Keith,

That is a very valid point as shooting with a steadicam device gets a lot of attention. I shot a wedding for a friend and had to try to find ways to keep as invisable as possible. Wearing dark is always a good idea but it was in the mid 90s and the wedding was outside on a very sunny day.

I wonder if people thought that the band was playing the "score" for the guy on wheels with that funny thing attached to him instead of the operator taking video of the band.

Tery

Yep. I agree as well. I shot a stage play with a live audience and did closeups on the stage with Steadicam during the dress rehearsal for this same reason. There would have been no way to do those shots on the actual performance night without being in the other camera's shots and being very distractive to the audience. The audience was blacked out out by spotlights and stagelights on both nights so later in post I was able to cut the Steadicam shots into the multi-camera shoot which was shot with the audience and you can't tell when the Steadicam shot spins toward the empty seats because of the darkness. Check out the Romp & Ball scene with the intercut 360 shot.

360 Steadicam shot - scroll down to the scene
www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=17557

Oh, getting old. Of course you are right. I know remember using the excuse of not going to NAB to justify Cinegear. But hey, I got to talk to Dana Brown.

George, you're digging yourself deeper! That would be Garrett Brown...perhaps you may have been thinking about his early adventures as a folksinger where he was half of the singing duo "Brown & Dana"...?

Nope, met Garrett, a man we can ALL look up to. Had a couple of beers with Dana Brown in the bar near the Warner parking deck. Dana's credits include "Dust to Glory" and "Step into Liquid". :D Totally cool guy and we know a bunch of the same people (surfers - I knew Kelly Slater when he was just a wee lad).

I wonder if my brides will mind me driving down the isle?

You just need to put a trashcan over you and the cam, go "beep bedeep bloop", and call it a Star Wars themed wedding.

From James..."I shot a stage play with a live audience and did closeups on the stage with Steadicam during the dress rehearsal for this same reason. There would have been no way to do those shots on the actual performance night without being in the other camera's shots and being very distractive to the audience."

James,

I know also about the steadicam shots needing to be done during dress rehersal. My only problem when I shot a dance festival was that one solo dancer had her hair loose in the dress rehersal and pulled back during the live performance. Next time I will have to give explicit instructions.


Tery

George, sorry, I obviously made an easy assumption there since we were talking Steadicam. The name Dana Brown did ring a bell, sounds like you had a good time hanging with him. When I post my yearly announcement encouraging folks to come to Cinegear here on the DVI, I point out that you can find yourself face-to-face and striking conversations with your behind-the-scenes idols.

You mean you'll be there?

I would like to meet Guy Bee sometime.

All the best Charles. Say Hi to Amy for me.

Tery

Guy's usually there too. Good chap, he is.

Best to yours also Terry.