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Adding New Forums


Erwin Landau

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Hi everyone,

 

As I was going through the forums, especially the General Discussion, and was reassigning posts...

(I found Follow Focus posts in the Vest section???) It got me thinking...

That a couple of additions to the forum would better specify where the posts should go... so:

 

In trying to make the Steadicam Forum a more appealing and a better resource for everybody and hoping

to get a couple of "oldtimers" back to posting and enjoying the online experience again...

 

I wanted to suggest an addition of a couple of Forums:

 

 

-Cameras (Film/Video/HD)

(Anything Camera related... new/old Steadicam flyable cameras, weights, cables,

lenses, Magazines, Camera related AKS, Pictures of set ups, etc.)

An Archive to look up a certain Camera. Pitfalls, problems, etc.

 

 

-Video...

Transmitters/Receivers, Video taps, Onboard recorders, etc.

 

 

-Batteries (or maybe Batteries and Cables)

Any batteries, any chargers and related topics (recelling, power problems, etc)

 

 

-Legal

Rates, Contracts, Unions, Insurance, Internatinal travel, shipping, carnes, Legal pitfalls, etc.

 

 

-Picture Archives & History Archives

Historic, Contemorary, Any Operator, Any Rig...

Stories of "who and how" made the Steadicam what it is now and still are... and will be.

 

 

-Contact info for:

(Manufacturer, Websites, phone numbers, any important data, etc.)

 

 

 

What do you guys and gals think? Any feedback, suggestions...

 

Tim wants to check into it after NAB.

 

 

Let him (us, everybody) know,

 

 

 

Erwin "trying for a better Steadicam World" Landau

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Great Idea...

 

 

-Vehicles and Mounts

Steadicam useable vehicles, ATV, Bikes, Rickshaws, Carmounts, Hardmounts, etc.

 

 

How about splitting the Sled section into segments or adding a Gimbal section?

 

 

Just a suggestion....

 

Keep it comming,

 

 

Erwin

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How about splitting the Sled section into segments or adding a Gimbal section?

 

Erwin

Love your suggestions. And thank you (and the other mods) for taking up the extra workload.

 

The only concern id have with splitting the Sled section up is that it might generate more "my brand gimbal is better then your brand gimbal etc" arguments.

It would also be nice to see some sections of the forum that are brand free with topics just concentrating on the art and craft of Steadicam.

Just another suggestion...

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I'm not certain that we should get crazy with the sub categories.

 

I agree, too many is a bad thing, but there are some good suggestions. I think the -Video-

(Transmitters/Receivers, Video taps, Onboard recorders, etc.) is a must, but it's a lot of cleanup for you mods because that topic is everywhere now. The -Cameras- mostly seems concentrated in general now, but a separate category makes sense. -Mounts- could also use a home of its own.

 

Going with what Stephen said, I would hate to see this forum divided by brand. Brands are obviously discussed, but I think any sort of segregation/seperation is a mistake.

 

And yes, thanks to the mods for your time and energy.

 

-Matt

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Gents--

 

Excellent suggestions all.

 

How about a Reference Section. Included should be things like a database of camera, lens, and other weights, arm capactities and the like.

 

Also, how about a Legal Section. Deals and producers, both good and bad, and the like.

 

Again, I agree that a "brand" segregation, while it would weed out some of the "small" rig materials from the "big" stuff, smacks of the same old "label system" that has run amok within our (US) political and media circuses. Enough is enough. How about more cowbell?

 

What about a Pictures Section that might be able to be sized for small or large bandwidth viewers?

 

Just my .02....

 

Best,

 

Brant S. Fagan, SOC

Steadicam/Camera Operator

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Thanks for all the replies...

 

Brant and Stephen and Eric:

My idea is to turn the entire Forum into a recource for everybody. The goal would be to make it into a userfriendly, quick guide and reference almanache.

 

You are looking for specific info let's say (Just an example): My "XY Brand" Gimbal is sticky.

 

I come to the Forum, go to Gimbals and look up if anything simular is already posted... If not I ask and post it in the gimbal section. If somebody knows something about it or had a simular issue, he can answer. If nobody knows, doesn't care, is not interested... it stays unaswered.

 

If somebody has to bash the product, the post will be deleted... simple.

Don't sign... be deleted.

Multiple posts... be deleted.

 

I would go for all brands and all manufacturers as time will tell... nobody or a little procentige will answer after a while it will trickle down to the rigs and manufacturers that are reliable and have good Costumer Service...

 

The more information there will be on the forum the less likely it will be that this companies will Survive. People will not be able to say: "Oh, I didn't know and that's why i bought from this Guy or that piece of equipment."

You are happy post it here, you are unhappy post it here. Do it in a professional way (What? Where? When? How?) so it will benefit all and it will show to the people in question that we are informed and we will not be taken by surprise... If it's a bad product post it here and share with the Steadicam community... and see the Company go out of business, if nobody buys down they go.

If it's a great product let us know so that people buy from them and the company stays in business. It's your hard earned money...

 

As long as it's true it's not slander... don't bash it... facts carry further.

 

You have a funny story put it in Journals. You have an issue with a producer, put it into Legal... etc.

 

If you don't know where to put it, use the General Discussion and a Moderator will move it into the appropriate section after the fact.

 

 

But it only will work if the users are helping and posting in the right topic and are keeping the threads going.

 

(Threads in New,Events, Workshops as well as in Wanted and For Sale as well as in Jobs&Resumes will become invisible after a while, so be sure to post appropriatly.0

 

 

I would suggest to keep the reference sections as a part of the Forums: Camera weights under cameras. Arm capacities under arms etc. because facts will change and it will be easier to pin point the topics.

 

Also as the posts are getting older it would be great to start to merg topics and delete not important coments or jokes etc. to boil it down to the essence of the information and people do not have to weed through tons of private remarks and useless clutter. (I went through the AOL Folders... I was able to edit it down to a little over a thousand pages.)

 

Ron:

We have one for you... it's called: Off Topic

 

 

Matt and Alec:

 

What about: Video Assist clear enough?

 

 

Also Matt great idea with (next time just post it):

 

-Cases/Carts/Stands and Transport

 

 

 

I'm going to more specific under categories because of the future...

 

We have almost 16'200 posts in over 2800 Topics and that in a time period of 2 years. How is that going to look like in another 2 years... how will you be able to find anything anymore?

 

I moved almost 600 Posts, renamed over 100 and deleted 50... That's where I came up with the new Topics... which are hidden away under hundreds of posts on top...

 

To make it more pin point to find things in the future I would suggest, additional to the already mentined, the following:

 

 

-Sled (general)

 

-Camera Stage/Donkey Box

 

-CenterPost

 

-Gimbal

 

-Lower Sled/Electronics/Battery system

 

 

Sorry for the rant...

 

Just throwing ideas around,

 

 

Erwin

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Also Matt great idea with (next time just post it):

 

-Cases/Carts/Stands and Transport

 

Ha ha, Erwin you are one lean-mean-forum-editing-machine!

 

To elaborate, the -Cases/Carts/Stands and Transport would include the obvious: cases (what kind of foam, where to buy, how many in your kit, etc.), carts (Erwin's custom stuff, MagLiners, where to buy, how much, you get the gist), stands (duh), and transport (airline weight limits, FedEx Ground rates, bad experiences with XYZ Transport, who reliably ships overseas, and on and on).

 

Kudos to Erwin for this major push to do some much needed spring cleaning!

 

-Matt

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Erwin, Alec, Eric,

 

I love the idea (plan)

 

As a new operator, I spend a bit of time searching through old posts looking for info. the extra categories, and sub-cats will help that I think.

 

Attracting back the more seasoned operators, and their experience would be great. I'm for it. Maybe we can offer some incentive. Free ...uh... milkshake, for those who return =)

 

Do you think a notice, mass email, sticky post...something.. might beable to explain to all current, and future members what posts are helpful, and what ones are not? Maybe a guideline for them. Some of us it comes naturally. Others it doesn't.

 

That might save you some "delete" time by stopping the "mine is bigger than yours" posts..or whatever ends up being in the delete file.

 

Just an idea. Thanks for the help.

 

 

 

oh, Ewrin, sorry I missed ya at NAB. I saw ya, but grabbed a rig, and you were gone shortly after.

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The -Video or -Video Assist section could be called -Video Accessories

 

It would be nice to have a -Health section, so we can put all questions about the right shoes or clothes, back or elsewhere pains, stretching techniques and such...

 

Keep up the good work, this place is getting better everyday,

 

K.

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I looked into integrating the archives (Steadicam Forum 2000,2001,2002,2003) into the current forum/format. But it looks like a hell of a lot of work and it needs a very good clean up... before anything can be done... if it can be done.

 

I will check with Tim...

 

But any ideas/suggestion about that?

 

Does it make sense or is it a waste of time?

 

It would resurrect some old topic and threads or would it just open some old wounds?

 

 

 

Erwin "Looking for answers" Landau

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