10 most wanted DIY parts for independent filmmakers

CAPTIVE DOLLY:

Oh, ohh, ooh!!! I have one! I didn't see this thread here. This is my NUMBER ONE production tool wanted!!! A captive dolly system. Okay, you know those metal "sliders" that camera operators put on real dollies (Fisher/Chapman, etc.) so they can "adjust" their side-to-side orientation about a foot or two? Well, the same idea, just not as well-made (not as heavy--needs to be lightweight for one-man portability and stealth). The idea is this . . . sort of like a ladder dolly, but not as long. Take a small piece of plywood or whatever, say, 16" x 16." Something large enough to bolt on a high hat to. Then take some tubular metal and make a small piece of portable, rigid track. Something like five feet or so. Design the dolly wheels so that there are wheels both above and below the track, so that the track is "captive." Add a brake to lock the dolly when transporting. The track would have to have "ties" or someway so that the track could sit on the ground, yet not allow the captive wheel travel to be interfered with by the ground. Think "drawer slide."

Here's the application . . . a lot of times, you need a short dolly shot of just a few feet. You have no permission to shoot where you're shooting. You have no time for set-up or leveling (because of traffic, a moving vehicle that you don't control, elevator doors closing, etc.). This captive-track dolly could be thrown on the ground, and you could instantly pull off a four- or five-foot dolly shot with no fuss, no muss. If the dolly track is captive, you don't waste precious seconds attaching the dolly to the track. Make sense?
 
On the pelican website it says the foam is "pre-scored 1.6 Lbs. per cubic ft. open cell Polyurethane foam--The top section has 1 layer of convoluted foam. The bottom section has 2 or 3 layers, depending on size of case. The bottom layer is ½” uncut liner". Does that sound about right?

The only foam I have much experience with is studio acoustic foam so I'm not too sure about the weight factor on that one for Pelican.
 
MattinSTL said:
I ended up getting a Samsung 226BW for about $319 and it is MILES better then the $229 one... ZERO comparison.
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Pity it has no video inputs that we can use away from a computer. Preferably component or S-Video.

From Samsung, only the 215TW and the 244T seem to have such inputs. None of them has HDMI.
 
Hi Ralph, sounds like an "easer-to-ask-forgiveness-than-to-ask-permission type of dolly. ;-)

I didn't know about that kind of dolly but it does make a lot of sense so everything is set and ready to go for run and gun. I assume something like this could be used for short curves and arcs as well as straight back-and-forth too right (with the right curved track)? Maybe you just snap in and out different short track configs as you need? Or mainly just leave it at one config and hang it on the wall when not using it?
 
I'm going to vote for Jason's ball adapter too. I could use that on a future lighting fixture I have planned. I think this kind of adapter makes more sense for super portable lighting fixtures than a yoke which is fine normally but just adds to overall weight when you're trying to economize on weight to make something easier to transport. This is definitely a multi-use part.
 
Kdawg,


Just curious. Since you're building a dolly right now, I'm going to use you as the "poster child" so-to-speak. If you had the Bowtie wheel which we'll call it until we get a better name and the lazy susan too, would that have influenced your decision on building the type you built to sway you to use this new type of wheel? Or would you be skeptical and waiting until you got more opinions from other users before you used it. I'm not trying to start any flame war here or whatever, just trying to see how hard it would be to get people to adopt a new idea like this.

In addition, how would this have changed the bracket that you welded the lazy susan to?
 
Cool Lights said:
On the pelican website it says the foam is "pre-scored 1.6 Lbs. per cubic ft. open cell Polyurethane foam--The top section has 1 layer of convoluted foam. The bottom section has 2 or 3 layers, depending on size of case. The bottom layer is ½” uncut liner". Does that sound about right?

The only foam I have much experience with is studio acoustic foam so I'm not too sure about the weight factor on that one for Pelican.
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I'm sure that's it. The convoluted foam for the lid isn't hard to find, it's the actual scored stuff that's an issue. In theory I can glue my foam I have back together, but let's get real. :) I've rejiggered my gear since I first got my Storm Case, so I need to redo the foam.
 
Filmtools.com has this VESA mount thing: http://www.filmtools.com/lcdvemobrfib.html

But it seems like a bit of overkill, at least from a price standpoint. Why not just slap a spud on the VESA plate and let tilt functions be handled by the grip head? Assume a ball joint can't handle the weight of the monitor. Maybe it can?
 
Everyone,

On those interested in gimbals. Here are some available right now in China enclosed in the picture. What would we lose in choosing a stock one for a steadicam / glidecam / whatevercam application? Has anyone done any research into off-the-shelf solutions before?
 

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Jason,

Some ball joints can handle the weight but you're right that there are lightweight ones that can't. I think the idea of the grip head somehow attaching to a plate with a baby spud on it has a lot of merit and would be really simple to implement. One thing I've wondered about on all these types of solutions is the problem you might encounter when you eliminate a yoke of having the device (whatever it might be--light fixture, monitor, etc.) off center of the light stand (instead of directly over the stand with the yoke).

I think this dictates using sand bags and a C-stand for sure if you go this route especially with a heavier flo or a monitor.
 
By the way, here's another thought on the ball adapter or whatever it ends up being. A gimbal with a clamping lock through it would work for this too ;-) Maybe overkill though.
 
Cool Lights said:
By the way, here's another thought on the ball adapter or whatever it ends up being. A gimbal with a clamping lock through it would work for this too ;-) Maybe overkill though.
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Yeah, but wouldn't that better serve the "kill as many birds with 1 stone" motto?
 
That was my thinking and why I suggested it, perhaps adding one of those locking ratchet clamps in the middle is not that big of a deal--just replacing the middle joint with the clamp and bolt. So in one config you have a gimbal the other a Articulating Monitor Adapter. I think the other direction of swivel needs a lock off too of course.
 
Ooh, now that would be very useful, and universal: a 100mm bowl (perhaps with a 75mm adapter?) with simple bolt holes for mounting to various DIY projects (crane, hi hat, dolly, etc.)
 
Yeah... any bowl would be good. Manfrotto (Gitzo) makes adapter bowls that aren't too bad... but then you gotta' have some precision way of mounting it... since they're made to clamp into the top of a tripod.

Hi-hats have always seemed stupidly expensive to me... a couple hundred bucks for a little non-flexible bit that's made to screw down... and has that bowl? Any bowl mounting systems seems ripe for the picking... and that definitely meets the universal criteria.

The slider dolly sounds cool... we used one that mounted on a Fisher for a project that was to have a dual dolly move... for a cam to come up to the edge of a railing... and then seem to fall out over the edge... it was a cool shot.

JasonFox- I see somebody already answered your monitor question... man for $229 with component in... I may give that one a try. Sorry I missed that detail. Check out the new JVC lcd production monitors... they're supposed to have the production features we need for something like $700... which is dirt cheap if you compare it to anything else LCD for production.
 
MattinSTL said:
Check out the new JVC lcd production monitors... they're supposed to have the production features we need for something like $700... which is dirt cheap if you compare it to anything else LCD for production.
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Mattin,
which JVC monitors are you referring to exactly?
 
A hi-hat would be sweet. I've been looking at the Bogen 529 as it seems reasonable (compared to others) and has gotten good reviews. But still, $180 is bit a much to replace the pillow I've been using. :)
 
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Spartacus said:
Mattin,
which JVC monitors are you referring to exactly?
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underscan/overscan/100%
individual control of RGB
switchable 4:3 or 16:9
switchable NTSC or PAL
All METAL cabinet
TFT technology
selectable color temp 2 settings and 2 custom settings
tons of connectivity options including cams and PCs
built-in power supply

I'm getting one. :)

LM-170U is $800 (17")
LM-15U is $600 (15")

lm170u_300.jpg



There have been several monitor questions brought up... but let's get back to the spirit of the thread... sorry Cool Lights... I just wanted to answer the question...

Back to DIY parts.
 
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