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Goofy Foot vs. Regular


Erwin Landau

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Just wondering:

 

I was thaught to have the rig on the left and operate with the left hand, during the first workshop one of my Instructors suggested, after I was not able to takle a shot, to turn the rig around, rig on the right operating with the right (Goofy).

I did the take without a hitch... so Actually I was a better operator as Goofy foot.

 

Over the years as I had to borrow equipment and usually it was a hassle to change over the Socket on the Vest and the Arm, I became a regular mode operator...

 

How many do operate Goofy versus Regular, Anybody operates boths sides all the time...

 

Actually would be a great poll... (If I could figure out how to do that).

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

Erwin"Yes I'm bored"Landau, SOC

www.landaucamera.com

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Just wondering:

How many do operate Goofy versus Regular, Anybody operates boths sides all the time...

Actually would be a great poll... (If I could figure out how to do that). Any thoughts?

 

Erwin"Yes I'm bored"Landau, SOC

www.landaucamera.com

I've wondered how to create a poll here as well..

 

Well, I operate regular mode "non-goofy foot"

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You should really practice operating the alternate side to your preferred because ocassionally you'll have to do it. eg. Garrett's shot in the Indiana Jones movie crossing the suspension bridge with the steadicam over the rail.

Very uncool to tell the director it can't be done!

 

Phil Balsdon

Sydney, Australia

www.steadi-onfilms.com.au

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You should really practice operating the alternate side to your preferred because ocassionally you'll have to do it. eg. Garrett's shot in the Indiana Jones movie crossing the suspension bridge with the steadicam over the rail.

 

Hi Phil,

 

I'm getting your point... but:

 

Garrett's example of the Indiana Jones shot isn't a specially good example as that was shot when they where still using the "One Handed Operating Technic" where the arm is mounted on the right and you operate with the right hand... I would have given you that one if he had operated with the left hand...

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  • 5 weeks later...

I have to say it's always been a bit perplexing to me the way the two-handed operating technique evolved. As it stands, most ops who mount the arm on the right side use the right hand for placement of the sled/arm in 3D space and the left hand for precise control of the gimbal for pan/tilt/horizon. This seems backward to me - Since most of us are right handed it strikes me that you'd want to be doing the precision work with the right hand.

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  • 3 months later...
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My friend Ray Dumas is left handed and he operates on the 'normal' side, while I am right handed and also operate 'normal'....

 

I tried both ways in the beginning, and somehow the traditional way just felt right. It is interesting to see at workshops when a student who has been struggling with finding their 'sweet spot' suddenly has the lights go on when they switch sides.

 

go figure....

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Same here,

 

At the Malibu workshop, I was struggling to try to keep my horizon operating on the left side... Until my instructor, Guy Bee, told me to try on the other side, the rest is history. I even have a tape where another student was filming me with my video camera while operating a walk and talk shot and you can clearly see in the frame Garett and Guy discussing my non-conformity to the others ( I was the only "lefty" on 10 students).

 

Going right side for me is like starting over, but I still try to practice it from time to time, never had to do it yet...

 

Frederic Chamberland

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Since most of us are right handed it strikes me that you'd want to be doing the precision work with the right hand.

 

Well, if you think about a musician playing a guitar, the case is the same. You're right handed, but the precision work is your left hand on the frets, making the chords, running the fingers on a solo and so on. Your right hand "just" picks the strings...

So there must be something in our brains that can make it happen B)

 

Daniel"yeah, I was a rock star" Stilling

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Hi Guys

 

I agree - it is rather odd.

I op in the regular mode, even though I am right handed. (I did try the other way a couple of times - but I was pretty crap!)

Over the last 3 years I have been doing quite a lot of teaching and it is very strange to watch how 2 or 3 people all right handed can be so different - I start with everyone in regular mode and then after 5 minutes I make them switch to 'goofy' and do the same routine. It is amazing how their operating changes - some for the worst, some the same, but some for the better and it is a huge improvement.

I guess it is just how your brain works - like operating with a joy stick - do you want the shot to go up when you push the stick up or do you want it to go down? -

 

Just my 2p (we don't have cents here)

 

Cheers

Howard

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