Transport/waiting

[Lars Erik]

I've heard horror stories of ops getting paralized like injuries because they've been sitting with the rig on, boats, cars etc. Someone gave me a tip that one should slide the vest as far up you can when you're sitting, so you don't put pressure onto your nerves at your hip. Is this a good tip? Anyone else have good ideas of how to avoid injuries due to this?

[Marc Stoppenbach]

Good question Lars. I´m an AC since 1995 and i´m in training every day with the old 3A from my DoP. In near future I will buy my own equipment. But now my question to the ops: Where is the correct position for the vest? I have problems with my muscles an nervs to my right hip. So I made the vest very short that there is no pressure on the muscle/hip and its ok. But now it´s harder for my back and maybe not healthy. Sorry Eric for my additional question.

[Thomas English]

I don t know about the horror stories regarding vest s digging in and paralysing.

 

There have been previous threads about the vest digging into the spot at the top of your leg where the nerves come out and giving a numbing feeling. I had this myself when I got my klassen, I solved it by simply raising the klassen arm to the top of its level. I have had it to a lesser extent when soft mounting on vehicles as you describe.

 

What I will say is this level of paralysis/numbness happens gradually and you will know about it, its not a sudden thing. It only becomes permanent if you do it constantly contastantly then you can damage the nerve. (mountain climbers have the same problem with their big rucksacks).

 

I hope this helps. Like I say there are previous threads about this type of sensation.

[Gustavo Penna]

I've heard horror stories of ops getting paralized like injuries because they've been sitting with the rig on, boats, cars etc. Someone gave me a tip that one should slide the vest as far up you can when you're sitting, so you don't put pressure onto your nerves at your hip. Is this a good tip? Anyone else have good ideas of how to avoid injuries due to this?

 

I NEVER heard about the horror stories regarding vest s digging in the nerves and paralysing them.

 

Just dont sit with the vest at the same length that you would use it, if you were standing up.

 

The only horror stories that i know about steadicam are :

 

-Producers not Paying us.

 

-Newbies working for less than standard rates or for free.

[Lars Erik]

I heard this story from a focus puller friend of mine. He's worked a lot with a Steadicam operator who's been operating for 20 years now. So the source seemed pretty good.

 

LE

[nealnorton]

I remember Garret Brown telling us about this problem at a workshop. He said there was no long term problem

but that he had pretty bad numbness for a while.

 

I don't sit while in the vest. If you must, shorten it up and pad the bottom to protect yourself.

 

Regards,

 

Neal Norton

[Jerry Holway]

I remember Garret Brown telling us about this problem at a workshop. He said there was no long term problem

but that he had pretty bad numbness for a while.

 

I don't sit while in the vest. If you must, shorten it up and pad the bottom to protect yourself.

 

Regards,

 

Neal Norton

 

Yes, it's true. Garrett's legs were numb for several months!

 

You can sit for short periods of time without shortening the vest without a problem, but if you are going to be sitting for any lenght of time (more than a minute or so) it's best to shorten and pad the bottom of the vest. Count all the time you are sitting, not just when shooting.

 

In general, it's also a good idea to relax the vest - or better yet, if you have the time - take it off when not actively shooting, reducing pressure and letting the blood flow easily to all your muscles. This is really important if your vest is very tight at any spot, but especially important if it is tight around your waist, as blood can't flow as easily as it should from your legs back to your heart.... and your legs can feel like wood and cramp.

 

Jerry

[Erwin Landau]

I own a Klassen Harness for a while now, I belive 4 years. Everything was just dandy until I lost close to 20 Lbs and had to do a Video style interview segment that ended beeing 30 minutes long. January this year I blieve... way to start a new year!

 

It was supposed to be movement, like a flowty feel of a 3rd person watching what is happening with stuff in the forground... shot like "24". But as they started to light i got so boxed in that I ended up not moving much and finally could not move at all.

 

After 30 minutes of pushing down the rig and flowting around I started to feel a tingle in my left leg... Okay we know that one but I thought it was fine. The director yells cut, I turn right to make a step towards my stand that was sitting in the corner, I step on my right foot, fine. I take the first step with my left foot... I don't have a Left leg... I just step into thin air... the first thing to hit the ground was my Battery system... the second was my not existing (I couldn't feel a thing) left knee... the third was the Camera, lens first bracking the Mattbox into 2 parts... The Gaffer and a grip caught the rest of me midair...

 

Okay that was embarassing... but I could not get up for a whole 15 minutes... I could not get my left leg to do anything. Finally I start to get some feeling into my leg at least enough to get up.

 

Stupid as I was I say I'm fine but would like to have an Apple box to sit on I get back on set still not all my feelings back in my leg I sit down... 10 minutes into the next segment... I pass out.

 

Now nothing is more embarassing then crashing..., crashing twice and in front of Wes Craven in his own living room... I left discreatly didn't say bye... wanted to make sure he would not remember me... ( I can already hear it... Yeah there was this Steadicam operator that put this whole into my Living room floor... twice.)

 

That is by the way a reason why I hate Video shoots... and that's why I stay in movies... I can handle 4 or 5 minutes takes but the 2 hour non stop shots?.... I'm to old for that shit!

 

Walter Klassen send me immidiatley 2 sets of pads and additional foam (Thanks Walter!!!) But it looks like as if he has to make some alterations to my vest. He suggested to go with the curved front... 20Lbs are to little to much to still garanty a nice snugg fit. As Walter said it will handle some weight change but not that much.

Greg Bubb repaired my rig... again. I bend up the battery rods... again. Because of me he keeps extras in stock. He already picks up the phone with: "what did you brake this time?" And it was only my second crash this year (...okay third repair).

 

So I hope everybody had a good laugh at my expense...

 

Don't be stupid, be safe...

 

 

Erwin "Crash test dummy" Landau

 

 

 

 

 

 

I put a copy of that post into the Vest segment : Awesomw Klassen Upgrade, Curved Front Door.

 

Sorry for doubleing up...

 

 

Erwin