it is here I can assure you. But I'm afraid to say that it is also very quickly evolving daily now that a couple of us actually have the opportunity to start putting it into real-world scenarios. And this will be the barometer from which we move forward. Think of the evolution the Steadicam went through. It is unfair to expect that the AR will be absolutely spot on the first time. Although I can say it is damn close and will only get better from here. Chad and I will be testing out these pioneering models, as will one or two other ops who I will let come fwd of their own choosing. It is hard to talk about the specifics of the AR when so few have seen it and understand what is really going on. Please don't let this turn into another petty shit fling. They really get so boring. I will divulge pictures etc as the time comes. If you are really gung ho and can't wait then please get in touch with Howard for further info. Don't harass and blame. As Chad said, I too will be happy to organize some demo time perhaps. I am in San Francisco now until June 1st. Then during June I will be filming in Los Angeles and then Santa Fe, New Mexico. Feel free to get in touch with me. My time is very short as I am into week 2 of 16 weeks of filming. Please hang on. As I said, pictures and explanations and asessments will follow. Be patient, not critical. Best to you all, Will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas M. Chopp Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Looking forward to it, Will. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Alec Jarnagin SOC Posted March 23, 2005 Moderators Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Will, Congratulations. Nice seeing you at the check out - I only wish I'd had the time to stay longer. Very cool stuff. Jendra tells me you were shooting down the street from me the other day too. That subway stop makes it into more movies.... Anyway, good luck with the show. We're off to Spain on Friday, so I'll talk to you in when we get back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Howard J Smith Posted March 23, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Hi Guys We will be over in LA early April for NAB. (and around for a few weeks after) If anyone would like to fly the MK-V 'AR' please email me - also we will be doing 'AR' training days. (please email me for details) Hope to see you all soon Many thanks Howard J Smith MK-V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher TJ McGuire SOC Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 Hi there all! As Will has already noted the AR grabs peoples attention and imagination, cant wait to see ?Rent? already! Have just been using my new A-R for 2 x 12 hour days and am still amazed by its unique ability to create innovative shots. The system held up well for the 2 days and worked a treat with the new ARRI 235 (superb little camera!) At the moment trying to get as many DOPs and Directors to see the rig working, to enable them to start thinking inside the Alien-Revolution zone! As, much as I love Steadicam, this thing knocks its socks off! Being able to start with the camera inside a car, looking back at a passenger, then track out to its exterior, down to the ground, then up over the bonnet, up the windscreen and ending up, looking at the person sat in the car, through the sunroof ! Its mind-blowing! I will be doing demos for people, DOPs, Directors and Steadicam Ops and whoever else wants to see it! Get in touch with MK-V to find out where I, and the kit will be. Anyone that wants to see it, Howard will be the US soon and I?m around the UK. MK-V hire (UK) will also have AR?s available soon, to Operators that have done the AR training. All the Best?Chris chris@alien-rev.com +44(0)7831464407 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Marc Abernathy Posted March 25, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 well since the cats out of the bag, can someone please post an image of it? i just want to see what it looks like. howard, when will you be in LA in april? i think i can sneak out there the first week of spril if i play my cards right... thanks to anyone who can help... :ph34r: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Gross Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Not to drift off the fascinating topic, but just an aside to note that West Wing shot Super-16 for just the first six episodes of the season then returned to 35mm. Apparently once those episodes made it through post someone higher up at Warners found out and put an end to it. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles Papert Posted March 25, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Thanks for the info Mitch--I was wondering how they managed to maintain the same depth of field as previous seasons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Williams Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Hey Howard, coming to NAB? with this much interest you could form a cue and sell tryout tickets to the colonists. Hope to see you there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Stephen Murphy Posted March 26, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Will, Congrats on the purchase of your AR!!. We're all very interested to hear how it gets used in practical applications over the coming months. There are a whole load of questions and standards that will be answered and established as you put the AR to the test on "Rent". Are you using a seperate sled to have the AR permanently built? If not how long does it take to setup the AR on your existing sled? Have production agreed to pay for the AR rental for the duration of the production, or just on a shot by shot basis? It will be very interesting to see how much of the planned steadicam shots become AR shots. Il also be just as interested to see what doesnt get shot on the AR and what the AR doesnt do. Its good for all of us to know its limitations. I know you'll be a busy man for the next few months but please keep us updated from time to time as you blaze new ground, and most of all have fun bro!! Does anyone know if Jeff Mart is online and willing to chime in and document his experiences with his rig? It would be great to see the comparisons between Chad, Will, Chris and Jeff. Cheers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Peter Abraham Posted March 31, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 well since the cats out of the bag, can someone please post an image of it? i just want to see what it looks like. I just wrote yet another tiringly snarky post supporting this. But what the heck. We're adults. Howard: Please state clearly and without obfuscation exactly why you refuse to post on the Internet photographs of this device? If the patent is secured and it is being sold in the United States, then................................. ?? Thank you. Peter Abraham New York Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulEdwards Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Hi Guys, Following the BSC show last week, we were lucky enough to get Howard in for a demo of the AR on Harry Potter yesterday. It was the first time I'd seen it in action (was due to go to the show but my daughter was born a few weeks early.......my life's now like been on constant day shoots followed by night shoots!). A shot was set up in the courtyard set involving the camera moving from ground level through mid and head height along with 360's, steps, parallel tracks, whip pan etc. etc. It's an amazing piece of kit and I found it fascinating to watch the execution of the shot. After Howard had finished I had a while before my next setup so I was able to try the rig on (my Ultra vest and Howard's PRO arm). The camera was an Arri LT and although we didn't do any weighing, the weight of the camera/sled combination seemed similar to my rig setup for that day(Ultra/Arri LT). For anyone who hasn't tried the AR, it's easy to simulate how it feels. Just assume the camera on the end of your sled is free to rotate along the lens axis so that it stays level wherever you place your post in space. Also assume your monitor also rotates to stay level for constant viewing. Sounds easy but as I found out, there is a learning curve. When the post is in a 'conventional' position, the AR feels very similar to a 'normal' sled and you can pan, tilt, whip etc. but when the camera is lower down (say with the post horizontal), the tilt in the frame is executed by what was your pan! Also when going from low mode to high mode, it is very tempting to boom up on the arm but soon you realise that you don't need to and you let the post rotation elevate the lens. When you are performing low/high moves, the most awkward thing to get used to is to allow enough clearance between yourself/the arm and the sled . On these kind of moves, because the post is swinging around, you also need to get used to moving your operating hand around a lot more than normal. All in all this is a fascinating advance in the world of steadicam and I must admit although I only tried it briefly, I was impressed and pleasantly surprised with the overall weight and also the lack of noise in the whole mechanism. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Michael Stumpf Posted March 31, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Paul, you are definitely correct about the learning curve. I remember flying Lynn's prototype Alien back in the summer of 2002, and it felt ackward at first, but I quickly began to adapt. But the question still remains... Howard, when are you going to release the complete specs on the AR? By complete specs I mean: Added weight? Overall weight of complete Nexus/AR system? Heard it adds like 6-7 pounds to what a PRO2 sled weighs Power consumption? Will it work with a 435, and if so up to what speed before conventional Proformers or Litium Ion batteries won't do? Max camera weight on the AR? Max camera dimensions? Which cameras will fit on the thing? Noise levels of motors as it works? Cold weather limitations? Has it been tested in subfreezing weather? Heat limitations? Has it been tested in 110+ degree desert heat? Can it work in rain/moisture? I'm guessing rain covers don't work. What about keeping dust/sand out? Will it ruin the motors and assembly to use it on the beach or in a desert with sand? What happens on video/HD jobs if they want you tethered? How much money does the thing cost? It's out now so there shouldn't be any hiding the price anymore? Etc etc. Also, as Chris pointed out in another post I just read, he said his goal was to showcase the AR to as many DP's, Directors, and Producers as possible. Well, since final production version is out now, what about pictures? Since there's PA's (hell interns) who've seen the thing now, why hide it from the VERY people who would be buying them....Steadicam operators. Let's see pictures of the final product, along with the complete specs on your website. It's great that Chad, Will, and Chris are willing to "demoonstrate" and allow other operators to "test drive" the rig, but I don't think a couple pictures and complete specs from the manufacturer is too much to ask for first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted April 1, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 I too am amazed by the technology and would love to add it to my kit (need to pay for landscaping and 4-wheel addiction first). I can't wait to get together with Chad and watch him in action. I have heard from friends on the crew of CSI that one particular operator (not Chad, by the way) was on second unit a few weeks ago as a b-cam/steadi op. He was handing out business cards, resumes and A/R demo tapes to the producers. He was trying to snake Jeff Hunt (a-cam/steadi on 1st unit) out of his job with the promise of free A/R. That is sad. Ron B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Michael Stumpf Posted April 1, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 I too am amazed by the technology and would love to add it to my kit (need to pay for landscaping and 4-wheel addiction first). I can't wait to get together with Chad and watch him in action. I have heard from friends on the crew of CSI that one particular operator (not Chad, by the way) was on second unit a few weeks ago as a b-cam/steadi op. He was handing out business cards, resumes and A/R demo tapes to the producers. He was trying to snake Jeff Hunt (a-cam/steadi on 1st unit) out of his job with the promise of free A/R. That is sad. Ron B <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ron, for God's sake, due tell the name of that person. That's about as low as it gets. People and acts like that is a VERY quick way of "Alienating" (PUN COMPLETELY INTENDED) oneself from the ENTIRE steadicam community. And like a child molester who just moved into your neighborhood, EVERYONE deserves to know who they are and what they're up to!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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