Homemade Rain Cape at DVinfo.net

Dennis Hull · May 30th, 2003, 11:42 AM

Per my previous post about rain cape suggestions from forum members, one thought that occurred to me while in drizzly Victoria, BC was to find some opaque bag large enough that my head and shoulders and VX2000 would fit inside. Then cut hole in it for lense with sunshield to fit through and somehow use some elastic thing to seal around sunshield. Theoretically that would shield me from rain also, be dark enough inside to let me use LCD, and give complete access to all controls. If bag was large enough could enough accomodate use of monopod. I have seen posts about making makeshift camcorder cover only, but has anyone ever tried this "body cover" bag approach? Would look weird using it, but any other negatives that come to mind?? Any thoughts about usable bags to try--i.e. I did buy a $4.00 opaque white vinyl pillow case to try but it turned out to be too small.

Tom Hardwick · May 30th, 2003, 12:34 PM

You'd get arrested walking around with that over your head! :-D How about strapping an umbreller to your back? Stuff the handle down into your trousers and have a belt around your chest into which you've sewn a loop that'll take the umbreller's handle.

This way you can move about freely as if you had an ever-present assistant by your side.

tom.

Dennis Hull · May 30th, 2003, 04:21 PM

Tom, You've got to expand your thinking. What we do is have designer bags custom made for various backgrounds so we blend into the scenery--like camouflage-- e.g , for shoots in gardens you have the green bush look (no one notices a bush moving around as you have seen from numerous movies). The advantage is that no one knows they are being videotaped unlike walking around with a rain caped camera held out in front. Or, we have a fake big old time camera sticking out of the bag like when the photographer always had a black bag over their head. The possibilities are endless. As I said in my original post, I thought one would look weird doing this, but I was originally thinking of situations in the wild where just you and the scenery were around-- sort of a Monty Python look-- a man in a bag standing along in the middle of a big field?? Then I had the designer bag idea (how about a bag designed to look like those post boxes you have for the urban look?).

John Jay · May 31st, 2003, 11:58 AM

Dennis

why not try cutting a few holes in a motorbike helmet - one for the lens and a smaller one for the viewfinder

paint it a nice tortoiseshell colour

fix it to a skateboard

the possiblities are boundless

Dennis Hull · June 2nd, 2003, 11:51 AM

John,

Your idea worked great until Stealth Turtle ran off course into a convention of mock turtle soup cooks. Still, form following function and all that, patent counsel has insisted on no further disclosures until complete market domination is achieved. The only risk identified is litigation from laugh related injuries as hordes of "designer bag-- art at any cost" videographers deploy on an unsuspecting populace.

Cesar Ruiz · June 3rd, 2003, 12:41 PM

Hmm, now that I think of it, a baby stroller rain cover would work great! Especially if you would like to be able to see your surroundings.

I'm going to try this when I get home, because it looks like it will rain up here in NH on saturday.

Dennis Hull · June 3rd, 2003, 07:42 PM

Keep those ideas coming!! The things we will do for art. Could be the start of an entirely new forum topic area?

May 30th, 2003, 11:42 AM	#1
Dennis Hull Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: St. Paul, MN USA Posts: 151	Homemade Rain Cape Per my previous post about rain cape suggestions from forum members, one thought that occurred to me while in drizzly Victoria, BC was to find some opaque bag large enough that my head and shoulders and VX2000 would fit inside. Then cut hole in it for lense with sunshield to fit through and somehow use some elastic thing to seal around sunshield. Theoretically that would shield me from rain also, be dark enough inside to let me use LCD, and give complete access to all controls. If bag was large enough could enough accomodate use of monopod. I have seen posts about making makeshift camcorder cover only, but has anyone ever tried this "body cover" bag approach? Would look weird using it, but any other negatives that come to mind?? Any thoughts about usable bags to try--i.e. I did buy a $4.00 opaque white vinyl pillow case to try but it turned out to be too small.

May 30th, 2003, 04:21 PM	#3
Dennis Hull Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: St. Paul, MN USA Posts: 151	Designer Bags Tom, You've got to expand your thinking. What we do is have designer bags custom made for various backgrounds so we blend into the scenery--like camouflage-- e.g , for shoots in gardens you have the green bush look (no one notices a bush moving around as you have seen from numerous movies). The advantage is that no one knows they are being videotaped unlike walking around with a rain caped camera held out in front. Or, we have a fake big old time camera sticking out of the bag like when the photographer always had a black bag over their head. The possibilities are endless. As I said in my original post, I thought one would look weird doing this, but I was originally thinking of situations in the wild where just you and the scenery were around-- sort of a Monty Python look-- a man in a bag standing along in the middle of a big field?? Then I had the designer bag idea (how about a bag designed to look like those post boxes you have for the urban look?).

May 31st, 2003, 11:58 AM	#4
John Jay Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: US & THEM Posts: 827	Dennis why not try cutting a few holes in a motorbike helmet - one for the lens and a smaller one for the viewfinder paint it a nice tortoiseshell colour fix it to a skateboard the possiblities are boundless __________________ John Jay Beware *PLUGGER-BYTES*

June 2nd, 2003, 11:51 AM	#5
Dennis Hull Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: St. Paul, MN USA Posts: 151	Stealth Turtle John, Your idea worked great until Stealth Turtle ran off course into a convention of mock turtle soup cooks. Still, form following function and all that, patent counsel has insisted on no further disclosures until complete market domination is achieved. The only risk identified is litigation from laugh related injuries as hordes of "designer bag-- art at any cost" videographers deploy on an unsuspecting populace.

June 3rd, 2003, 07:42 PM	#7
Dennis Hull Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: St. Paul, MN USA Posts: 151	Could be A Contest Keep those ideas coming!! The things we will do for art. Could be the start of an entirely new forum topic area?

May 30th, 2003, 12:34 PM	#2
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	You'd get arrested walking around with that over your head! :-D How about strapping an umbreller to your back? Stuff the handle down into your trousers and have a belt around your chest into which you've sewn a loop that'll take the umbreller's handle. This way you can move about freely as if you had an ever-present assistant by your side. tom.

June 3rd, 2003, 12:41 PM	#6
Cesar Ruiz Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Manchester, NH Posts: 182	Hmm, now that I think of it, a baby stroller rain cover would work great! Especially if you would like to be able to see your surroundings. I'm going to try this when I get home, because it looks like it will rain up here in NH on saturday.