Real world RED

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

OK,

 

This has been brought up before, but I just thought I'd take a moment to stress to the people who think they can put a RED on a Flyer or other light weight system.

 

I'm currently on a movie shooting RED where our two primary lenses are the two light weight Angenuix zooms (15 to 40; 28 to 76). We are recording to cards, flying a Wevii HD transmitter and I'm usually carrying two motors (sometimes I strip it to one or add a third). This all flies very well and is a "nice" amount of weight. Because I've left off the base plate and am only carry two light weight 15mm rods off an XCS plate (clip on Matte-Box) and powering the camera from the sled (with the HD transmitter hanging off the back via two light weight 19mm Element Technica rods on top [we inverted the mounting plate to get the transmitter lower but keep it right side up because it is on a V-lock mount]). All this makes for a great set-up at a great weight (IMHO). But, would it fit on a Flyer? Maybe; maybe not. I don't carry a scale, but I'd guess it is on the cusp (on Monday, I ought to look at the arm adjustments on my PRO arm to get a sense of where I'm at). One thing I do know is that many of the operators here with light weight rigs like to push the limits and tell themselves it will be OK. The thing is though, you need to be prepared for the curve ball. Last night the DP comes to me and asks to place two light panels on the rig - one above the Matte box & one below. Now, these are not particularly heavy lights, but I think you can see where I'm going.... Two lights later, two articulated arms later (one attached to my top dovetail plate and one attached to one of the 15mm iris rods off my XCS plate), and one battery later (I was able to power one of them from the rig because they had one light panel to P-Tap cable, but for the other I had to add a battery, which I mounted on the bottom of the sled because my CG started to get too hi!). Suddenly the rig started to feel a lot like those 35mm cameras....

 

Point being.... there are reasons to have a full size rig and an arm that can handle solid pay-loads. I asked all the right questions in prep, etc but in real world shooting situations, things happen....

 

A few pictures: (I should add that the eye brow obviously was not there when we rolled with the lights, but I ended up putting it on for one quick shot without the lights and I forgot to take it off for this still).

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Another one:

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Another:

[Brian Freesh]

Hah! This really goes out to anyone who thinks the Red is a "small" or "light" camera! Not just for steadicam, but for any use!

 

However, a friend of mine flew a Red on a Flyer just today. Yes, it was extremely stripped down, but that's how you do it. I've not met anyone who claims to be able to do a set-up on a Flyer anywhere near the one you're flying! But maybe I'm looking in the wrong forum threads. I agree, to do it right you need a big rig. But the kind of show that is likely to try putting a Red on a Flyer is probably the kind of show that can do it without making many compromises that haven't already been made. Meaning, they hire a Flyer cause they are low budget, and if they are low budget they're already shooting without most of the stuff they'd have to take off to balance on a Flyer. That's my experience at least.

 

Brian |-)~

[Stephen Vanderspek]

There is a reason Tiffen killed the Red version of the Flyer and I believe this is it.

[Will Eichler]

Alec,

 

Thanks for adding the photos! It's interesting seeing how others are doing it. We're using RED on the feature I'm on. Big difference is we are transmitting standard def. I'll snap a pic and put it up when we go back to work on Monday.

 

Good luck on your show!

 

Will

[Lukas Franz]

Gents,

 

the math is easy: Red is denoted by 10lbs on their website. That is only the body without lens, vf and battery.

The Flyer LE is denoted by 5-19lbs. So, 9lbs left for a lens and something to record on, cables, whatever.

 

Yes, it's possible to fly a Red One on a Flyer, but there is no room left for situations as Alec has pointed out.

 

I'm happy to have a big rig and not have to care what kind of camera set up they reveal you on set or what kind of changes and adds they wish.

 

Always be prepared for everything!