Premium Members Jason Williams Posted December 30, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 www.optexint.com What's going on there? Has Steadicam in the UK ended? Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Steven Acton Posted December 30, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 www.optexint.com What's going on there? Has Steadicam in the UK ended? Jason a bit worrying i was just about to book and pay for a course in feb , i hope optex is still going !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members benedictspence Posted December 30, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 Uh Oh! Very interesting... I heard that Optex were having a few problems- looks like they had a few too many... I wonder if Robin Thwaites can shed any light on what exactly is going on?? You around Robin? Might be able to pick up a few bargains at a liquidation sale though! Seriously though- not good to hear that a big company has gone under- makes me, as a freelancer, feel a bit more exposed than normal. Happy New Year kids! Ben Spence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Graham Posted December 30, 2005 Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 Hi Regards the training courses. There is always MK-V for a one day course. Or try http://www.pascalcam.nl/glidecamworkshop.htm I know it's in the Netherlands but for the price difference between the MK-V or the old Optex course you can pay for your flights and hotel no problem (plus get a little mini holiday)! The basics and principles are the same for Glidecam or Steadicam. Plus Job and Pascal are great guys!!!! The advantage of either of these courses over the Optex course is massive. There are less people in ratio to the tutors. Plus either the MK-V or Glidecam workshops are all run by operating Steadicam ops! No disrespect to Robin, As he himself says he is not a camera operator! Anthony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jason Torbitt Posted December 30, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 (edited) That's bad news; a bit of a shock too - it will be interesting to see how this develops. I'm sure Robin will shed some light on the situation with relation to us. Bad news for the broadcasters too - Optex supply a lot of gear. Could be one hell of a January sale at any rate, as Ben says. Unfortunate turn of events for all involved. Plenty of workshop alternatives though in the meantime, & MK-V of course, as Ant has stated. Anyone wanting 'Steadicam' brand parts for their rig in the meantime can get them direct from Tiffen Europe, I already have some things on order through them. (The office is in Oxford) I'm sure Robin will fill us in with more when he can. Edited December 30, 2005 by Jason Torbitt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mikko Wilson Posted December 30, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 That sucks. :( - Mikko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Dave Wowchuk Posted December 30, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 I agree with Anthony. The course is only going to be as good as the operators running it. It doesn't matter whether you are using a Steadicam, Glidecam, or MK-V ... it's what you do with it that counts. If I was across the pond in Europe, and just starting out ... I'd be at Job's course in a heartbeat (but I already took the workshop in Rockport, sorry Job.) Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinThwaites Posted December 30, 2005 Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 Hi All Yes all the OpTex stories are true, it ceased trading as of Friday the 23rd. I was actually on leave at the time so spent a lot of time on the phone putting together the pieces of information that I could. I am luckier that many as I have a position available for me with Tiffen Europe I will let you have all the contact details when I know them! This means that the workshop in February will go ahead and I will send out new details to anyone interested. All stock currently belongs to the receivers, I will certainly be trying to get all the spares and parts that I can - those bits and pieces that can help out in tight situations. I have no idea what they propose to do with the rest at this stage. That is about all I can tell you at the moment in this unofficial announcement - more news will follow. Robin Thwaites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Burton Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 I'd just like to wish you the best of luck in your new situation Robin :D Can't pretend this isn't a bit shocking though ? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Young Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Sorry to hear that such a long established UK company has gone under. Robin - Glad to hear that you have something to fall back on. Good luck with the new position. Guess you'll be moving to Oxford! Best wishes. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Morgan Lowndes Posted January 4, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Ive booked the course in Feb, anyone know if it is still going ahead... Robin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members joe mcnally Posted January 4, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Just another note to say sorry about the Optex close down. All the best to Robin who has always had time and patience way, way beyond the call of duty in all matters of Steadicam. Hope the New Year brings great success and thanks for all the help over the years Joe McNally Is there a website for Steadicam Europe anywhere please ? Thanks Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinThwaites Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Hi Joe/All Many thanks for all your kind words and thought, as you can imagine after 22 years (and 20 years of Steadicam!) it has been quite an upheaval. Anyhow I am one of the lucky ones from OpTex and have now started at Tiffen Europe responsible for International Steadicam sales. We will continue running workshops including the one at the end of February and are looking forward to expanding this area and aslo working with all the new Steadicam products. My contact details are: tel +44 18 69 34 38 35 e-mail(now up and running) robin.thwaites@tiffen.com Thanks again Robin Thwaites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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