The ALIEN / Alien Revolution - All about...

[RayLam]

I received my V2 AR from Howard just before my new feature which started in China this February. 2 weeks into the movie the AR stopped working. I called Howard and he was working in the US. With no way of checking what was wrong and no parts to fix it even if I knew what went wrong. I sent everything except the cage back to the UK. It left on a Friday: according to FedEx MK-V got it Monday afternoon, called MK-V, they confirmed that they have got my AR and would look at it. Got a call from MK-V around noon on Tuesday told me that they have fixed the problem. I blew a sensor because I never turned the AR off. They sent it out the same afternoon and I had my AR back in working order half way around the world in China on Friday. They even sent me some spare cables and a spare belt. It has been 3 months now and the AR has not let me down again.

I fly the AR with an Arricam LT and a 235 with Cook S4 in this feature. I balanced the AR with both cameras and have marks for them. It only takes me minutes to rebalance when switching between cameras and readjusting the arm. I am doing a lot of running shots in hallways with vertical and horizontal pillars and fast wipe pans during the action sequence. Perfect horizon. The AR is making my life much easier. The sudden change from Hi to Lo mode doesn't bother me at all now.

I am into the 3rd month of flying my AR in this feature and I am still learning. I wish I could spent some time with Howard so he can teach me more technique. It is not an easy tool to master. It is heavy, with the LT it feels like flying a BL like when I was starting out in my younger days. Flying the AR is like wearing a mini-jib on me.

The budget of films in China is small compare to Hollywood productions but I am still getting US$500/day everytime I use my AR. It is a small return towards my investment but I am looking forward to getting more work because of my new tool. There is a price for everything. You just can't have it if you cannot afford it.

 

 

Ray Lam

 

Don't get jealous of my new toy

[Bruce Alan Greene]

Thank God the Internet was not around when Garrett was showing up on those film-sets with his ?Brown Stabilizer?. The concept would never survive with all the slandering and rumourology.

 

In the early days, there was a lot of contempt and slandering about the Steadicam. Like, "always looks like you're on a boat". "It's only good for running and stairs. It will never replace a dolly" etc. Or as John Landis once said upon being introduced to me on his set, "you know, I never really liked Steadicam". Others were quick to say they just hated it.

 

I mention this because a cool thing has happend in the last 25 years of Steadicam. The traits that everyone hated about Steadicam in the beginning like "tilting horizon" have become the mainstream look of filmmaking now and accepted as artistic expression and not a "flaw".

 

I tried on the AR at cinegear and it worked quite well (for my 5 minute demo). I haven't bought one beacuse I am a cheapskate and I've grown accustomed to the look and feel of traditional Steadicam. I even like being able to change horizon during the shot...

 

If the AR had been released 20 years ago, we'd all be buying them. Today, it seems like more of a special use item to me. So, does anyone rent these for those of us who will want to use it only on occation?

 

-bruce alan greeene

Steadicam owner / Operator

[Dave Bittner]

Dave, it still amazes me that there are people out there who still think that an Arricam LT or a Millenium XL2 would work on Lynn?s system? Simply put, Lynn?s ?L? base did not allow for a verical magazine. Additionally, the single point of attachment and support on the back, would never survive a vehicle mount over rough terrain.

 

First of all, in none of my comments did I mention any of the mechanical mounting points of the camera. My concerns were all about the electronics, the sensors specifically, and why they have limitations that Lynn's system didn't when it was in prototype form several years ago. Lynn knew that his system was still in prototype mode, and needed additional funding to get it production-ready, which presumably would have involved beefing up the base to handle the film cams you mention. My question still hasn't been answered: Does the AR use cheaper, less sophisticated sensors than the original, patented Alien prototype, and is that the reason why it has specific performance limitations, such as the nose-down freak-out that I mentioned in a previous post?

 

I'm don't know quite how to respond to your comment about Howard getting trouble here for not being American. There are a lot of people on this board who have earned my respect through their exprience, knowledge, integrity and willingness to mentor new ops. On the occasions I have met Howard he has always been gracious, kind and gentlemanly. I'm not one to blindly buy in to rumors, but when enough people you respect are putting out warning signs, you can't help but cast a skeptical eye.

 

At NAB, several people told me to look for some specific limitations of the AR, like the nose-down issue, which I witnessed. Other's mentioned the system being prone to drift, which I did not witness. The system seemed to hold good horizon for the time I saw it operating, which was a good fifteen minutes or so.

[RobVanGelder]

As someone who has a fair amount of experience with Motion Control, I know the problem of looking straight down real well. Basically, when the camera looks exactly 90 degrees down or up, there is NO horizon, where any computer can relate to. The "horizon" can be turned in a 360 degrees plane, while the camera is still looking 90 degrees down or up.

This is the "freaking out" that is visible.

The calculations that are happening in the computer are based on normal mathemathics, which prohibit the use of dividing by 0 or infinity. As the computer constantly calculates angles, it is bound to run into these limits.

 

I know that Howard works closely with Mark Roberts Motion Control, and only recently this company has found a way to "trick" the program to allow those straight top or bottom shots on their own MoCo rigs. Before that it was always a real pain to make their rigs behave as if looking straight down or up.

 

I am not so sure that this issue, that was not seen at the prototype made by Lynn, was because is was more sophisticated, it could have been the other way around, which actually worked well then.

And if it was intentional I am impressed!

 

But, I have never seen or experienced Lynn's rig and I did try Howards and was impressed as well. Though a new can of worms has been opened...... :D

[Janice Arthur]

To all;

 

I would like to say I'm thrilled with this kind of topic. I'm tired of reading about who needs a cable or

a battery or a whatever (it good to be able to ask that question too but they are boring to read.)

 

I have not seen the AR only read about it and I've wondered how it was working out/selling etc.

 

I don't think anyone has been mean-spirited, I think of it as if we were all just sitting around talking.

 

This is the best use of this forum.

 

Janice

[Jon Myers]

Hello everyone I just wanted to write and say that two of the rumors that Erwin was talking about was true (someone not being able to hold the horizon and a non-working AR). I had to replace an AR owner on a feature about two weeks ago. I'm not sure what all of the circumstances were, all I know is that I had to come in. I'm not sure how often Howard speaks with all of his AR owners but he might not have heard about this yet. The AC's on the show said that he never got his AR to work at all. So to all of you newbies out there don't think that just by buying an AR you're going to be able to do the next "Goodfellas" shot. Make sure that you can operate without it before you buy it (as a matter of fact make sure that you can operate a camera before you buy your Steadicam, just because you can walk around with it and hold a good horizon doesn't mean that you're ready to do a paying job). EVERYTHING and I do mean EVERYTHING breaks at some point in time and usually Mr. Murphy sticks his head out there right when you really need whatever it is that you're using be it a car or anything else. I know that the AR is still being worked on and improved whenever Howard can come up with a solution to the different problems that arise during use that cannot be foreseen in the shop. I won't mention any names but I also know from talking to someone that had bought an AR early on that he wanted to return it and couldn't. I hope that this post won't start another war out there, I just wanted to get some correct info out there.

 

Jon Myers

[Howard J Smith]

Hi Jon (how are you?)

 

You a totally right re you need to be a good camera op first, before you become a good steadicam Op and the same is true with the AR you need to be a good Steadicam op to use the AR.

 

I am very interested to know all about this please can you email me off forum to Howard@mk-v.com

As I have not heard anything from my pioneers re this. And of course as you stated if there was a problem that needs to be sorted, I can't fix it if I don't know about it. :)

 

The AR's are very reliable the only problems we have had were caused from - color coded cables being plugged into the wrong color or input and also leaving it 'booted' on the stand for hours on end.

 

Take care and see you all soon at Cinegear

 

All the best

Howard

 

PS - Are there any shots anyone would like to see the AR do?, please email me direct on Howard@mk-v.com

[Thomas English]

http://www.steadishots.org/media_detail.cfm?mediaID=1

 

that has really really made me want to get an AR !

[Jason Torbitt]

Yes! That's my favourite shot of the demos too! Its a good illustration of how the AR should be used, as a tool to get particular angles and sequences (that may not always have been possible beforehand). The AR demo DVD is a good watch - Chris does some great shots with it.

[Nikk Hearn-Sutton SOC]

What are the pro's and con's on the AR system and is it worth the price of admission.

 

Thanks

[TJ Williams]

Has this been done or what!!!! Don't worry Howard will be here shortly....

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

You might want to search the forums.

[Erwin Landau]

Check these:

 

http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...?showtopic=3468

 

http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=201

 

 

But if you really want to know... then this is the wrong place to ask. Somehow nobody will give you an honest answer...

 

 

Good Luck,

 

 

Erwin

[WillArnot]

I have used the AR quite extensively on the latest Tom Hanks / Julia Roberts picture I am currently on.

Search the forums. Formulate some specific questions.

 

I'd be happy to honestly discuss the Pro's and Con's in person. It is well worth discussing, but this place has become quite volatile regarding this matter. It's not worth the silliness that ensues to post about it.

 

My cell: 917 417 4701

 

Will

 

The concept of the shot was to start on the heels, come straight up the body to the back of the head (a 5 foot boom) and then wrap around to end up in front of her face and establish the character as she walks briskly down the corridor.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Let me add one quick point, Listen to people like Will working on big shows using the gear, DON'T Listen to the manufactures and their sales droids.