Ok, it's a silly post. I am excited. I now have 4 weeks to get abs of steel. Sit-ups etc.. Now, I would like to see some videos out there that were shot with the magiqcam. This will give me something to look at for 4 weeks. I did a search and didn't find but one video and it was on magiqcam.com. I would love to see actual user's videos. Any tips are appreciated too.

thanks!

I received mine about 2 weeks ago but haven't been able to use it yet. I will be doing some practice shooting later this week with it and if all goes well I will post some footage. I had mine in a local shop for a week having some custom made cables to mount to various monitors, batteries, cameras, etc.. and just got everything back today. The rig is very nice and I have mounted 2 cameras two it since I received it, a JVC HD10U and a JVC GY-DV500 which weighs in at close to 17lbs with batteries. It works a number on your back the first few times of putting it on so be ready. If you would like some pics of the rig let me know what you want and I'll take a few and post them.

Mark if you can, link some pics of your rig please. I would really like to see wich modifications you have done on it, and also the new arm attachement that is supposed to have the pitch adjustement.

Thank you!

No problem. I'll take some pics of it on Wednesday and put them up on my site. I'll let everyone know when they are posted.

Yes Mark,, thanks. I would love to see some pictures too!!

Thank you very much Mark!

I just received mine today after ordering it in Feburary.
I got in about 30 minutes of practice before my back muscles were screaming.
Proper dynamic balance is still elusive but, I think the more time I have to play around with it, the better it'll get.
My first shoot is June 11th.
Wish me luck!

You guys make me proud!

Congrats Scott, you'll have a lot of fun with it. As far as viewing footage taken with the system, might as well tune in "ER" or watch "The Shining" or virtually any movie or TV show these days, because most of the Steadicam shots you'll see COULD have been made on a Magiqcam with the right touch!

What fun!! After I learned about steadycams, I started to look around at all the shots I had always wondered about. I couldn't figure out how they could do it so smoothly and then, the "magic" was shown. I love it. I remembered one of the strangest videos I had seen that I couldn't figure out how they did it was a Green Day video for Macy's Day Parade. The entire video was steadycam'd and done well. Check it out if you have the chance. I can just imagine that Charles' back looks like the incredible hulk. How do you do it with the heavier gear........

Hey Mark!

Have you took some pictures of your rig? I would really like to see your modifications and the new adjustable vest connector. If you want, I can host them for you!

Thank you,

Sorry for taking soo long, I'm getting married on Saturday and have been running around nonstop. Do you want pics of me flying it or just some close ups of the rig itself?

Ho, congratulation Mark! Wish you have lot of happy moments!

I think that some close up of the sled and the vest connector could be fine, but it is always cool to see an operator in action! :-)

It's up to you!

Thanks

just curious, how long did you guys have to wait for your order. i'm still waiting for mine, almost six weeks now.

That's not encouraging... I was told 4 weeks.. I am hopelessly optomistic.........

i was told 3 to 4 weeks before i place an order. i guess they must have received quite alot of orders lately. will still be waiting.

It sounded like he was busy. Well,,,,, 1 week down... :)

Sorry for not posting the pics yet, I'll post them in the morning and give the link. I waited a good 5-6 weeks for mine. They are very busy but the wait is well worth it.

I believe you can find some pictures of this rig being used on the site below. He's the same guy shown on the Magiq site.

www.3skullstudios.com/Past.html

Still no pics Mark? Your new wife is taking all of your time? :-)

sorry. just got back from my honeymoon....I promise the pics will come in the next day.

Thanks

Pics from the Honeymoon or ...

This might get interesting. That would certainly be a "magic" cam.

Yes, a stabilizer must be very handy for these shots! :-)

:( I just heard that my Magiqcam won't be ready for delivery next week. I am not sure what the delay is, but John said he would let me know more next week.

So the question for every owner is, aside from situps, what in the world did you do to pass the time before your rig arrived??

I know it will be worth the wait.

Well, I gotta say that muscle conditioning alone did only a little to help the learning curve I have been experiencing.
The finesse factor is very high and setup has been critical.
I still struggle with the balance of the rig as far as it changing during use.
At first I was simply over muscling the rig and that definitly led to the back fatigue I first felt.
Now I've learned to be more relaxed but, I still SUCK!
My first shoot is Friday.
Oh boy!!!

Start studying classic Steadicam sequences! It's a great way to get your mind into designing moving frames.

Here are some titles to get you started:

The Shining
Goodfellas
Point Break (Keanu walking through HQ at beginning)
Pulp Fiction

For beautiful, long marathon shots (not necessarily great films, caveat emptor!)
Bonfire of the Vanities (opening scene)
Raising Cain (walk & talk with Linda Hunt through lobby)
Carlito's Way (Grand Central chase towards end)
Outbreak (walkthrough CDC at beginning)
and currently the jaw-dropper: Russian Ark, a 90 minute continuous Steadicam shot...!

It doesn't matter that these were made with rigs that cost 50x as much as a Magiqcam; the principles are the same and there's a lot to be learned there. Even though it takes a while to get good at the physical side of operating, the mental aspect is really the fun part. Study the framing, the headroom, the transitions and the blocking of actors and architecture. It'll be worth it!

A little aside, but hopefully not too OT, but what are the most used muscles for stabilisers like the Magiqcam, Steadycam etc? Is lower back the best? Abs? I ask cause I have been thinking about investing in something like this but I have, for many years, had a a slightly less than perfect lower back. Small amount of deterioration and curvature loss. Now this is not a super major thing in everyday stuff, but I was wondering if it's something I should be very aware of before going down the stabiliser route?

Cheers
Aaron

Aaron, you pretty much pinned it. Lower back, generally focused on the same side as the arm is attached to the vest (some people fly on the right, others on the left). It's important to say that it's not inherently BAD for your back, it's just that there aren't many activities that consistently use those muscles to that degree so most people are a bit weak in that area. That said, having a pre-existing condition goes a step further, so Aaron, you may want to spend some time with a rig before making your purchase.

As far as traditional exercises that can be done without a rig that help in that area: anything to do with the abs is good as it will help relieve the burden on the back muscles as well as help your posture. Gym-equipment-wise, the back extension machine as well as the Roman chair will both specifically target the muscle groups required.

Thanks Charles. Guess I'll have to get a bit stronger before I dive into one of these things then ;)

Cheers
Aaron

When I first got my Glidecam V16 back in April of this year, I couldn't last for more than 5 minutes. One of the exercise that I have doing on a nightly basis is back stretching. My first job (1 week after I got my Gldiecam) with the Glidecam was for a local cable company taping a show from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM (with breaks in between). At the end of the day I was drenched in sweat and my back was killing me. I really felt it the next day.

My second shoot was for a fashion show back in May and it was a lot better. The back pain was still there but not to the point where I couldn't move.

My latest job was to shoot a wedding reception. The reception started at 7:30 til about midnight. I was strapped with the Glidecam the whole night and there was no noticeable back pain this time. I taped the wedding party entering the reception, the first dance (flying around the couple), the games, speeches, and the dancing ....

The key is to stretch the back and practice every night. You'll also notice that the first time, getting the horizon levelled will be a challenge.

My next gig is flying the Glidecam V16 here in Montreal in the Canada Day Parade (July 1st).

Good luck

Charles P,
Yes, I have studied many of those steadicam shots and some of them are my faves.
The framing and staging thing is my weakest point right now.
My head room floats a little and keeping one eye on the monitor and one on the ground is quite a challenge.
I seem to favor the less complex shots of say, Full Metal Jacket, where the camera leads the actors and then follows.
By saying "less complex", I am by no means implying they were easy to shoot, only that they seem to have simpler staging.
The shot I have been watching over and over lately is the "Head Over Heals" scene from Donnie Darko.
There are a couple of hidden cuts in there but I love it none the less.
I have to say Charles, that I've read just about every post you've made and your wisdom gave me the confidence to attempt this crazy idea of operating a "steadicam"
Thank you again!!
By this fall, I hope to have some of the footage from this horror movie I'm shooting posted online for critique.
I'll let you know how it all goes after I get back from location on the 22nd.
Cheers!

Sounds great!

One of my good buddies, Dave Chameides, did the Steadicam on "Donnie Darko". He's done some amazing work, especially on "ER" and "West Wing" a few years back. That reminds of another "marathon" shot he did on "The Wedding Planner"--the good news is that it comes right at the beginning of the movie so you don't have to watch the rest of it!

I only recommend these sorts of moves to watch because there's so much to be got out of them. As for me, I've only done a couple of "wow" shots in my career, most of my stuff gets chopped up into little bits so that you'd never recognize it for Steadicam. Which is sort of the idea, but it doesn't get much attention that way. 95% of feature and episodic Steadicam is leading people down a hallway as invisibly as possible.

Consistent headroom is something that takes quite a while to master. Using the boom of the arm to make quick adjustments is key, it's a lot easier than tilting.

You certainly want to watch "Donnie Darko" fully. Heck, the new
Director's Cut is coming out which actually is supposed to be even
better!

found this magiqcam posting on ebay with photos of the magiqcam new design and look. just follow the link - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3319&item=3820649982&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

That is interesting. I wonder if I will be getting a free hard case too?

only if you order yours through ebay if i'm not mistaken.

I just got an email, mine should be shipping this week. YEAAAHH!...

doubling up on the situps now.

Scott,

Good news!

Don't forget to put some pics online!

scott,
certainly is good news. how long did you wait for yours. i'm in the 10 weeks now.

ed

just got my mail too. was told mine will ship out on the 29th.

Ed, glad to hear it. I didn't respond to your last post because I was afraid of my answer. Mine was coming but I have only been waiting 5 weeks. You had been waiting 10 and I was afraid to think that I was getting mine before you. But, I guess he builds them in groups. I am glad we are getting them. Mine is shipping on the 29th as well.

I'm thinking of buying one in the next few weeks. Tell me, what do you think...it seems the thread dropped off and I need to know!

Thanks

steve,
one advice i can give is post questions on this forum. i only get promp replies when i post a question here. john seldom reply to my mail after the money is through.
i'm thankful for this forum and people here.

best of luck,
ed

Who is John?

So, is it all you expected?

John is the manufacturer of the Magiqcam. In all fairness, I assume that he has a day job and a family and doesn't do this full time. I notice that his phone hours are in the evening so I assume he is working during the day.

He is a nice guy trying to make it and, as far as I have heard, makes an excellent product, but I will know more next week when mine arrives.

This forum is excellent.

I just finished phase 1 of my new crane. Now, I get to post on that topic. :)

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Please let me know as soon as yours arrives. Fill me in on all the details. It's important to know your reaction as soon as it arrives and you try to use it as I'll probably feel the same.

I’ll look forward to seeing you on the Jib side when you done.

Steve
Jib Op
www.kyvideoservices.com

I've had my magiqcam for a couple of weeks now. So far I haven't had much time with it mostly due to other work. However it seems to be a very well built and good rig. For the price I think it's a great deal.
I'm not unfamiliar with steadicams, but I would definetely call myself newbee as operator. I have tried bigger "real" rigs a couple of times and the big thing with them is how tired you get after just about 15 minutes with them. They really hit your back if you are not used to them. I find the magiqcam very back friendly though, and I have no problem running around with it shooting for an hour or so. It is so much easier on your body. The downside with such a light rig is that it's not as stable in the air as the bigger ones. When shooting outside, wind certainly can be an issue.

I'll write a few words on each of the parts of the rig based on my experience with it so far.

The vest:
Comfortable, pretty lightweight and easy to adjust. Haven't played with the adjustable socket block yet, but it seems to be a nice adjustment to have.

The arm:
Double articulated, feels very smooth and nice, yet small and lightweight. You feel that it's very well made. The springs are covered with some kind of black "dirt protector", pretty much like stockings pulled over the springs, which is a good thing, since the springs will easily collect dust and dirt otherwise.

The sled:
The sled uses a pretty simple construction, with telescopic parts which you can adjust to desired lenght and get it properly balanced. There are two small "arms" at the bottom of it with plates that you can mount your monitor and battery pack onto. There are also a set of weights (metal bricks) included, complete with mounting screws that will screw into holes located at the front and back of the lower sled. This will help you compensate when the monitor or battery is more heavy than the other.
The plate for mounting the battery could in my opinion have been fixed in position rather than being able to rotate and then locked with a knob. I find it quite hard to get it locked tight enough to stay completely in position.

The camera stage uses a Manfrotto/Bogen quick release plate, which unfortunately was of a bigger size than the one on my 503 head. Since the rig is made for lightweight cameras I thing the 503 plate would have been a better choice since many people use the 501/503 head for such cameras.

The stage is adjustable in both axis, but it's not as convenient as on the bigger rigs where you can really really fine tune it as shooting goes on. Of course this can be done with the magiqcam as well, it's just not as easy and precise. This is something I would like to see improved in newer versions, since it is an adjustment that you will change all the time during a day.

Worth to mention although you already heard it a dozen times before is that this is not something you just put together and it will give you great pictures. Using any type of steadicam systems requires alot (and I mean alot!) of practice and patience. If you are up for it though, you will get better every time you use it, and have a great time in the meanwhile.

All in all,
The magiqcam is a very well made rig that is pretty easy on your body and feels smooth in operation. There is no doubt that John made a great work. For the price it's unbeatable!


This was meant to be some short words on the magiqcam, but turned out a little more well covered than that. =)
Anyway, I will work out a real review of this system, complete with pictures and demo footage as soon as I get some more time with it.


Good luck with your purchase!

Regards.
Johan Lundberg

Thanks for the review but can you take a pic of the new adjustable socket block?
I would love to see how they accomplished thier version that Charles P. encourage them to add. Thanks.

Hi there Charles!

I sure will as soon as I get back home. Won't be until in a few days though. By the way, how did the music video project turn out?

It has been postpone. Actually that's great because I can finish building my stabilizer. The last part is being machined now.
BTW, I'm finishing up on my second and third book now.

The second book is how to modify the Glidecam V16/V20 models base to get a more module-like design for easier dynamic balance. The methods could also be used for any low-end models but I chose the Glidecam because it was more popular and more easy for me to modify.

The third book will just be a collection of past and present rigs with all their different variations. Basically it's just a collection of galleries.

I'm doing both books at the same time.