c stand setup examples? How to connect white foam board? What arms, accesories?

Clint Nitkiewiz Hernandez

Clint Nitkiewiz Hernandez

Well-known member
Does anyone have any different pictures of setups they use their cstands for?

I am going to get a cstand, and want to know what accessories or grip equipment I would need for it to hold a whiteboard?

Would a clamp generally be used for something like this, or an arm extension?

Anyone have pictures of their cstands holding any white boards or flags or anything?
 
You can try maffer clamps, grip heads, pony clamps and like to attach foam board to c-stand arms.

Matthews makes something to hold foam board (I'm sure other manufactures do as well):

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/32862-REG/Matthews_209495_Foam_Core_Holder.html

I've never used either, just pony clamps and tape.

Pony clamps are really cheap if you get them at your local hardware store.

If you pm me your email I'll send some stills of what I've used c-stands for.
 
Another vote for the grip head. My c-stands came with them.

griphead.jpg
 
The arm linked below will do a great job for foam core and or other modest reflectors. C-stands are great, but heavy, and you could probably get by with something lighter for foam core and save some money. Heavier stuff, no doubt C-Stands are the way to go, but you will need a medium gorilla to pack them around. Don't forget to get a sandbag or two for ballast.

Best
Grant


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/357125-REG/Impact_1103_Collapsible_Reflector_Holder.html
 
A 40" Matthews C-Stand weighs 16 pounds. That's 5 at less than 100 pounds. You really need a Gorilla to move 16 pounds? So instead, you get a lightweight stand, and then put a 15# sandbag on it?
 
You're welcome.

I've got more advanced stuff coming soon from the movie I am working on. We are going to fly some lights, use some massive bounce boards, use flags and cutters, the whole works. And I've got three photographers on the shoot to capture EVERYTHING.
 
Perrone,

Point taken...but...

For outside work, you still need to have ballast available, so you have a weight sum greater than just the C-Stand. There is no doubt C-Stands are heavier, my point being that there is a pack mule factor to our work. The wisdom which comes with my advanced age says a few pounds saved in setup is OK where appropriate.

Though not nearly as good as C-Stands, I can get 4 of the lighter stands in my lighting kit case which saves me the hassle of an extra case.

Some of the lighter stands would save some $$ over C-Stands. Use the C-Stands where they are really needed, not for a 6oz chunk of foam core. I'm not suggesting to buy cheap junk, just lighter where it is appropriate.

Best Regards,
Grant
 
I hear ya. I've got 6 kit stands in my travel case now, and the lot of them don't weigh what a single c-stand does. I'm no spring chicken either and am often a 1 man show, so I am all about saving weight. But I am also a "right tool for the job" kinda person. There's a reason they call them "light stands". And that is because the weight is centered over the center of mass. With grip, this is often not the case.

My lightweight background stands for instance struggle to hold the 12ft span of muslin that they are supposed to deal with. So I end up having to use C-Stands for those. I'd rather use some beefy baby's and leave my C-Stands to do theirgrip jobs, but the beefy stands cost twice what the C-stands do! And they weigh another 12 pounds...

It's a conspiracy I tell you!
 
PerroneFord said:
You're welcome.

I've got more advanced stuff coming soon from the movie I am working on. We are going to fly some lights, use some massive bounce boards, use flags and cutters, the whole works. And I've got three photographers on the shoot to capture EVERYTHING.
Click to expand...

Can't wait to see it! Post it up when you can! :):dankk2:
 
As mentioned... duckbill, platypus, mcjagger... etc. All names for the same thing. Also, it's the industry standard.

You can use gobo knuckles, maffer clamps, alligator clamps, etc.... but you run the risk of denting/ chewing up the beadboard. The platypus distributes the grip over a greater area, and thus doesn't damage the board.
 
If you are going to use C-Stands the most important rule you have to know is the "Right Knuckle Rule".

The Knuckle of the any extension always has to be on the right side of the stand, that way if an arm becomes loose it will tighten as it drops.

I'll try to post some pictures later on.
 
picture.php


Arri 650 into foam core on a c-stand for the key (on a dimmer), Arri 650 into flexfill for the hair/rim light (on a dimmer), Arri 300 with 1/4 CTO on into a flexfill for the fill light (on a dimmer).
 
Bout time time you got here Matt!
What I really like about that shot is that I don't notice the light. He is just there.
I am assuming your fixtures are on the floor pointed up to the foamcore or flexfill which reflect at a 45 degree angle downward. Is this correct or am I way off here?
Did you flag to isolate the background?
Separate light on the background?
I have thought about using foamcore to bounce key and fill because I really like the quality of tungsten light and think bounced light is better than using diffusion gel. Last but not least, how did you secure your foam and flexfill. Inquiring minds want to know.
 
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gco said:
Bout time time you got here Matt!
What I really like about that shot is that I don't notice the light. He is just there.
I am assuming your fixtures are on the floor pointed up to the foamcore or flexfill which reflect at a 45 degree angle downward. Is this correct or am I way off here?
Click to expand...

Spot on.


gco said:
Did you flag to isolate the background?
Click to expand...

Yup, I have two black flexfills spring clamped to two light stands to keep it off of the cloth backdrop.

gco said:
Separate light on the background?
Click to expand...

200W theatrical Leko with a pattern tossed slightly out of focus.

gco said:
Last but not least, how did you secure your foam and flexfill. Inquiring minds want to know.
Click to expand...

Key foamcore was on a C-stand arm with spring clamp near the bottom to secure the angle.

Fill flex fill was on a flexfill holder secured to a light stand and resting lightly on a 15' glass conference table.
 
Thanks Matt. For a knucklehead novice like me, this is great info here.
Right now, those telescopic flexfill holders look pretty versatile. I also like those clamps that Perrone has secured from his grip heads but haven't seen any like them.
Looks like the clamp has a straight piece instead of an angled one. Perrone, if you can clue me in, would like to know what those are.
 
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