chopper advice

[Richard Sutcliffe]

Hi,

I've been asked to quote for a job which will involve chasing jet skis at 100kph across open ocean in a chopper. Without looking at a wes cam does anyone have any suggestions for stabilising a camera in those sort of conditions? I have zero steadicam experience but am assuming that this wouldn't be an option as the movement wont be coming from my body but from the air and the chopper.

 

[Jarek Zabczynski]

I've hung out of a chopper holding a steadicam. The biggest problem was the wind and I pretty much "guessed" what I was shooting. I wasn't going too fast though. You might have problems...I wouldn't suggest this method.

 

[eLeventy]

At those speeds, I would be looking at a WesCam. Nothing worse than asking half the money( which is still expensive), and ending up with no useable footage at all.

 

[mico]

Tyler mounts, Spacecam mounts. Some cameramen have shoulder mounted the camera while strapped in for motocross areial shots. If you can sit inside shoulder mounting the camera and get your shots that might work. Sometimes the best person to ask is the pilot, if doing a wescam or the like is not an option, if he's done camera shots before he'll know.

 

[surf]

I think you should try a steadycam. anyway, my flying experinece is this:these machines will fly very smoothly, if you ask the pilot the fly well
but you will need a steadycam...

 

[mandycastro]

Contact these folks...

www.cameracopters.com

I shot Miami aerials on their CineFlex HD....looks amazing

MC

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

Check this one out - they're available for rental:

http://www.makohead.com/

Happy hunting...

-JeremiahJohnson

 

[maverickstunts]

Check out these guys. http://crossbowhelicopters.com/
Ask for David Gibbs. I have used him for multiple projects for several years.

 

[maverickstunts]

BTW that is David peeking over my head on the set of Reno 911.

 

[evinsky]

A more affordable alternative would be a Kenyon Gyro-Stabilizer. They work quite well but are heavy, so hit the gym.
They do rent.
http://www.ken-lab.com/html/rentals.html

 

[filmstox]

I'm sure you've given safety a lot of thought but there are some great pieces of advise to be found over at the Cinematographer's Mailing List. Of particular interest on this subject, it's worth giving these archives a careful read:

http://www.cinematography.net/Pages GB/[cml] Helicopter safety.htm
http://www.cinematography.net/Pages DW/AirSafety.htm
http://www.cinematography.net/Pages DW/Helicopter_AC.htm

Have fun, and don't die.

-filmstox

 

[Richard Sutcliffe]

Thanks for all the pointers guys, I should have stated that Im in NZ. Anything come to mind that involves some bungees and number 8 wire? (just suggestions for stabilising a camera, thanks).

 

[Jim Carswell]

I've seen folks use a four bungee cord set up with a Beta SP camera. Take the door off the helicopter... attach a bungee to each of the four corners of the door opening and attach to the camera. Utilize an external monitor for focus and framing. This "poor man's method" takes out a lot of the vibration and can produce good images. Just make sure you take plenty of runs at each shot. Also use a strap to attach the camera to your body in the event the bungees let go!!!
Jim

 

[dregenthal]

I'm sure you've given safety a lot of thought but there are some great pieces of advise to be found over at the Cinematographer's Mailing List. Of particular interest on this subject, it's worth giving these archives a careful read:

http://www.cinematography.net/Pages GB/[cml] Helicopter safety.htm
http://www.cinematography.net/Pages DW/AirSafety.htm
http://www.cinematography.net/Pages DW/Helicopter_AC.htm

Have fun, and don't die.

-filmstox

"Have fun, and don't die."

Good Advice.

With hundreds of hours on board helecopters, and as a fixed wing pilot (little of it in the film or video environment), I heartily second that!

Great links -- thank you.

 

[mikkowilson]

DO NOT use a Steadicam in a Helicopter.

They are not designed for this, and it is very dangerous.
A Steadicam arm can take 1 foot bumps hard mounted (which you can't do to a chopper with written FAA permission) or 2 foot bumps soft mounted. A helicopter can easily lurch tens of feet. - Risking major damage to the rig and camera. Also you don't want the camera trapped to you - especially the way it is with Steadicam - because if you loose your ballance, you don't want the camera/rig pulling your out the door.


If you need to ask about a helicopter shot on an online forum, you shouldn't be dooing them. Get somone experienced to do the shot.

- Mikko

 

[Richard Sutcliffe]

"Get somone experienced to do the shot"

Or, Mikko, I could ask someone experienced whether or not it would be an option. Which, funnily enough, I did and got a polite, professional explanation of why it wouldn't work. Pretty much what I already thought if you read my original post.

And as for that crap about if you need to ask you shouldn't be doing it? Thats a bullshit rationale with a lot of incorrect assumptions. What would be the point of this board if people weren't able to post questions?

There are a lot of products and solutions out there that I have never seen nor heard of, I've actually learnt a lot from looking at the links provided, thanks everyone for posting them its much appreciated.

-RMS