Robert Rodriguez shooting music video with badass Canon 7D rig

danny dale

danny dale

Well-known member
This past Saturday I took my wife and daughters to the playground at Zilker Park here in Austin and was shooting some pics/footage of them with my GH1 when I noticed a small crew shooting what appeared to be a music video. I walked into the area where they were filming and immediately was drawn to the HDSLR rig they were using. I pulled up my GH1 and starting shooting some pictures of it when a guy politely walked over to me and said "we are trying to keep a closed set" - there were no cops or security. I said I was only interested in the rig, not the music artist being filmed (which I then realized was local favorite Bob Schneider). The guy was cool and let me take a few more and I walked away. When I told my wife that one of her favorite musicians was filming a video, she went up to the fence and started to watch and then turned and said "hey, isn't that Robert Rodriguez?"... it was.

Here are some pics of the rig (also sent some to Philip Bloom to post on his site):

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Nice.

Yeah.A guy like Robert Rodriguez knows what time its is with these DSLRs.
He might not shoot a full length movie with it yet,but the guy knows they are prefect for the music video on a budget.

This must have been a awesome sight live for people like us.
I wonder if he will ever shot on a Red cam?
 
What a mess! I predict in the not-too-distant future we'll look back at pictures like this and chuckle at the great lengths we went to just to make these things work for our needs. I'm not complaining. I shoot most of my video with a "hybrid" and am excited to see Rodriguez jumping on board, but my gawd that's a ridiculous rig.
 
Ron Rodenmeyer said:
What a mess! I predict in the not-too-distant future we'll look back at pictures like this and chuckle at the great lengths we went to just to make these things work for our needs. I'm not complaining. I shoot most of my video with a "hybrid" and am excited to see Rodriguez jumping on board, but my gawd that's a ridiculous rig.
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I thought the same thing.
 
Well, even 35 mm movie cameras often look like that when fully kitted out for a shoot. Clobbering together a bunch of gear from various vendors on the camera is SOP on a film set. Hence the popularity of duck tape.

Thanks danny for sharing!
 
I wouldn't exactly call a Preston-outfitted 7d rig a ridiculous one. The red Zacuto stuff always looks amateurish to me, but otherwise looks just like any other motion picture style set-up.
 
Martti Ekstrand said:
Well, even 35 mm movie cameras often look like that when fully kitted out for a shoot. Clobbering together a bunch of gear from various vendors on the camera is SOP on a film set. Hence the popularity of duck tape.

Thanks danny for sharing!
Click to expand...

Exactly- watch the BTS for any big studio film shooting 35mm (or digital) and you'll see the exact same degree of gear on the rig. That's how you do it high-end...

Noah
 
awesome, R. Rodriguez is a personal hero of mine, knowing he has used my same camera for a shoot makes me feel good about myself.
 
just realized I hit a wrong key spelling Robert's name in the title of the thread, used a "p" instead of an "o"... should have had my coffee before I posted ;-)

Moderators - can someone fix it because I can't - thanks.
 
I love the images all these DSLR's make (workflow...not so much)....but really guys, don't you find a bit of humor in the fact that at first everyone was excited about the incredible images in a small & light package. You can shoot and people will just think you're taking pictures, etc.

Now, the rigs are bigger & heavier then an HVX with an adapter!

Too funny...
 
....seems to defeat the purpose. Might as well use a Panavision. Of course he is shooting second camera with just the camera and a zacuto which is where , imho, it should be going. It seems all of the addon market is just there to make us feel/look more professional esp. for those worried about such trivialities ! Most journalist, who these cameras are intended , will be shooting with camera only so as to NOT attract attention. Most budding filmmakers on the other hand are dying for it...attention that is ! And Zilker Park is alot safer than Afganistan !
 
I will say this I bet its lighter than my RIg Even tho I use carbon fiber Rails. i never had that Many Batteries oin mine But they were in the Right Place. No Matte Box, Iguess its cheaper to user lense Filters than Matte box filter, you just need More sizes for diff lenses.
 
He might be using another 7D for second camera, or he may be using it as a Directors viewfinder. Getting back to everyone discussing the size of these cameras and rigs, that's what I love about using the 7D. Small form factor, lot of great features, and great looking video. I love that you can just slap a lens on the camera and look through the viewfinder to see exactly what your image will look like, all without powering on the camera. Its like many tools built into one small package, and for a great price.

I personally do not like shooting with a built up rig like that. I feel too detached from the camera and its operation. I understand though that on a larger budget shoot like that, there are more people involved than just me as the DP, Camera Op, and Gaffer/Grip.
 
KeithAndrews.TV said:
He might be using another 7D for second camera, or he may be using it as a Directors viewfinder. Getting back to everyone discussing the size of these cameras and rigs, that's what I love about using the 7D. Small form factor, lot of great features, and great looking video. I love that you can just slap a lens on the camera and look through the viewfinder to see exactly what your image will look like, all without powering on the camera. Its like many tools built into one small package, and for a great price.

I personally do not like shooting with a built up rig like that. I feel too detached from the camera and its operation. I understand though that on a larger budget shoot like that, there are more people involved than just me as the DP, Camera Op, and Gaffer/Grip.
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Both cams were shooting... I am only guessing, but based on what I saw and how he was directing/shooting at the same time, I think he enjoyed the small rig more because he had total control. He moves around a lot when he shoots and could pull his own focus without the extra weight and being tethered.
 
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