Small tunable monitor

[James Rydings]

I have seen some assistants using small around 2inch tunable monitors, and was wondering if anyone knows where they get them from or what they are called. I have seen 2nd ACs using them on the back of slates, and 1st ACs attaching them to there preston.

[Robert Starling SOC]

Casio, Panasonic, RCA and others make little handheld TV's; we use them all the time for Steadicam. I provide the DP and Director with nicer 7" versions but most of the rest of the crew and production use the smaller ones. When we shoot MTV Cribs pretty much everyone has one of the small ones of their own.

 

I don't really know how an AC could pull focus with one though if that is what you mean by using it with a Preston. Putting one on the back of the slate is not a bad idea though.

 

Try eBay since with Digital TV coming in a few months they're getting harder and harder to find.

[Allen Achterberg]

When possible, I like to have when when using a remote focus unit so that I can see whats going on. not to pull focus from it, but use as a reference. Often side mounted so that both the Remote AND monitor are facing you as one solid piece. It's good to know what the camera is pointing at. Field of View is directly related to Distances. If I see the steadicam op move in closer to the subject (unrehearsed), now I have both a solid distance guess and a field of view to help my mental measurement call.

[Robert Starling SOC]

If I see the steadicam op move in closer to the subject (unrehearsed), now I have both a solid distance guess and a field of view to help my mental measurement call.

 

Really good point Allen since actors (and sometimes Steadicam ops) don't always hit their marks and dynamically the scene and shot changes every take. I wouldn't necessarily have thought so much about it for the AC / Focus Puller but then I'm always looking at the monitor.