"Alabama" pilot in the can...and a big announcement

[Charles Papert]

Sure do know Rusty. I was around in those days too. In fact I bought my second rig from him, around '92 I think. Saw him a few years ago when he came back to LA for a brief visit. Good guy. If you bump into him, give him my best!

[Bob Hart]

If I run into him, I will surely do that. I have emailed him a link to your website for sale page. It may be that he is also in the selling mode. He brought his steadycam stuff out with him.

Last I heard from him, about two years ago, was he was writing a project set here in the West (of Australia) and he has published a guidebook for Americans in Australia which is on his website.

He also had a nice boat, I guess for diving and underwater vision which I believe is also one of his specialties.

I watched Rusty at work in June 1996 at Dr. Quinn. It was shot offseason because Jane Seymour had baby twins. He arranged a visit for me.

It was a complex continuous shot. Outdoors, he had to pick up the wagon racing in to a halt in front of the doctor's porch, back away from a patient being hauled off and lead backwards ahead of the patient being carried at the run, up onto the porch, in through the entrance, through inside the building to a treatment room.

I recall it was rehearsed a few times, then I think two takes, both being good, then they moved on. I was very impressed.

They also had a horsemaster there. Somebody said he was the Marlboro man but I did not follow the story up as there was so much going on. There was a leatherworker who was plaiting stockwhips while he was on stand-by and a sweet natured horse, which would shove its nose in your armpit and gently chew on the hair on your head.

[Charles Papert]

Originally Posted by Bob Hart

I watched Rusty at work in June 1996 at Dr. Quinn. It was shot offseason because Jane Seymour had baby twins. He arranged a visit for me.

Who are teenagers now--weird, huh. I know her older daughter Katie.

There was a sweet natured horse, which would shove its nose in your armpit and gently chew on the hair on your head.

Sure that wasn't the dolly grip? Things got a little funny out there on the Paramount Ranch, from what I heard...

[Bob Hart]

"Sure that wasn't the dolly grip?"

Good God, I hope not. I did close my eyes and hold my breath for a few moments when the horse was at my hair in case it snorted in my face but I did not sense any grip, so I think I'm okay.

( Why let the horse chew one's hair? The family had an old Clydesdale cross when I was a kid which used to do the same thing, chew but not snatch the hair out by the roots. This one reached over very gently so I thought it had been trained the same and bent my head forward before I thought about it. For a fair chunk of my childhood, I grew up thinking I was named after the bloody horse after I asked my folks and they said "yes". The horse's name was "Old Bob".).

It was a sort of open day for family of cast and crew to visit, so I guess everyone was on their best behaviour as I did not see anything unusual.

[Charles Papert]

Just came across this thread.

Updates are that "Alabama" came out beautifully but due to "creative differences", it will never see the light of day. Tom and Ben have screened it here and there to enthusiastic audiences, most recently at Comicon. Ah well.

Good news is that another pilot that I shot, "Key & Peele", was picked up by Comedy Central and we start shooting in October. It's a sketch comedy show and should be a hoot to make.

Steadicam-wise, my big rig sold after six months of patience and holding my ground. A young op out of Perth, Australia came out to claim his new baby and I look forward to seeing his results. Really interesting to re-read this thread considering Bob's contributions, in the light of the rig coming to settle in his city of all places!

Nimblecam is still in my possession--I'm about to invest in cine zooms which may require liquidation of that asset also. I put the rig on for some establishing shots for an HBO project that I shot recently and it was an interesting experience. Haven't made up my mind yet if it stays or goes...

[Bob Hart]

Steadicam in Western Australia.


Is this your rig ?

http://www.youtube.com/user/MediaRel.../3/LPqR-df1DtE

[Charles Papert]

Blake did indeed buy my rig, but that video is his old rig (Glidecam). He came over to pick it up in person and explore LA a bit. Looking forward to seeing a video like this with my setup! He had never tried a PRO arm before using mine--going from the GC to that work of art was a big change, I'm sure!

[Charles Papert]

It's fun to find old threads. This one left off with "Key & Peele" about to begin production of its first season and little did I know how much of an impact it would make! 78 million views of the "Substitute Teacher" sketch on Youtube--Keegan performing with Obama at the Correspondent's Dinner--quite the juggernaut.

Since we wrapped K&P at the beginning of the year, it's been somewhat relentless. Shot a new series for TVLand called "Teachers" that premieres in January. Straight on to season 2 of "Playing House" for USA. And in August I start another new show, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" for the CW.

My Steadicam days seem rather far away now...but I'm having fun perched behind the monitors instead!