DIY: Skater
- Thread starter tbanucci
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Baluardo said:
k, i get ya.. i know the skater certainly has a dozen features that a board and some casters do not ...but i dont think that my shots would suffer without being able to lock the wheels ..you could always lay down some tape and follow it a straight or curved line if for some reason the operator wasnt able to do a decent job without being locked down guided. i mean .. steadicams dont lock into position.. But, if you did want to lock the wheels, you could easily drill a hole into the platform from the side horizontally into the caster pole hole, and stick some set screws in there. then you could fasten the casters into place too. with a couple twists on a hand knob bolt. put a dial on it for easy angles and such , all depends on how much work you want to do. id be fine without the locks, and just getting the shot freehand without spending extra time dabbling with positioning wheels and working out exact path of travel. just do a couple practise runs and start rolling. but thats just me. people all have their own way of doing things:beer:
I put together a little clip with the DIY Skater I built from this thread. Thanks again for the plans, it is a really killer little dolly. Enjoy 
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P.S. I really don't think you could pull something like this off with a 3 wheel tripod dolly like discussed above. I tried a couple shots with my DVX on one of my chairs down here in the studio, and it was not even close to being smooth, especially when doing something like changing directions, or doing a 360.
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P.S. I really don't think you could pull something like this off with a 3 wheel tripod dolly like discussed above. I tried a couple shots with my DVX on one of my chairs down here in the studio, and it was not even close to being smooth, especially when doing something like changing directions, or doing a 360.
JasonFox
Internet Sensation
Thanks, although it's just a variation on the original. I ended up building a quickie version last weekend to film our new puppy. Unfortunately, I didn't have a hole saw (and those get pricey quick), so it's a pretty low-rent version with rectanglular pieces of wood where the circle should be. Still works, though.
When I redo it I'm going to try using pneumatic tires instead of the blade wheels as our hardwoods are just bumpy enough to notice in the shots. And I can put down a board for smoothness and chase the dog at the same time.
Fox
When I redo it I'm going to try using pneumatic tires instead of the blade wheels as our hardwoods are just bumpy enough to notice in the shots. And I can put down a board for smoothness and chase the dog at the same time.
Fox
dustino said:
Realdvxuser
Well-known member
Nice!
Here's another suggestion: Use marbles instead of wheels. I think that if you make a plate to place the camera on, glue a similar plate under that plate where you cut out a perfectly round circle and place these two on marbles you can glide in any direction you want and very, very low to the ground. I'll be trying this soon as I have made my next deadline.
If anyone has suggestions or tries this, please keep us all posted.
Here's another suggestion: Use marbles instead of wheels. I think that if you make a plate to place the camera on, glue a similar plate under that plate where you cut out a perfectly round circle and place these two on marbles you can glide in any direction you want and very, very low to the ground. I'll be trying this soon as I have made my next deadline.
If anyone has suggestions or tries this, please keep us all posted.
Realdvxuser
Well-known member
The edge of the bottom plate should at least prevent the marbles from shooting away, but yeah...basically that is what I mean. Just place your marbles, put the plates on top of it and start gliding. Not sure whether it would be smooth and bump-free, but if it is...then you can glide in every freakin' direction your hands go and as low to the ground as you could possible go.
limehouse
Well-known member
If you compartmentalized the bottom so all of the marbles wouldn't be rolled to one side and tip the thing over, that theoretically would totally work as a free-rolling dolly. It wouldn't be able to pull off the perfectly smooth curves or lines of a skater, and the ground would have to be totally smooth and flat, but it's an interesting idea to play with. Might work well on a table-top, where things are a bit more scaled-down and controllable.
Baluardo
Well-known member
Actually i was thinking that keeping the wheels unlocked may be useful in some circumstances and it would give more freedom (even if harder to track manually since you have more degrees of freedom and it would be more prone to shaking on the horizontal axis)iamloser said:
In facts i was thinking that in some cases, keeping the wheel locked and dollying, you may want to slightly pan (ie to keep a moving subject in the frame) the camera within the skater (assuming you have a fluid mount on that), and that would require extra sensibility. maybe with wheels unlocked that would be easier (just rotating the whole thing and keep goign the same direction you were going initially).
I think i should find the time to build one and try.
Andrea
Icarus2005
Well-known member
I think this low skate business is a waste of time and money.
I can do most anything it can do with my other gear, using my real dolly and jib or using my steady cam in low mode while me being in inline skates.
this is just another overpriced gadget most of us will never need.
That said - combine it with remote functions micro vehicle and it could be WAY COOL!
I can do most anything it can do with my other gear, using my real dolly and jib or using my steady cam in low mode while me being in inline skates.
this is just another overpriced gadget most of us will never need.
That said - combine it with remote functions micro vehicle and it could be WAY COOL!
Yas Kassana
Well-known member
Hey Icarus - I'd like to see pics of your gear. You got any man?
Icarus2005
Well-known member
I have way too much gear to be posting pics of. it's all industry quality gear you buy at EVS, Byrnes & Sawyer or B & H. about 50 grand worth.
Yas Kassana
Well-known member
Right, 50 Grands worth! I hope it's worth it mate!
Icarus2005
Well-known member
You don't get real gigs in this business if you don't have real gear, and real gear isn't cheap!
I've made as much as 200 an hour filming celebrities because I have the resume and production package. You can't get that type of gig with an out-of-the-box DVX and a toy tripod.
And no, I wasn't born into money. I built my package working my ass off over several years, typically 80hrs a week, sometimes more.
maybe if you worked hard, instead of insulting others that do, and took the business seriously you'd get somewhere too.
I've made as much as 200 an hour filming celebrities because I have the resume and production package. You can't get that type of gig with an out-of-the-box DVX and a toy tripod.
And no, I wasn't born into money. I built my package working my ass off over several years, typically 80hrs a week, sometimes more.
maybe if you worked hard, instead of insulting others that do, and took the business seriously you'd get somewhere too.
Icarus2005 said:
A skater mini type dolly is not a replacement for a track dolly + jib, or a steady cam rig. Is this comment really helpful? All you seem to be saying is that you can match the results of a $50 DIY project with 50K worth of quality pro gear. I think it is fairly clear that the real P+S Skater is geared for product shots and commercial videos, and they kinda threw in a few in a few ideas about using it in a dramatic film.
I am not sure if you have seen the demo video from P+S, but let us know how rollerblading on the pool table wearing your steadicam works out
And I agree, a RoV would be pretty cool, and probably more worthy of the big price tag!
JasonFox
Internet Sensation
Interesting. Thing is, I'm not trying to get a real gig with this DIY stuff. I'm trying to put together a reel so I can get signed on with a commercial production company. And they don't care how you got the shot, just that your spots are good. Once signed, I'll gladly leave renting the pro stuff to the AD and let the client pay for it. Having been on 50+ commercial shoots as the CD/writer, I know what the good stuff is and how to mimic some of it on the cheap. Of course, I also know the value of a lock-down shot. So if you think this dolly is a waste of time, fine. Don't read this thread. Let those of us trying to break into the game have at it.
Fox
Fox
Icarus2005 said:
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