Matt Burton Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 On my last job I had a really old heavy digi beta camera fully loaded with matte box filters etc. It was a one camera shoot and the camera was being used for stilts and steadicam off and on. Due to the weight of the camera I had no choice but to power the camera from the sled as you'd expect. Inbetween scenes I had gone for a break and I was called out as the director had a brain wave and wanted to get one quick shot with the steadi. I said no problem and me and my assistant quickly rigged up the sled and camera. One thing I hadn't realised was that the camera still had the 2.2kg battery attached from the stilts. When I picked up the rig from the docking stand in order to quickly balance on the fly, the weight of the battery forced the rig backwards and I had to really push it forwards. I felt a sharp tearing in my abs and docked up the rig sharply. Me and the assistant had a quick chuckle as we noticed our mistake and off came the battery. Everything seemed fine with the rest of the shoot all be it a little sore around the ribs on my right side. A few days later and I felt fine, a couple more days and I had a slight increase in sensitivity in the right side of my stomach. The symptoms over the next few day increased until it was really quite sore and the pain widespread. I had complete forgotten about the camera incident and was thinking the worst from appendicitis to i don't know what, it just didn't feel like a muscle tear. Anyway I got back from the doctors today and it was just a muscle tear and should be six to eight weeks before it's right. Pretty foolish of me I know but I was just wondering if anybody else had ever torn a stomach muscle from operating ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brad Grimmett Posted October 10, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Sorry to hear about your injury. Sounds painful. I'm a bit confused about a couple things. First, what are "stilts"? I thought maybe you'd just mispelled 'sticks', but then I saw that you wrote it more than once. I've never heard this term before in relation to camera. Is it a British thing? Second...I often like to fly cameras like a digibeta with a battery because I like the added mass and it also saves my sled batteries. Those types of cameras are often easier to balance with the battery on the back as well. It's not like that's a very heavy camera, yet you seem to infer that it's some beast of a camera. Are you using a smaller sled, like a flyer or something? Just curious.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Burton Posted October 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 :lol: Yes sticks is what i meant not sure why I put stilt's but I kinda like it now. Digi beta on a flyer :o if only it were possible i'd never had sold mine. I was using a IIIA but the problem was this old DIGI cam, i've seriously never used one as old and heavy before. It's the old sony, the one where you can't remove the eye peice and it seems like it's made out of lead. Nothing like a modern DVW790WSP about half as heavy again it seemed. I'm mending pretty good now I just hope i'm not turning down much work in the mean time. Perhaps back to the old stilt's for a while :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Thomas English Posted October 12, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 really sorry to hear about that Matt, I hope you get better quickly and efficiently. After the perscribed time, start doing pilates and lots of it as well as balance ball excercises. It sounds like your core strengh was fairly under par but nothing that a few months won t sort out. Don t worry, things seem to be quitening down UK side anyway. Sit back, relax but don t do a Gazza and get pissed/take drugs continuously. Take up Tai Chi... U can do that with torn muscles ? Good luck and stay off them stilts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Burton Posted October 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Cheers mate Cute pilates instructer booked ! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.