Ryan Wiebe Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 I am trying to attach a lightweight teleprompter to the flyer, here is the breakdown: Sony Z1U with battery - 5lb 2.4 oz Teleprompter screen - 2lb 7.1 oz Teleprompter glass - 1lb 3.6 oz Teleprompter cover - 3lb 0.3 oz Teleprompter base - 2lb 3.7 oz That is a total of about 14lbs It is too front heavy, I have moved the gimbal all the way to the top and moved the teleprompter and camera back as far as it can go. I used both of my IDX batteries at the bottom of the post and even wrapped a 2lb weight around the batteries (which brings the weight up a little) and it is still front-heavy. I put a photo below. Any ideas? Or is this just too much for the Flyer? If so, any ideas on a Teleprompter that does work with the Flyer? Thanks, Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Woodhead Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 (edited) No help on balancing, but another issue - what about the relatively huge monitor cable and AC? Your prompter looks like mine, from Prompter People, and either of those cables, going out to the monitor, will be hellacious to deal with. How about using a 7" monitor over the camera, receiving a wireless video prompter feed? Edited July 25, 2008 by Bob Woodhead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Wiebe Posted July 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 No help on balancing, but another issue - what about the relatively huge monitor cable and AC? Your prompter looks like mine, from Prompter People, and either of those cables, going out to the monitor, will be hellacious to deal with. How about using a 7" monitor over the camera, receiving a wireless video prompter feed? Yes, I know....cables was my next obstacle! I know that there is a battery pack for the monitor (although that adds more weight). I think we have to have the teleprompter over the lens because if it was slightly above the lens the talent might look weird looking up. We are doing a news-style shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Kris Torch Wilson Posted July 25, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Am I missing something here. You don't get this thing balanced front to back by adding weight to the bottom. You must first either slide plate forward or if you are out of room add weight to back of camera. Once you are vertical, you may still need to add weight to bottom of sled, but you skipped step 1. Take camera and prompter off sled, find center by placing on a rod, pencil, screwdriver, whatever. Put back on sled, with cg slightly behind post. Fine tune front to back. Now you can concern yourself with drop time and dynamic balance. Power that damn thing off batts if you can, or make up a short zip cord for a/c that is as small as is safe. You don't want to be fighting an extension cord. Wireless for the feed would be great but a tiny coax is doable. We use a LCD above the lens on every live show in Hollywood and unless the talent is right on top of you, it's really not a problem. Torch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Underwood Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 You must first either slide plate forward or if you are out of room add weight to back of camera. That's what I was thinking. I'm still a newb but if the camera and teleprompter can't be mounted at CG then you're never going to find dynamic balance. Weight on top behind the camera is the only way to go. I was thinking about some way to rig more height to the camera mount to let the whole thing slide back more but weight will do the trick too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted July 26, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 Looks to me like the mount needs to be redesigned a bit so it doesn't stick down so far. That combined with a lightweight spacer to move the whole thing a little higher should let you move it back further. I would also think about adding a battery for the teleprompter behind the camera if you can afford the weight. Adding the second battery where you did will help with static balance but it is wrecking your dynamic balance. Depending on the types of shots this might not matter. ~Jess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Rob Vuona SOC Posted July 26, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 I am trying to attach a lightweight teleprompter to the flyer, here is the breakdown: Sony Z1U with battery - 5lb 2.4 oz Teleprompter screen - 2lb 7.1 oz Teleprompter glass - 1lb 3.6 oz Teleprompter cover - 3lb 0.3 oz Teleprompter base - 2lb 3.7 oz That is a total of about 14lbs It is too front heavy, I have moved the gimbal all the way to the top and moved the teleprompter and camera back as far as it can go. I used both of my IDX batteries at the bottom of the post and even wrapped a 2lb weight around the batteries (which brings the weight up a little) and it is still front-heavy. I put a photo below. Any ideas? Or is this just too much for the Flyer? If so, any ideas on a Teleprompter that does work with the Flyer? Thanks, Ryan Hey Ryan, interesting set up , but I have to agree with Chris, I fly a prompter every day on my shoots and it's maybe an extra 1 Lb . . . . use a 7" LCD above the lens and a small BNC should do the trick and all told with a small Z1 Battery your at 1lb maybe . . . . less if you can power it from your sled. If the talent or producers HAVE to have the prompter with a mirror in front of the lens, then I remember someone on this forum posting his issues and solution to that, but it was a small 7" LCD again with a mirror Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members JobScholtze Posted July 26, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 Yep, this setup is really light. The lcd is 8 inch i believe, but the weight is almost nothing. Same as the mirror case, its only some kind of clothing material. We made a bracket for it that slides on the 15mm rods. And i mounted a reciever to it to keep it wireless. Works like a charm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members JobScholtze Posted July 26, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 And another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mike McGowan SOC Posted July 27, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 27, 2008 Thought you might get a laugh out of this picture....... It's from quite a few years ago with my old PRO. Full sized promptor all the cables and oh yea, a light for good measure......... Not something I recommend, lol. On a serious note, does dynamic balance really matter when your cabled and wearing a promptor? I can't imagine needing to make a flat whip pan in that configuration?????? So you could just add more weight to the bottom back if that gets the thing pointing straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Rob Vuona SOC Posted July 27, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 27, 2008 Thought you might get a laugh out of this picture....... It's from quite a few years ago with my old PRO. Full sized promptor all the cables and oh yea, a light for good measure......... Not something I recommend, lol. On a serious note, does dynamic balance really matter when your cabled and wearing a promptor? I can't imagine needing to make a flat whip pan in that configuration?????? So you could just add more weight to the bottom back if that gets the thing pointing straight. LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . .LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . .LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . .LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . .LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . .LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . . Oh Good Lord Mike, that is so fricken funny . . . . Thanks for making me laugh today . . . . .what year was that? LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . .LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . .LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . .LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . .LOL . . . . .Hahahahaha . . . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mike McGowan SOC Posted July 28, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 I think late 90's early 2000..... The show was a Telemundo reality show spinnoff of American Idol called "Nuestras Voices de America"!! And yea, it makes me laugh looking at it. You probably would have had better results balancing the camera on a beach ball or something like that. The things we do.......... mm. P.S..... In case you aren't sure (new guys) this is a mistake. Do not put these things on your steadicam no matter how much production wants you to. They completley defete the purpos of the steadicam and will make you look and feel like a fool! Just say NO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Woodhead Posted July 28, 2008 Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 Well, the mistake here is that you're missing a fill light.... :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mike McGowan SOC Posted July 28, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 ^^and a boom........ i can't forget about my friends in the sound dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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