steadycam handling

You are correct I wouldn't take driving instruction from someone that just passed their driving test because passing the test doesn't qualify you to really even drive in my opinion. All i'm saying is that using someone qualified as an instructor would guarantee that the person knows what they are doing and is qualified to teach it because we don't know and can't vouch for their experience. So basically using the term instructor would make sure that he doesn't accidentally get an Owner/Operator that may or may not be proficient in the operation of a Steadicam.
 
I just saw that we had one of these at school:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...Page.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&shs=glidecam+v-20

We have an advanced camera and lighting class, so hopefully they'll show us how to use it. Is it a decent setup? It looks pretty good, mostly they fly DVX's with it. Other than falling on your ass and wrecking a whole lot of gear and/or people when the thing hits the floor, by injuries are you talking about back/neck injuries just by using impropper posture when using the rig? Do most of the "seasoned" and experienced steadi cam ops out there own their own rig? or do you guys rent most of the time?
 
whoa man thanks 4 ur cncerns! i knoe that it is dangerous to and even hazardous to health to be strapped on a full steadycam rig! thanks guys again 4ur cncerns but really i'm in asia and in my part of country the demand 4 a steadycam operator is high and there is only 1 man who qualifies to teach steadicam and he is booked by all otha productions and have no spare time to give lessons! i've been warned by 1 of my company steadicam operator and he had seriously injured his back 4 handling steadycam but i just wanna learn the fundamentals of steadicam and i ask 4 no harm!
 
Faizbell,
I'll say it again: DON'T RISK IT.
Operating Steadicam without training IS asking for harm.

If you didn't need the training to do it, I wouldn't have flown from Finland to the USA and payed $2200 for the workshop. But I did, because it's something you have to do.

You are lucky to live in a country with high demand for Steadicam, but that doesn't give you the excuse not to learn how to do it properly.

A workshop will teach you exactly those fundermentals you want, NEED, to learn to operate. Listen to that guys warning. You make one slightest mistake and kill your back, and that's it. You will never fly again.

You know what you are doing is stupid, we have told you what you are doing is stupid. Please please please stop and do it properly.

I HATE hearing about operators who hurt themselves and end their careers early.
Back when I was just thinking baout gettign started with Steadicam, I called up a local operator to ask for advice. To be blunt, he was an ass to me and told me that it was poor business to get into and that I shouldn't come in and be more competition to him. Prety harsh advice to an aspiring newbie, needless to say, I don't hold him in paticularly high regard.
Well, last october I heard that he had injured his back and can no longer operate. That REALLY sucks. My first reaction was how sad it was to hear. I'd rather have him as competition than injured.


PDX,
Scared yet? :huh:

To be honest, the V20 is a prety crappy rig by my standards, but it does the job and is a fine rig to learn the basics on.

I'm not so worried about the gear (which can be replaced) than the opertor and other people around. Most big rigs have a "rip cord" on the vest that, when pulled, causes the vest to break away dumping the rig. When I buy myself a bigger rig this year I will probably be paying an aditional $2000 on the vest, just so that I can have this feature to trash my rig if I need to.

The back is at great risk if operting incorrectly, and is easily injured in a fall. The ancle is under a huge amount of stress when operating too, and they are sprained and broken all too frequently, normally by stepping on them wrong.
Also supprizingly little things like the neck ar at risk from looking at the monitor wrong for prolonged amounts of time.

These are all things that can be prevented by correct operating and beeing carefull on set. All thigns that the proper training you should get will prepare you for.

As always, Fly safe!

- Mikko
 
So do you work out at the gym or anything to help you bear the weight? Or do you just operate alot and that keeps you in shape? By no means am I trying to become a professional stedicam op, but it may come in handy for some projects at school as time goes on....A break away on a vest makes perfect sense. I assume you always use a spotter when you're flying? I can imagine a 50 pound rig falling on you or someone else could do some serious harm. I hadn't even taken the ankles into consideration...
 
Thanks Wolf! :) ... I really like your Sig BTW.

Heh, actually I'm in piss poor shape right now. :embarasse
But excersize always helps. Swimming is expecially good back excersiaze, and bike riding is good for the legs.
And of course operating! - Flying a big heavy rig for a few hours is the 2nd best excersize I know. :cheesy:

I often shoot without a spotter if it's simple shots and a lighter rig. Normally I Fly the Flyer which thankfully isn't too bad. I've taken one fall with it, it was scary as hell, but I got off lucky.
Anything big or compicated and it's spotter time.

Ancles are bad, so easy to forget about untill it's too late. I had a buddy who sprained one a few weeks back casually jumping of a stage during set up (without a rig, thank god) he was hurting for a week. And then there's our friend Charles Pappert who was out of action (and work) for a long time with a broken one. Thankfull he is back up and operating again. I don't know how he hurt it.

Knees are another one that get syou by supprize. If you fall with a rig, chances are your arms are too busy throwing the sled out of the way and you will fall full force on your knees. Kneepads are comon safty gear too.


I'm currently looking at an Archer, though we'll have to see what NAB brings first :)

- Mikko
 
No problem mikko. From reading and taking part in this thread i've decided that Steadicamming isn't for me. I've checked out your webpage and you have some good footage. I think I will leave the steadicamming to people better suited like yourself.

Oh thanks for the compliment on the Sig.
 
SilverWolf said:
From reading and taking part in this thread i've decided that Steadicamming isn't for me.
Click to expand...

Aww hey, that's not what this is about!

If you (or anyone) gets a chance to try a Steadicam (under appropriate supervision of course) please do try it! It's a lot of fun, and not nearly as scary as I made it out to be here (under the wrong circumstances).

For example, most any video/broadcastign tradeshow will have at least a company or two there and allow you to give a system a try. If you are going to NAB, be sure to head over to Steadicam and give it a shot (That's where I'll be a lot of the time myself).

- Mikko
 
I had hurt my back a while ago and I don't really want to risk it at all. I've learned from reading this post that Steadicamming isn't something that you can pickup and just wing it. It requires specific training and you have to be dedicated and really like it to do it well. I know that I won't steadicam enough to be really good at it and would probably be better just for me to enlist someone like yourself to do the job and do it right. It does seem like it would be fun though.
 
yeah, it looks really fun. It might be something I will invest in possibly in the future (by investing I mean taking one of those classes....) because I really want to get into the cinematography/camera work side of things. We'll see though. Right now my project is a cable cam, which presents it's own unique set of challenges. Mikko- where did you do your steadicam workshop, and how long was it?
 
Mikko,

I'm attending a steadicam workshop for the Flyer at Tiffen/Steadicam in March with Peter Abraham. I also bought a Flyer. I can't wait to start flying. Thanks for the PM advice.
 
GREAT!

Say Hi to Peter from me.

In fact that's a good reminder, the week long SOA wrokshops at $2200 are expensive for some, so check out Peter's 2-day Flyer workshops at: www.OnCampusSteadicamWorkshops.com
Peter was one of the instructors who taught me at the SOA workshop, a really good guy and teacher.

- Mikko
 
ok thanks steadicam guru mr milkkowilson 4 ur advice in learning how to operate the steadycam i think 4 the time being i'l stick to handhelds b4 flying thanks a mill bro! :)
 
now does all of this apply to a low-end unit like the Glidecam Smoothshooter?

I just purchased one today and have been messing around with it, and its quite difficult. I can keep it steady for most part, and i know basic's and ive been using a glidecam 4000 no prob, but im having trouble with stairway shots (keeping the actor's in frame) When i angle the sled down, it seems to lose control. Im definatly going to be taking a workshop in the near future, but the shoot starts in a week and its going to be used no matter what.

any books or websites with tips, run-through's of basic manuvers, anything to that degree?
 
Training, be it a formal workshop or under the guidance of an exprienced operator, it always advisable and will help you get the best shots. For a lerger rig it's a must beacuse of risk of injury.

For the lighter rigs, it's not *that* important from a safty point of view, becuse the rigs are so light that the risk is also notably reduced. That beeing said, if you stick a loeaded XL1 on a SS and use it wrong you cna still tweak out your back and you cal always loose fotting on stairs with any rig (or non!) so safty and proper trainign is always important to keep in mind.

Good luck with your new rig and fly safe.

- Mikko
 
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