nice pic

[thecrew]

The made this pic from me yesterday evening during a liveshow. I like the action feel it has. Strange way of running around though, lol

[Morgs]

hey job, cool stance!
what monitor are you using there?

[thecrew]

Transvideo Cine III

[Adrenochrome]

hey job, cool stance!


Yes very nice stance.... oh and you look good too Job ;)

[Erik Brul]

DON'T BEND your knees...:D

[thecrew]

Why not? I ALWAYS bend them to get smoother walks. Works for me the last 9 years

[charles]

Very nice Job.:)

[Erik Brul]

Why not? I ALWAYS bend them to get smoother walks. Works for me the last 9 years

Just kidding Dude, it's me, Erik.. with only some years of kind of experience.. you known !:rolleyes:

[Pascal]

Why not? I ALWAYS bend them to get smoother walks. Works for me the last 9 years

Actually, I think it's 11 years now :cake:

[thecrew]

haha, i keep saying 9 for the last 2 years. Nice try, dang it. I am getting old LOL.

[Jason Torbitt]

Good action pic, Job...

The whole 'bending your knees' thing - I personally think that you just have to do whatever you have to do to get the shot, end of story. Sure, correct posture and technique are important, but at the end of the day there is no written 'book of rules' - the equipment and the operating is an individual thing, it is very much what you make it. I sometimes find myself bending my knees from time to time. At first it was an instinctive thing, being used to handheld work and 'cushioning', but now I find it helps for slow moves, as well as dialling out some tension in the arm.

Whatever works for you, is good :)

[charles]

haha, i keep saying 9 for the last 2 years. Nice try, dang it. I am getting old LOL.

OLD!!!!???? You're young Marlo Brando. :D

[Louis Puli]

Good action pic, Job...

The whole 'bending your knees' thing - I personally think that you just have to do whatever you have to do to get the shot, end of story. Sure, correct posture and technique are important, but at the end of the day there is no written 'book of rules' - the equipment and the operating is an individual thing, it is very much what you make it. I sometimes find myself bending my knees from time to time. At first it was an instinctive thing, being used to handheld work and 'cushioning', but now I find it helps for slow moves, as well as dialling out some tension in the arm.

Whatever works for you, is good :)


Hi Jason
I strongly Disagree with you on the “Knees thing” There is correct posture and technique I cannot see either in that shot.
.All of the weight of the camera and rig knows on the operator’s calf mussels’ not good posture what so ever. The operator could have simply boomed down in current posture to get the same lens height.

As for getting the shot at any cost forget it .The shot is Not worth it if I as the operator is placed in any danger what so ever. I can here you say the director with his coffee warm and comfortable in his OB truck is screaming down the head set where is the shot of the person running down the wet stairs and you are walking because it was dangers to run down (in rehearsal it was dry). You would still run down the stairs TO GET THE SHOT.
As for you last comment I just use the arm and if the lens is not low /high enough I use an F bracket or along post to get me there not bad habits.

I was asked to do a shot on the front of a golf cart driving flat out around a race track the other day soft mounted with out a harness .I told them to forget the shot if you don’t have a proper harness for me .They had one there with in 20 mins. and we got the shot and everyone was happy .
In most cases the people calling the shot have no idea of your needs and how Steadicam works they just see you moving around with a smile on your face making it look easy .
Just my 2 cent worth .
Louis PuliB)

[thecrew]

Well, louis, now i disagree with you.
If you do slow walks and dont bend your knees, good luck with the shot. You wont be able to get ride of the walking steps in your shot.

Second, i dont think you can comment about technics and such just from a pic. This pic was made while i was running around on high speed. And yes, i use the boomrange of an arm, just becose its on there. No brackets needed. I am operating the way i am for the last 11 years and do live shows from 2 hours + with no complains about my work, my posture or my muscels. So like jason said, there are no written rules. What works for you works. Of course you can destroy yourself with the wrong posture, but it wont kill you doing something wrong ones in a while. And not all directors are the same. I get much respect from them the way i work. And becose of the respect i get, the also think about my saftey, meaning no wet stairs.

I think most ops need to lose up a little. Its just a freaking tool to get the shots the want. No need to do so magic about it. In other words, i hear to much no on sets. I always say yes, and if its to dangerous or it wont work, i give them another solution. I work with them, not against them.

My 2 cents for now

[Louis Puli]

Look Jason
I am not commenting on your quality of your work ok.
I have enormous respect for operators who work in the live show /sports area .ok

Yes I do bend my knees when I walk around but this still is the classic sumo stance .
Yes it is only a single still 1/50 of a second of a 2 hour shot .
If you were static in that stance your balance would be a issue.
That’s all I am commenting on ok .You would have to agree with that.
Yes I do work with my clients to get the shot safely and in most cases give them a better shot in the end.
Fly safe
Louis PuliB)

[thecrew]

Jason? Lol, it is me, leclerc, ( job )
The guy who made that pic, made 20 of them in one shot. ( repeat ) In those shots you see that this shot was just stepping from one leg to another. I posted it becose it looked weird. But really louis, i think in general operators are being to difficult in my eyes. I also dont want to be in a dangerous spot, but i never say no, but find a solution for the shot. Last year a director asked me to operate on ice for the finals of dancing on ice. I could have sayd no, but instead i found a solution. Shoes with irion pins, golfshoes. I am not pointing here, just want to say that we all could make this tool more commen, instead of something to difficult, expensice and magic/elite. Thats all

[Jason Torbitt]

Nice to have some healthy debate -

Hi Louis
I totally hear what you're saying, but I think overall, everyone's differing opinions of varying strengths show that our whole role / job / work is very subjective - it is what you make of it.

I think there are 2 points to draw from your post: that of (a) getting the shot, and (b) health and safety. I'm of the opinion that there is nothing worse than being a 'yes man' - there is nothing to be achieved from simply saying yes to anything and everything. It's important to always speak up if there is an issue of danger, health and safety or risk. As for your wet stairs analogy - I don't think any of us would have done the shot - a quick visit to see the director in the scanner truck before TX would have been my personal choice, I'm sure everyone else would do the same, as Job says.

Correct posture and stance are important, personally I'm proud of my technique that I've been developing. But again, everyone works in different ways. I've worked on live broadcasts with one operator who only docked once in 5 hours, and does the same at least once a week, every week in the year, and has done for the last 15 years. I've worked with another operator who pulls off great shots, from kneeling down to standing up and walking backwards to develop the shot, and works this shot into his work several times in a day - and that's tough when he's operating with a Master Series. Personally, I've done a feature film in a single 90 minute take. Some operators may refuse point blank to do any of the above. Job's example of operating on ice is another one - many would refuse to do that too. But sometimes it's important to think outside the box, and so long as it's safe, comfortable and possible to do so with no risks to the operator, others and the equipment, then it should at least be considered.

The other final point to make, as you'll know, is that the broadcast world won't wait for the f-bracket or any other tools - sadly once your rig is set up to your liking, that's it. I'm fortunate in that I work on a broad range of productions, so I work with both sides of the coin. But there is generally more of a demand to 'get the shot' as you say, with live work - it's always a struggle, as there is usually 1 chance and 1 chance only to get that shot, and often it's unrehearsed and 'as directed' too...

Just a few thoughts. Hope you're well.
J.

[Louis Puli]

Hi Jason
I agree with most of your comments .

[quote=Jason Torbitt;6490]Nice to have some healthy debate -

'' Personally, I've done a feature film in a single 90 minute take.''


How about telling everyone about your single 90min feature ??
I throught that Tilman Buettner "Russian Ark" was the only one to have done that
I know everyone would like to know the nuts and bolts of the project.
Thanks
Louis from down underB)

[Jason Torbitt]

Hi Louis

Hope you're well. The film we shot was in Chatham, which is in Kent here in the UK. It was microscopic in nature compared to the wonderful Russian Ark you mention, which is the most incredible film. The feature I'm talking about was a low budget film, totally uncomparable in that sense, but remarkable on the scale and the production values, and the achievements of the team involved in the planning. Currently in post production.

The basic synopsis was that of a horror - the storyline being a typical 'whodunnit' - the cast of a play become imprisoned in a theatre. The shot started in a park across the road, moved inside the building and then around the building following the talent throughout, as they meet their end and discover more bodies.

Planning wise, the talent were working on their stuff for a good 6 months prior, as far as I'm aware. A week's technical prep inc. sound / lighting planning / Steadicam route planning and risk assessments. Pre-light and blocking on the day prior, and then 5 attempts at the film on the shoot day, of course the last take being the best. There were too many cues to remember, so I'd asked for the vast majority of cues to be triggered in my mind by movements of the actors in front of the lens, so I had something to work with.

Logistically, it was a nightmare. Coming around with me and the rig was the director, DoP, script supervisor, and my puller/spotter. Couldn't establish a video village proper, as we entered every room, corridor and staircase in the building, so wireless LCDs were the order of the day. I had a flash drive on the rig for recording (it was HDV with Mini35 - low budget and as light weight possible - told you it was no Russian Ark!)

Lighting wise, it was interesting - lots of polecats and hidden stands, and some creative running around by the gaffer and sparks to rearrange things in time for the camera's passing, which they got off to an art.

Overall, it was a very long and tiring day, but very satisfying to hopefully come away with something that may have been on a lower budget scale, but something that was ultimately a real team effort.

[Louis Puli]

Hi Jason
Congratulations on achieving something so very few have had the passion to attempt.

Apart from the obvious answer ( Because we can )

With all of today’s computer technology or 6 frame wipes ,etc ,etc
Eg The opening shot of Snake eyes To the normal punter the shot just keeps going and going and going with out a cut but there were 6 cuts .

Why one shot ?

With the incredible amount of pressure on everyone this one decision made.
I can see how it could bring a crew together with a single goal and it sounds as if you kicked 2 in the process .

Fantastic . What is the name of film. If you get a dvd copy I would love to get a copy .
Thanks for the informative post.
Louis from down underB)

[thecrew]

Next month i will shoot a music concert. The are trying to do it all in one shot. I have NO clue if that would work, but the idea is intressting. The are gonna have a second camera hidden somewhere to make a rescue shot, in case i screw up. But the goal is one take and one take only. There will be public, so hopefully i dont screw up. Anybody know if this has be done before? I think not, its 17 songs. HELP!!!!!!!!! :D
The hard part is making it intressting to look at. The build the stage for the steadicam, with objects that invole the song she sings. And there are music instruments enough, but still......

[Jason Torbitt]

The name of the film (current working title) is predictably 'Uncut' although I'm sure that will be changed in due course!

Thanks for your comments. The whole 'one shot' thing was mainly the brainchild of the director, Phil West. There is one point around halfway through the film where he could probably get away with a transitional wipe as I whip pan past a wall, but he wouldn't need to. I think as you say it was an excellent team building exercise more than anything else, and the feeling of adrenalin as I was going round was a different feeling to usual - not better, or worse, but different. I think everyone involved saw it as a challenge, and happily it came off. When the film is finished I'll post on the forums and happily send a copy over to you, to see what you make of it. Thanks again!

Job - this reminds me of something similar I saw at the BRIT awards one year - it's a 30 camera OB, but The Streets did 1 song and they took the whole lot on the Steadicam in 1 take. I met the focus puller who worked on that, and he said it was the most amazing feeling, a total adrenalin high - both of them were sweating lots before they even started! Wow, 17 songs is a huge amount - that's a lot of operating time! And planning too- nice they are building the set around your needs.

[thecrew]

Thx, now i am already sweating :B
We will see where it leads too. The director has some strong ideas about it and the start reharsle shotsplanning a week up front. So i figure he will be a big help to me about making it intressting. ( i hope )

[Adrenochrome]

This was done here in New Zealand back in the early 90's.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2541859494305587285

Cheers,

Marty