I'm in Vancouver, Canada. Are the actually workshops for the Merlin? In Canada?

What do these cover and how much do they cost?

The 43-page manual for the Merlin explains its operation very clearly for beginning users. It's also supplemented by a DVD. The intention seems to be that with an understanding of the basic principles, new users will learn on their own through practice.

As far as I know, the workshops are only for the full-sized Steadicam units, and usually have experience qualifications, such that you have to be working in the industry already before taking the class.

As far as I know, the workshops are only for the full-sized Steadicam units, and usually have experience qualifications, such that you have to be working in the industry already before taking the class.

Well, close, but not quite, at least in terms of the "qualifications". In truth, you need no special qualifications to go to any of the big workshops (Thank goodness!), you just need the money to do it (Thus, you need to be committed to learning it - a bit of a "qualification", but not anything like "you have to be in the industry")

Also, while I'm pretty sure there are no Steadicam workshops in Canada, I wouldn't place money on the fact that there are no Merlin workshops. It sure seems like it'd be a good idea to have them, and maybe somebody out there agrees with me, and started a workshop!

I did a Flyer workshop in October with Phil Balsdon and found that a lot of the great stuff that you learn in a workshop can be applied to the Merlin as well. Probably even more when the Merlin vest wil be released.

In truth, you need no special qualifications to go to any of the big workshops (Thank goodness!), you just need the money to do it (Thus, you need to be committed to learning it - a bit of a "qualification", but not anything like "you have to be in the industry")
The first sentence in the Rockport, Maine Steadicam workshop page says,

This course is for working film and video camera professionals with at least a year of camera operating experience.

http://www.theworkshops.com/catalog/courses/index.asp?CourseID=2127&SchoolID=21


Being an amateur, not a "working professional," I don't meet this qualification. But ... I don't doubt you that if I showed up in Rockport and waved 15 fresh hundred-dollah bills in their face, the qualifications perhaps could be "waived" just this once. ;-)

Well, apparently I don't know much about the Maine workshop. It's the one I always forget about. (Maybe I'm spoiled, being only around 50 miles from the SOA one) The SOA workshop doesn't requre those qualifications though. I also am not entirely sure whether by "working professional" that they mean you know what you're doing, or whether they actually mean it litterally.

Well the "qualifications", as most in this business, aren't rock solid.

What the "requirements" for the workshops generally mean is that you should be a competent camera operator. This is the case for anyone planning on learning Steadicam anyway.

And generally speaking, normally anyone ready to drop $2k+ for a week's Steadicam workshop is someone who is already experienced in camera operating.

- Mikko

Probably even more when the Merlin vest wil be released.

There's going to be a Merlin vest? Is that definite?

Mikko replied a while back to my same question. Apparently it's in development.