• From: Norway
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Topic: Tips for Steadicams?

Hey all.

I'm shooting a new short in about a month, and I'd like to have a steadicam this time around.
I'm also not looking to get a shit-expensive one, as my budget is fairly low($3-400, for rig with shipping)

Anyone got suggestions? I've been looking at B%H for Glidecam setups, but the ones I've been looking at go up to about $400, and then another $1000 get it to Norway in time.

I've also been checking out LinkDelight and DX for similar solutions, but I don't trust $150 level stuff that has no reviews of any kind.

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  • Teague
  • Teague
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

Secret: 90% of the smoothness a professional Steadicam op can get with a full rig, that same op can get with a camera on a weighted stick. Obviously not 100%, but about 90% is right. Artist, tool, etc..

Practice. Like an asshole. For hours in your backyard. Practice your marching-band walk, isolating your hand movement from your body movement, practice pans and tilts while moving. This whole thing is more or less the art of mime, used in a different way.

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

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  • From: Gardena, California
  • Registered: 2009-11-26
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

The marching band walk Teague refers to would be rolling your feet - step down gently on your heel and as you put more of your weight on the foot try to smoothly roll forward onto the ball of the foot. You also want to bend your knees so they can take up any of the remaining jolt. The less springiness you have in your rig to counteract any bumps and jolts, the more you have to do it yourself.

So you want to practice daily between now and the shoot, both to get a feel for the type of movement but also because unless you're one of the Crossfit guys we have here, walking in a maintained half-crouch will destroy your legs after about 20 minutes. If you are one of the CF guys I'd give it thirty without practice.

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  • From: Norway
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

Thanks for the tips. I'd still need a few pointers as to which one I should get within my price range.

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  • Teague
  • Teague
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

BOOM

Maybe this isn't your end-game, but snag one now and start practicing. The skills will translate.

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

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  • paulou
  • paulou
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

Also weight training.

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  • From: Buffalo, NY
  • Registered: 2010-01-08
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

Somewhat related to steadicam, someone has removed the screen jitter from Star Trek.

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/star-trek-is- … 1584474577

I write stories! With words!
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

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  • From: Kent, England
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

Don't move.



Badumshish! I'm here all week.

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. - Carl Sagan

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  • From: Norway
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

And here I was, looking for a "buy this" comment. Forgot the community is a bunch of jokers  tongue

I'll try my chances at reddit.



BADUMSHISH!

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  • Eddie
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

In terms of physical training, I would recommend some solid core work and lifts that improve your thoracic chain (Deadlifts, Turkish get ups, etc).  Planks are always good too if you want to go the weightless route.  Increasing your muscles anaerobic threshold will mean you can go longer with less shake.

Eddie Doty

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  • Boter
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

Only setup I've used is GlideCam. I love the thing, we use an HD-2000 at work with DSLRs all the time. Unfortunately it sounds like shipping to Norway pretty much kills that suggestion (though maybe look into getting them locally and/or used).

Boter, formerly of TF.N as Boter and DarthArjuna. I like making movies and playing games, in one order or another.

Boter's Website

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  • From: Chicago-ish
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

Serious suggestion: this is the cheapest and easiest way to go:
Turn a tripod into a steadicam by simply removing one screw.

Last edited by drewjmore (2014-06-03 17:41:30)

(UTC-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

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  • From: Norway
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

Drew: Yes. I know about that trick, but my tripod, and all the ones I've actually seen, doesn't have screws. So you'd have to break it to do it.

Boter: A random guy I met at work today, actually owns an HD-2000. I'll be borrowing it and doing some tests.

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  • From: Chicago-ish
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

True, my tripod had rivets. I drilled one out and replaced it with a 33 cent screw.

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  • Boter
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Re: Tips for Steadicams?

Tomahawk wrote:

Boter: A random guy I met at work today, actually owns an HD-2000. I'll be borrowing it and doing some tests.

Awesome! Hopefuilly it works out.

Boter, formerly of TF.N as Boter and DarthArjuna. I like making movies and playing games, in one order or another.

Boter's Website

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