Onno Perdijk

This is what we did some years ago for exactly the same effect. We added some arms to the head to be able to pan the light while traveling.

It worked very well.

In these pictures we have used our BarTruss since we did not want to see the lightshake when passing a connection.

good luck,  Onno

The cables will not only slow down the speed at the end but the will also keep the rotation of the camera as minimum as possible. Best of all is that it will stop the camera at the desired position/ height.

Good luck,

Onno

Hi Michael,

Multiple manufactures do make the wider diameter curved tracks. JLFisher has a 30ft and a 70ft diameter.

We make an 26ft (12 sections) and a 35ft (16 sections) curved track.

I do not know your location but availabilty will be the issue.

Good luck,

Onno

 

Maybe something like this? But nice slow creeps on a slider are a bit of a nuisance. Try and take a dolly if you can:)

IMG_0060.jpg

 

Hi Marz,

My best bet would be a setup like Kim showed in his picture. We do manufacture our TwinDolly with Twintubes with a unsupported lenght of 10 ft, ready to be used underslung which could do the job easily.

elseway a DanaDolly with 10ft tubes would do the job as well although it will have a lot of deflection and tordation while tracking.

Good luck,

Onno

We've called it the bottle-rig which can be found here: http://www.solidgrip.nl/projects/amstel/

a very small camera since the romm was as tiny as you can see in the ad : - ) No room for anything more then the rig.

Good luck,

Onno

Hi Tyler,

If you can be more specific I might be of your assistance : - )

I have done 360's a lot, looking in, looking out, dslr's / Alexa's.

Cheers,

Onno

Most commonly used for blackout unwanted gear in shot (out of focus). Sometimes used for productshots on black or replacement for greenscreen on mockups... folds small, quick win

Hi Frya,

I have my Fantasy-Truck just parked in my garage, loaded with odds and strange bits and ofcourse the usual suspects (tracks/ dolly/ rostrums/ scaffolding/ speedrail

- Inside are frames and overheads in the odd sizes: 4*8ft, 10*12ft, 12*20ft with some silks and gridcloth. Most of the time you need them standing: the tops are mostly only catching wind : - )

- Inside also the black-wear: ninja-shirt, black gloves, also black hairspray to block the flares of shining equipment, and some very clean black velvet in 4*4ft

For sure there is the TwinDolly with 18ft of Twintubes, breaking down in 2, 3, 4, 8ft sections. The in between a slider and a dolly with seamless extendable tracks.

Then also as a 'always-come-in-handy' TrackJacks

Already mentioned are the appleboxes. I do prefer the nested appleboxes with holes in them: small storage, in one hand 4 appleboxes in 8 heights.

Another easy gadget: wooden plate with holes and a wallplate which fits into a ceiling-system. Holes are to be used for additional rigging or the powercable's.

Small mirror (1*1ft-or smaller) comes in handy for aligning the camera fully square to the subject. Also comes in handy for highlighting.

and much more useless gear (says my wife : - )

Good luck,

Onno

Hi Joris,

Have you came across the Skater Scope? It is a lens which rotates the image inside the lens-system so you do not need to rotate te camera but the prism inside the lens will rotate. I have used it several times in the more shallow areas or where time was lacking to do a proper line-up on my rollover rig.

http://www.pstechnik.de/en/skater-scope-pl-pl/a-1059/

good luck,,

Onno Perdijk

Keygrip, Amsterdam
www.solidgripsystems.eu

Hi Mikko,

To find the best hardness of the wheels you can graduate on getting the balance between the amount of wheels and the most regular payload.

To hard wheels result in noisy travels, bumpy rides on the joints of inferiour trackd.

To soft wheels results in flat-spots and heavier pushing.

Your suggestion of using 97 or 99A sounds in my ears to hard. These wheels I would use in a 32wheel sled for a heavy crane.

My best bet would be in the range of 82A, 86A?

However: trial and error works best in this case; it is also matter of taste and where your priorities are set...

Good luck,

Onno Perdijk

Keygrip, Amsterdam

Www.solidgripsystems.eu

Hi James,

This is a commercial from years ago (2006), shot with a round the world rig which I called the Pendule:

http://youtu.be/z5O0XEoFJVM

A link to some more pictures and a short clip of the move:

http://www.solidgrip.nl/pendule/

Good luck,

Hi All,

As far as I know there is not a standard. Most sliders use RollOn or Igus profile while others just designed and pick a gauge which is mostly suiting their design.

I have designed my TwinDolly and TwinTube based on regular stage/rigging truss with adjustable wheel to accommodate the use of the dolly on truss of most 29 cm (or 1 foot).

Hopefully this answers your question.

Regards,

Onno Perdijk

Amsterdam, keygrip/ manufacturer

www.solidgripsystems.eu

Hi Daniel,

Most damages are cosmetic. All others will ruin your shot...

You might have the soft dents which can be resolved by using thin tape, placed diagonal over the surface. The dolly will run on and of the tape very politely.

The sharp dents with some waste sticking out of the tube can be best cut away with a sharp knife, Using sandingpaper will not suit you very well.

A more permanent way is sanding around the dents until the alumium is visible, use a fluid alumium-component to fill it with (productlink available on request) and slightly flatten it using a spare blade or a knive.

Hope this works,

if not, buy new :-(

Good luck,

Onno Perdijk

KeyGrip / Manufacturer

Amsterdam

www.solidgripsystems.eu

Hi there,

something like this you mean?

http://www.solidgrip.nl/apparatuur_jix.htm

regards,

Onno Perdijk

KeyGrip / manufacturer

www.solidgripsystems.eu

addition to: if it has a plug: its electric

if it needs a sandbag; its for the grips

if it is in shot and does not speak nor move: its Art

if it is in shot and does note speak but does move: ist AD

if it is in shot and does speak: its for the Director

Like the old roady song:

If it is liquid, drink it

if it is warm, eat it,

if it moves, **(obscenity removed)** it,

anything else: throw it in the truck...

good luck,

Onno

http://www.animatedknots.com/truckers/index.php

truckers hitch

Hello All,

As many others I have been thinking of finding a way to do MoCo easier and cheaper. but....

1) the difference between MoCo and Repeatable: If you are thinking MoCo you need keep a constant link with the camera-shutter / mirror / sync; so a move is always made in steps of 1/24(25) or the regular variations.

2) millions have been spend on developing different systems and even the existing brands still are still spending thousands!!!

3) every machine/robot has his own specifications/ downsides/ advantages, you cannot satisfy all customers.

4) ofcourse it is fun to do the machinery to make your own rig, ofcourse it is a joy to rewrite and reuse the software but I have found that it is not worthwhile.

a) however; I made myself a repeatable rig for tracking only, no panning, no tilting. That already took me some time

B) money in this biz is less and less. lets not go cheaper in gear but more cost-effective and combine our strength. ( a plumber can do his work in my house within three hours for 180 euro's, I myself would spend a full day and have some materials unused and unreturnable...) so: put your money where your knowledge is...

Meanwhile: I would encourage anyone in experimenting and trying to create solutions since a lot of good things came from there!!!

K.I.S.S. Keep it stupid simple

Good Luck

Onno

Hello Ariel,

In Europe it differs from country as well; Here is something about holland and surroundings. I cannot tell you the job of the US grips, in this way that others can tell you that far better...

Most grips in Europe are what they call in US DollyGrips, which mean they setup the dolly, push the dolly and when around they set-up tripods and create easy rigs and constructions for camera's.

Most of the time an European-grip is a one-man-department, sometimes he has a trainee or assistant-grip. Ofcourse that changes when a crane is involved, but mostly a gripcrew is understaffed.

In some country's the grips also do the blackouts and the overheads, most of the time it is done by the electricians. (this does not necessarily mean that do do help setting it up.) Electricians are doing their job as electrician and fill the gap between the grip and the lighting-dep...

Scaffolding for light is done by electricians, camera-towers by the Grip.

Basicly a GripTruck consist of Track, dollys, appleboxes and camerarigs: It is a small truck around 10n to at max, with some exceeding in tonnage.

I would like to have a bigger crew and more responsibilities, more to do, but that is my opinion, not the producers or UPM.

This is not as final as it might sound, more input is welcome, this is the way I see it happening and evolving.

So far.

Good Luck,

Onno

inspiration?

have fun,

Onno

Hello Eric,

I remember a thread either here or on CML being initiated exactly the same way as yours. It also included some pics of the rigs finally used. As I recall correctly the did some speedrail on their canoe with simple canisters as stabilizers for the hero-canoe and rigged the camera on this speedrail.

With regards the anchors as Karel mentioned: be aware that at least 3 anchor-points give you a consistent boat position.

Do not underestimate current and wind.

A pontoon boat as a workingplatform is perfect, I do have my doubts as using it as a processtrailer. (The mass of the pontoon will surely make it slower as the canoe so the canoe is always looking for a way to take over the pontoon. Besides that the person who is in the hero-canoe will paddle differently when being free than when being attached to a pontoon.)

For this far.

Good Luck,

Onno

Hello Phil,

When you are hypothetical in the market of buying a dolly I would consider the following:

1) its not only the Gear but also the Guy (or doll) who does the job properly. If you own a Panther or Moviola or a lease fisher or chapman that does not improve your shooting dramatically upwards; it is also the person who is working with it.

2) If you get yourself a workable dolly at a low price range it is easier to delete your own dolly from the equipment-list and get a decent dolly with a decent grip!

I have been around already for some bbq's and rental. When a crew hires a doorway from my shop I always send out a flatbed scateboard dolly as well (free of charge) Most of the times I see the doorway being returned to the shop without the trackwheels being used, meaning they have used the scateboard dolly.

Most of the available doorways (= matador = argus = ? = ?) are multi-purpose dolly's with concessions in use:

if you want airtires; get a dolly like the westerndolly or a wheelchair.

If you want to run on tracks; get a trackdolly.

My best bet would be a piece of 25mm plywood and scatewheels from Willys widgets. The "16-Wheel Swivel Set for 90° Track" would be my best bet. Okay, you will need to strap down your tripod and no seats available but that could be an item for your next birthday. If you need to add a jib you can always rent a jib with bazooka-base and just strap it down.

When it comes to track: just buy good ones, no pvc or similar.

Good Luck,

Onno

Hallo Dave,

I think you will need to be more specific in your specs:

What kind of camera's (in weight)?

What kind of track lenghts?

What setup; ground dolly or lifted on tripods?

Operators on the dolly or walking? Distance between the camera's?

So far my questions before I can be of any help.

Good luck,

Onno

Hello again,

here is the link to a promo video for the camrail-system from years ago.

Onno

Hello Alex,

I have not seen a curved slider (yet)

What I do have available is CamRail on a curved track, 45 degrees, approx 2 meter trackinglenght, radius of 1m20. It is an item rarely found, used to be manufactured 15 years ago by a danish/swedish company (?). I have it available from the netherlands, but shipping is not worthwhile I think.

If you describe the shot you are looking for maybe more people can help you: rotating tables, small dolly-curved-track, rotating UBanghy's/outriggers on a dolly or underslung on a crane. Also camera weight can be important.

Good Luck,

Onno