Aftershock bodycam

Gary Sconce

Gary Sconce

Veteran
I finished my bodycam. My digital camera broke and I was unable to shoot pics of the construction but I will post a video here for you to see.

The Bodycam is torso attached, well padded, uses four cinches around the abdomen and stomach for extreme tightness, but is very comfortable. It is universal and can be worn by large people and by small people. The arm is instantly removable and instantly re-attachable. The head is completely variable and moves in three axes at the base and again in three axes in the head. The head is a fluid head. Counterweights will be available as will a second mount for dual camera shooting of the subject. Construction is all thin wall steel and is very light, around 5lbs including head. I was very pleased with the results. YAY!

 
I can't stop watching it! It was so fun to test. It mounts so sturdily one can move their arms any direction. I can open my own doors and even sit down while still shooting.

I have two alternate head mounting posts... An 18 inch head post for upward and level shooting and a 36 inch post for shooting down and from farther away. The head base leans toward the subject, vertically or away from the subject, allowing a complete free choice by the DP as to the shot. It even can dutch the shot at any angle. I will post a how to in the future... :thumbsup:
 
I am now building a rear counterweight/second camera mount for the opposite side of the rig. This will give instantaneous reversal abilities, dual camera capability, battery-hard drive mounting, allow shooting of biking, and will allow supine shots. Woo hoo! :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

Matt and I will be putting together a demonstration film of the Aftershock Bodycam in action when I am done. We will post it then for all to see.
I sure am loving building this thing! Fun, fun, fun! :engel017:
 
Yesterday we flew an HVX on the Aftershock Bodycam. No prob, even without the counterbalance. I have tack welded the complete second mount/counterbalance and have yet to finish weld it. It most likely will need the counterbalance with a RED, but maybe one could wear it with the RED for shots. We will have to test that.

This device is absolutely amazing! We were able to go up and down stairs, sit down, stand up, carry objects in camera view, run around through doors and between objects, and hold a toddler on camera. It is very stable. I put the device on Troy Ruff and he ran around like a crazy man... (he is, actually...) and he even was able to go from standing up to laying down smooth as silk, then get up again. We can open doors, and even sit on toilet seats.

We put it on me and positioned it at around 5 o'clock, or 120 degrees from forward, and then shot two-shots easily. From that position it can even be used in fight scenes... which we did! We found that with the fluid head arm positioned near to the target, one can turn around the camera screen and then make their own movie while strapped into the Bodycam. You just move to position others in the same shot and then talk to them as if it is on a tripod.

A neat short would be a day in anyone's life shot all on the Aftershock Bodycam.

Again, it was really fast to put on, aim, shoot and then change to shoot again. The quick changes will be really nice in production. Man, we had a lot of fun.

Next: I will finish the counterbalance/second mount finish welding, paint it to match the front, and then start on a third arm design I will tell you all about later... (It'll hopefully do something that may provide a director with a shot that they never get without $.) :kali:
 
I have finished the 'Omnipocam' attachment design for the Aftershock Bodycam. I will build it this weekend when I finish weld the second mount/counterbalance attachment. Gosh... what else will this thing do? Wow. :happy:

"My mind is aglow with whirling transient nodes of thought; careening through a cosmic vapor of invention!" ---Hedley Lamar, Blazing Saddles :cheesy:
 
Last edited:
Well, I am doing a "Day in the Life" with the Aftershock Bodycam on today. I only have a standard def JVC camera, but it will still show what this crazy device can do. I even played my bagpipes while walking up and down stairs with the camera rolling. The more I use it the easier it gets to make two shots, frame shots by altering movement, etc. I will edit it down to a 10 minute vid and will post it. So far, so great! It's hilarious as I have to keep it covered while shooting. Sorry, I still can't show it, as I have work on Patent Pending. You can't display it in public until it is patented. I have worn it all day so far, and it is still comfortable. I am typing this post with it on.

I have been working on the 'Omnipocam' attachment. Yesterday I welded up the top part of it using a dummy to hold the waist belt and to help me get the measurements. I can hardly wait to try that one. It will give a shot that is very hard to get, and will be a boon to fight scenes, chases, love scenes, etc. :shocked:

This tool will be HUGE for we indy film makers. I can't wait to get the protection so I can show this to you all.

You will all want one! Really!
 
Ooooooooooooooooo! I was laying down with a headache... and I thought up a new attachment that will augment the Aftershock Bodycam.

The Maelstrom. Oh man... I'm going to weld today! :shocked:

If it actually works, It'll do what nothing has ever done; and I will post a vid.
 
The 'turret' sled is done and works well. Now for the brace layer and mounts. Oh man, this is going to be GREAT!!! I can't wait to try this with an HVX. :love4:

I am very excited as to the functionality this rig will give our movie company. I hope it will add a new tool to the arsenal of tools used in making our films.

Sorry to be so nebulous, but this is top secret right now! :lipsrseal

I have some cool ideas for a video showing the things the Aftershock Bodycam will be able to do. The more I think about it, the more I find things to do with this... LOL, the more parts I have to build. :shocked:
 
Gary Sconce said:
The 'turret' sled is done and works well. Now for the brace layer and mounts. Oh man, this is going to be GREAT!!! I can't wait to try this with an HVX. :love4:

I am very excited as to the functionality this rig will give our movie company. I hope it will add a new tool to the arsenal of tools used in making our films.

Sorry to be so nebulous, but this is top secret right now! :lipsrseal

I have some cool ideas for a video showing the things the Aftershock Bodycam will be able to do. The more I think about it, the more I find things to do with this... LOL, the more parts I have to build. :shocked:
Click to expand...


Arg!

The suspense kills!

You're actually kind of making me sad, posting all this about your great rig, and then not being able to show it to us. :D
 
DaWolf85 said:
Arg!

The suspense kills!

You're actually kind of making me sad, posting all this about your great rig, and then not being able to show it to us. :D
Click to expand...

I'm so sorry to keep you in the dark. :cry: If I am able to patent this, I have to not publicly display it. :lipsrseal Rest assured, you will see the rig after it is protected.

Facts: It is a bodycam rig. It is very lightweight. It can mount and fly any normal size camera, from the RED one and lighter. It is quickly alterable. I have worn it for a whole day while filming myself and it didn't get uncomfortable! It has optional counterbalances. I can enter and exit cars while filming. I can use it for shooting interior car shots. I can sit at the computer with it on and filming me. I can walk through places, open doors and interact with others in instant two-shots. It has the stability to shoot close-ups smoothly and with great stability. I can adjust the rig on the fly while wearing it to change shots. It goes on the wearer in around 45 seconds and comes off in around 15 seconds. It has a liquid head. I have flown an HVX on the rig while running up and down stairs, doing fight scenes, sitting, laying down, getting up, and jumping. The rig is universal in size except for really wide people, but with additions, could fit any size person. It can be used shooting away from the wearer or towards the wearer. It can do walking or running two-shots. It can shoot chasing shots. It can shoot up to , level with, or down at the wearer. It can shoot at any direction toward the wearer. With Maelstrom attachment, it will add tremendous movement to the camera around the wearer. It can shoot a 'God's eye view' of the wearer.

I hope this let you in on a little more. The ideas here are nothing new, but the concept parts together are hopefully completely new. :2vrolijk_08:
 
I was finally able to get out and weld the 'Maelstrom' attachment today. I have it about 90% finished. I had to jig together many components that had to be perfectly square and round. What a fun challenge. All I have left is some finish welding and then on to building the attachment points for the waist belt/harness. :)

I am still about 3 work days away from finishing the rig completely and painting. Camera movement with this attachment will be AMAZING! After finishing the Maelstrom, I will add the last braces to the 'God's eye view' attachment and then the device will be done and ready for alpha testing the maelstrom and beta testing the rest of the device. I will then shoot the HD demonstration footage and edit it all together for you all to see. Thanks for your patience, friends. :dankk2:
 
I've been looking for plans to build a Bodymount for a while.

I'll be shooting a one-man documentary (for charity) this year where I am occasionally the subject, and this is the perfect rig.

Please share the design! :)
 
Well, three big snow storms and lots of snow plowing... And no building on the bodycam. Dang! That's what you get living in the High Sierra. :shocked: Maybe next week...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top