Video shot by my stablizer[2]

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hi Charles,

You are right.

But stabilizer shot is a motion shot. Any force put on the post will effect the camera. I am bit worried about controling the post cause hand shaking even if I realize that I made bad composite frame real time. Maybe I should instantly control the post once.

Regards
Leigh

Originally Posted by Charles Papert

I see that you are also a still photographer. Consider that making videos are like taking still photos 24 (or 30 or 60) times a second, and that the care you take in composing a single image is absolutely the same care you need to take in composing moving images. When your father goes up the ramp and you are tracking him, you have him dead center in the frame; this is a choice, but is it a conscious choice? Would you do the same if it was a still photo? The "standard" composition when someone is in profile or close to it is to give them "look room"--i.e. more space in front of them, in the direction they are facing. Or you might create tension by "short-siding" them by giving them more room behind, or even do what you did ("center-punching"). But the important thing is that EVERY frame is a choice and a single composition, and when you park the playhead on a given frame it should be an intentional and pleasing image.

[Terry Thompson]

Leigh,

I like the Don Juan video the best so far. It was smooth and mostly framed well. Maybe you're just a "Don Juan" kind of guy.

Do you have to fight the women off? Ha Ha.

Tery

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hi Tery,

Glad that you like it. ;-)

Regards
Leigh

Originally Posted by Terry Thompson

Leigh,

I like the Don Juan video the best so far. It was smooth and mostly framed well. Maybe you're just a "Don Juan" kind of guy.

Tery

[Charles Papert]

Originally Posted by Leigh Wanstead

Hi Charles,

You are right.

But stabilizer shot is a motion shot. Any force put on the post will effect the camera. I am bit worried about controling the post cause hand shaking even if I realize that I made bad composite frame real time. Maybe I should instantly control the post once.

Regards
Leigh

Leigh, operating a stabilizer is all about control, all the time. Sometimes this requires more force than other times (coming out of a whip pan, for instance) but you should never feel like you must compromise your compositions because you don't want to touch the rig.

The trick with all of this is to apply the lightest force necessary to control the rig, and to virtually let go as much of the time as possible. I say "virtually" because it doesn't mean remove your hand and hang it by your side. It's a process of fingertips making subtle adjustments here and there around the post, and backing off to hover just above the surface of the post when the rig doesn't require correction (when in a straightaway, for instance). This is why it's so important for the rig to be perfectly balanced and trimmed for a given shot, otherwise you are trying to maintain consistent force on the post and that will affect the shot negatively.

In the big scheme of things, consider this: a idea of a stabilizer is to smooth out bumps and shakes, but it must also allow the operator complete control over the framing. Whether or not a given operator can make the moves he needs to without misframing or adding wobble to a shot is a measure of his ability; if the stabilizer itself is adding instability or friction then it is an engineering issue.

It continues to be complicated to know how to advise you on your videos, because I know you are mostly interested in whether a shot appears steady enough to help you sell your rig once it is on the market. I personally don't see any vibration or "unshakiness" in your footage so on that level it is successful (although I'd like to see some running shots because those are more of a challenge to the integrity of a stabilizer). By the way, as far as "people" being able to judge stability in forward looking shots vs backwards looking, I can't say as I agree with that, at least for myself--a horizon is a horizon, jitter is jitter, doesn't matter which direction the lens is pointing.

Sigh. I have to tell you, Leigh--I keep frustrating myself by commenting on your videos, because I don't really know what aspects of operating you really want feedback on, and what you hope to get out of it. If it's "here's my video--does it look steady"?, the answer is "yes". But steadiness is just one part of the puzzle that makes a good Steadicam shot, really, one of the most rudimentary.

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hi Charles,

I plan to make a living by making stabilizer for people who wish to use inexpensive stabilizer which you may already know about that. I am not exactly sure if someone will hire me to shoot hollywood movies. I wish that I have that opportunity. But in reality it seems hard. I think that I will be the first customer to hire myself to do commerical videos.

My first priority is to shoot perfect smooth video which I am working on that. My second priority is make art which includes making motion picture, still photo which is a long term goal. That includes I need to read photograhpy books, watching movies. I manage to watch two hours video a day on average for the last 20 months. ;-) And I manage to using my own stabilizer to practise for an hour everyday.

Regards
Leigh

Originally Posted by Charles Papert

Sigh. I have to tell you, Leigh--I keep frustrating myself by commenting on your videos, because I don't really know what aspects of operating you really want feedback on, and what you hope to get out of it. If it's "here's my video--does it look steady"?, the answer is "yes". But steadiness is just one part of the puzzle that makes a good Steadicam shot, really, one of the most rudimentary.

[Leigh Wanstead]

The video shot same day.

Click here

[Leigh Wanstead]

Some more

Click here

[Leigh Wanstead]

Some more Don Juan mode

Click here

[Terry Thompson]

Leigh,

Like I say...You are the Don Juan. Very good start. Only one small problem that I could see...the horizon was off a bit from the brick background. No biggie but I have to have something to comment on.

Tery

How about a missionary to a Don Juan?

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hi Tery,

I agree with you. There are lots of things to be improved.

I spent some time practising each shot. So it takes lots of time to get a new shot. Charles mentioned that shoot ratio can reach to 50:1 even big budget movie. I only got 2:1. So it is not too bad. ;-)

Regards
Leigh

Originally Posted by Terry Thompson

Leigh,

Like I say...You are the Don Juan. Very good start. Only one small problem that I could see...the horizon was off a bit from the brick background. No biggie but I have to have something to comment on.

Tery

How about a missionary to a Don Juan?

[Terry Thompson]

Leigh,

I just talked to a guy who just bought one of my Indicam Pilot sleds. He watched the Information and Operations Video which came with it said he didn't realize that when I said "Practice, practice, practice" I wasn't just saying it for fun.

It looks like you have been doing your practice and I commend you for it.

I just realized something...I might be the first person to actually see your rig when I come there on vacation at the end of this year. I'll have one of mine with me so we can go out where there's something interesting to video.

Smooth Shooting,

Tery
www.indicam.com

[Mikko Wilson]

Originally Posted by Terry Thompson

I just realized something...I might be the first person to actually see your rig when I come there on vacation at the end of this year. I'll have one of mine with me so we can go out where there's something interesting to video.

You will be bringing us back some pics, won't you Terry? ;-)

- Mikko

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hi Mikko,

Relax

You are on my vip list to see my product first. ;-)

Regards
Leigh

Originally Posted by Mikko Wilson

You will be bringing us back some pics, won't you Terry? ;-)

- Mikko

[Terry Thompson]

Mikko,

Surely you jest!

Actually I will if Leigh OKs it but he hasn't been forthcoming yet. Wouldn't it be funny if he was using a Flyer and just messing with us.

I'm joking Leigh but we all would like to see what your rig looks like. If it's under a patent pending like some of my system is then it's OK to show it.

Tery

[Mikko Wilson]

Jest? Me? Never!