Robert Starling SOC

Someone over on the Steadicam Operators Association and maybe the Steadicam Forum just posted a Glidecam something for sale in the last few days. The model / price will likely dictate the size camera you can fly and maybe some level of adjustment so you can't really judge based on price always but I don't know the Glidecam system / products. If you've got $10k to spend you really ought to look at used Steadicam / PRO brand, at that price it might be older BUT it will hold it's value very well. Also, check out the new Flyer and Flyer Arm; I think they have about a 19 lb payload rating. Good luck!

Glad to be of help; I do a lot of work in the Caribbean and Mexico so I know the drill pretty well. The flights in and out of San Juan are considered International and you'll have to clear Customs in either Miami, DFW, Houston or wherever your port of entry will be. San Juan is the connecting hub for all the Caribbean or at least most of it, thus you'll have to clear when you hit official US soil with everyone else. Good luck with your shoot!

As a camera operator, whether it's straight forward camera, Steadicam or other specialty work I very much appreciate when the DP has experience on-set as an operator; it helps in our communication and workflow. I get a lot of projects as Steadicam / B camera which is a perfect world for me, and frequently the DP is also the A camera op. From my eyes it looks like a lot of stress for the DP to do that but I certainly respect that their preference or the budget requires it.

This is a bit off-the-wall but actually the B&H Photo / Video web site has a very good set of examples online for most Tiffen filters. It's not super high quality but they cover a lot of filters with photo samples of the different gradients and intensity.

Obviously add more time. You can request a "Media Rate" for baggage from most airlines and you should call to have your flight record marked in advance. Be prepared to show proof you are a legitimate business with business card, contract, script whatever you have. These days the media rate is usually just a bump allowance in weight but every airline is different and not all gate agents know what a media rate is or means. You don't have to be with a news agency. Call the airline until you get a human and ask them to give you their specific page locator and code where you can tell the counter agent to find their media policy. Yes, you'll check your bags at the normal ticket counter. It used to be you could check-in with a skycap and tip them out to avoid excess baggage charges but that doesn't work anymore so no need to "over-tip" thinking you'll get a deal. Airlines are desperate to turn a profit these days and their baggage charges now compound; meaning you not just pay one excess bag charge, you'll pay progressively higher for extra weight, over-sized and extra bags. Bring your Visa, MasterCard and AMEX and be prepared. The cheaper your ticket is discounted the more you pay for baggage. I started flying First Class years ago because it gave me extra free baggage allowances and by the time I paid for bags it was not that much more than coach. Another new thing to know are the limits on grams of Lithium Ion in the batteries you are carrying. There are limits and restrictions as to what you can carry AND what you can check; not all batteries for cameras qualify to fly. Read about this online. You'll also want / need to have a Customs Declaration Form CBP 4457 for all your equipment. It's a small form where you list each piece of gear, especially high value items and then you take the form AND the gear in-person to US Customs BEFORE you leave the country so they can see the gear and stamp the form. This is to allow you back into the US with your gear showing you owned it before you left. I think that form is CBP 4457 still. There is not much room to write in your gear but you can use multiple forms. Last year when I took the forms into Miami Customs before my trip the agent told me I could not use the downloaded form off their web site and had to fill out "official" forms which was a pain on the spot and time consuming. Over the years I've simplified it by not itemizing every single item and just using "lighting kit and accessories", "camera accessories" for lots of misc items. All they want to do is be able to prove you left the country with it and are returning with it but not returning with something new you bought. TSA locks are helpful but buy the heavy duty TSA locks from Pelican / FilmTools; the consumer grade TSA locks just get sheared off when a heavy case hits them and the hasp is not secured on each side. I also use fluorescent colored nylon zip ties on each lock / handle / hasp and then tape it all down with 2" colored gaff tape. Add business cards and local destination contact info inside the cases since most luggage agents complain that once the outer ID tags get torn off, few people put contact info inside their luggage. Lastly, check that your insurance covers your kit in the destination you are traveling to. Theft can happen at any airport but I've personally had a bag roll off the conveyor in San Juan with the zipper wide open and my iPod missing; stupid me for checking an iPod but I know it happened in baggage handling between the plane and the conveyor since I saw the bag come off the plane and it was zipped closed. Enjoy your trip!

Crap happens but this is not typical of FedEx at all. They're almost the only shipping service you can count on 99.99% of the time barring weather delays or something obscure and I ship hundreds of packages with them every year. How did such an important project get pushed so close to the deadline? If not a FedEx delay, you could lose a hard drive during the edit or have another technical problem this late in the game.

That rate would likely include rentals as Brad mentioned. I certainly can't speak for everyone or every area but a typical rate for a Steadicam operator would be around $100-$125 an hour plus $600-$800 kit rental. There are a lot of variables such as the going rate on the type project it is, length of project, union or non-union, the geographic area, experience and talents of course. The elite level Steadicam operators with 2-3 specialty rigs, 30 years experience and dozens of A list features under their belts could easily negotiate for double that, maybe more. Add long days with OT and Double time and the day adds up. There are hybrid deals negotiated too where on longer projects an operator will get X rate for B camera work but on any days the Steadicam is used at all the whole day goes up and there are usually a certain amount of days guaranteed for Steadicam and kit rental whether they use it or not. Rentals help bump the pay but on the other hand, I walk in the door with roughly $110,000 invested in gear. I could see a sound professional on a large feature needing at least that level of kit and more. Learning to negotiate is an important part of learning the business. Production / Producers negotiate deals all day and they're usually more adept at it since it's part of their job and they hone that skill-set. If they want or need you bad enough they'll find the money from someplace or if there are ten others who will do the job at half your rate you get stuck with the legacy of market pricing.

Thanks Rob! I sent it off to Spectra this afternoon based on your suggestion and also since I'm working in LA the next few weeks, otherwise I'd have sent it back East to you. Thanks again for the suggestion; their customer service on the phone was excellent and they were very helpful. All the best!

Hey guys, I need to find a place to transfer some old 8mm to DVD or MOV. I know this is a professional Forum and these are just old home movies but I figure someone here would know a decent company to do the transfers rather than me just taking a random company off the web. Thanks in advance!

Good for you Rory! You did the right thing and that guy is not someone you want to ever work for again anyway. Decent and honest filmmakers who know how hard it is to get a start are generally very appreciative of crew who donate their time in the form of low pay, no pay, long days or both... and they show it. $150 isn't great for a PA position but it's not horrible either for just getting started. As you've found out it's not just about the money. You'll accumulate lots of screwed up production stories over the course of your career and encounter some pretty quirky situations and people. You'll also meet a lot of very dedicated people and a lot of wonderful people with whom you'll enjoy working with so much that you probably would do it for free. I can think of a few over the course of my career that I wouldn't work for at 10x my rate or for any rate and even more that I'd do anything I could to help them. You'll begin to accumulate enough experiences that you'll spot the ego-freaks and BS a mile away. Good luck to you! Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator

Short Term Production insurance is available through Marshall Entertainment Insurance. I carried our annual policy with them for close to 15 years. DeWitt Stern is another very solid broker in the entertainment industry. This year I switched off to the Walter P. Dolle agency since they have a special policy for Steadicam operators / SOA members. Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator

Hi Tyler, Go to the cameraguild.com web site, click on the Know Your Rights link on the left hand side and then scroll down to the section on Right To Work and read that section. There's a lot more to it than that but it is possible for Producers to hire non-union workers on a union show depending on the state and the circumstances. We just had a large episodic show shooting in Las Vegas this past weekend and there were both union and non-union workers in the camera department. Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator

Regarding the IATSE Local 600, International Cinematographers Guild, the requirements for documenting working 30 days on a Union show in a year or 100 days non-union is not a union Bylaw; they are the rules of the Contract Services Administration Trust Fund and are the requirements imposed by CSATF to get your name on the Industry Experience Roster. The Union and CSATF / IER are not related but "interrelated". Article One - Section 1 of the Local 600 BYLAWS basically state that (paraphrasing for length) "any resident of, or person eligible to work in the United States" "who pays their dues and complies with Article Two - Section 1 of the CONSTITUTION" can be accepted into membership Article One - Section 3 of the Local 600 Bylaws say you may be "admitted based on work experience or a test" (again shortened / paraphrased for length) Article One - Section 2 of the CONSTITUTION elaborates that you must be "18 years old, competent, qualified, good moral character etc". (again shortened and paraphrased) There are NO specifics to the 30 day / 100 day rules in either the Local 600 Constitution or Bylaws. This is where the CSATF steps in by administrating the Industry Experience Roster and the Safety Passport program. If you're not on the Roster and you don't take the safety courses specific for your job class, theoretically you are not allowed to work in the Studio Zone on Union productions. CSATF administrates this not the union. Back to theory; you could join the union, they'd take your dues but if you're not on the Roster you're stuck. By the same token, you can get on the Roster, take the Safety courses and then not join the union but once CSATF notifies the union you're on the Roster you have only 60 or 90 days to join the Union. If you fail to join, then they tell CSATF and they will take you off the Roster. So, by paying a decent wage (whatever that is) and providing the documentation to crew members on smaller productions you can eventually help them toward their goal of getting on the Roster and on to union work if they so desire. Please understand that this is just a very very basic explanation, shortened, distilled, not detailed but essentially accurate as I am reading it out of the Constitution and Bylaws which is a 62 page booklet that goes along with the actual 212 page AGREEMENT between the Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Local 600. There are other labor and right to work questions asked earlier in this thread that depend on your State and a zillion other things that are too complex to try to explain in a Forum thread. Go to the web sites for CSATF and the ICG and read for yourself, look around online as well I think there are some individual sites that explain a lot of this. All the best, Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator IATSE Local 600 Camera Operator

Sounds like a bit of exploitation if that is what you want to call it. $150/12 is a very modest PA rate but whatever rate works for you is a personal decision. Business practices can vary but the "go home early / 16 hour day" the next day is BS plain and simple. If you want to do that, it again is a personal decision that only you can make but in my 29 years experience that one is pure BS. It would be more honorable I think if they just asked you to work for free. They should pay your mileage or give you some money for gas. Otherwise, don't use your car. It's one thing running a mile or so to pick up lunch but PA rates for true production errands don't include the use of your car or gas unless you agreed to it to start. Let them go rent a car and insure it and put gas in the tank. Why are you funding their film and working at a reduced rate too? The biggest red flag here is the the use of your car to tow a picture car. For one thing, you'd better INSIST on a Certificate of Insurance showing General Liability Insurance and Rented Automobile Coverage naming you as the "Loss Payee and Additionally Insured". There are serious legal liabilities related to this activity, plus wear, tear and risk for your vehicle and safety. You wreck your car, injure someone, injure yourself, damage property and they're going after YOU and my guess is your insurance won't cover the use of your car in a business or as a rental item. There are tons of "work for cheap" and "work for free" productions out there you can get experience on without these issues. IMHO this one is overstepping the boundary by a considerable margin. Tell them no in a polite but professional manner and insist you are compensated properly and insured. If not, thank them, wish them luck and leave. They'll have plenty enough hard time finding another sucker to do all this for them. Stand your ground or be prepared to be a door mat for them to walk on. Let us know how it goes. Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator

Do you mean soft Chamois covers that go over eyepieces on viewfinders? Filmtools has them. Also, a reminder to all that a chamois or synthetic eyepiece cover is an important part of hygiene for your eyes, not just comfort. At roughly $4 USD a pop, they are expendable and can save you from all that nasty sweaty crusty eye crap on those rental cameras and a possible eye infection. Buy a dozen and keep them in your ditty bag. Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator

For large tote / ditty bags I really like the Harrison Ditty / Totes with the zippered tops; available through film tools for about $80. I'm using mine more and more for odd sized loose items but it's obviously not an "organizer bag" if that is what you want. It also has loops to hang from the handles on my Backstage Steadicam Magliner cart. Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator

Hi Paul, I've been on-set briefly at SOA twice in the last few weeks dropping off or picking up kit from Steve Fracol, your B Camera / Steadicam Op; once the night the guy driving down Foothills fell asleep and slammed into the back of the Crafty truck and then again the other day over at the school in Sunland during some sort of festival / fair scene. Unfortunately I only had a few minutes and you were busy but I have to say you guys work at a seriously fast pace. The trailers / teasers I've seen on the Fox.com look really nice. Once the dust settles a bit I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Genesis workflow and results versus the F900's on My Boys and given the choice would you go with the Genesis again or another camera package altogether? All the best! Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator

I've met Haskell a few times over the years and he seems approachable; you could try to contact him directly in a professional manner. If reading is what you want to do you could also research information on Garrett Brown, the inventor of the Steadicam. Bound For Glory was officially the first film that used Steadicam and I know there's lots of information out there on that where you could possible gain some insight. Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator

http://www.soc.org/events.html Scroll down to the Swap Meet details. Robert Starling, SOC * Dear Moderators, I tried to post this in events but it said I don't have permission to post there. Feel free to move it if you like.

Matt: You're not going to find any film cameras, film or related AKS in Las Vegas... period. It's a video / HD town and everything film that comes to town comes from someplace else. JR will have the lighting and grip package you need but you should also check with Jim Wise at Magic Hour Lighting & Grip. 702 373-4605. Jim is an excellent gaffer I've worked with for years, plus he has a 5 ton and he bought my 18' G&E trailer a few years ago which is something like a 2.5 ton. The Vegas VER location is mainly geared toward convention and tradeshow work and they ship back and forth from LA daily. Debby Hudanish would be the best person there to deal with. And.. if you guys need a Steadicam op or any other HD monitors / video assist kit call me, remote focus etc. I've got experience and cables for flying the RED as well. Also, I own a post production facility in Las Vegas and we have a very nice 4k projector in our suite. Pardon the shameless plug! Peace! Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner Operator

Hi Michael, Will Arnot was the operator on the Sure commercial and I don't think there was any CGI to it. It was all one-take and I think they spent something like a month building the set, a week in rehearsal and a full day shooting it. I may be slightly off but that was the general idea. Also Will used the AR stabilizer not a traditional sled. Do a search on the Steadicam Forum for Will's posts and I think there is a link in there to the BTS narrative and stills. Robert Starling, SOC Steadicam Owner / Operator

I was the Steadicam Op on a short filmed in Phoenix with the RED last month; despite the crew's best efforts of courtesy shade and even ice packs there were times when we had overheating issues and the camera needed to be cooled off in the MOHO. The temps ranged 105 - 112 F +/- and at those temps pretty much everything including people start to overheat. I don't think the camera ever completely shut down or that we lost any footage / clips, but we did lose a few people to heat stroke and fatigue. It would probably have helped if the designers who did a very nice job of building a great looking and great flying camera would have included some form of heat sink with cooling fins like most other professional video cameras have to help dissipate the heat. It was my first shoot with the RED and overall a very good experience to fly on my rig; especially since the DP / owner had all the extras and options such as CF cards, adapter plates and the breakout box for standardized connectors. It may simply be that this first production version of the camera is not particularly suitable to environments subject to excessive heat. Robert Starling, SOC

Mario Paranhos at Otto Nemenz came highly recommended to me and did a fabulous job on my Sachtler head at a remarkably affordable price: (323) 469-2774

Ryan, you're an excellent AC and quickly becoming my first choice when I need a Steadicam familiar AC here in Las Vegas, thanks for all the hard work and taking care of me! I "think" maybe Hilti or someone else has some special tinted glasses you can put on to help see the lasers in daylight but you have to find them on their website or call. We had a PD40 I think on that Cirque du Soleil shoot I tried to get you on last week and just fooling around with it we were hitting 600' + marks with a quick read on it; maybe 1 sec of waiting. As a Steadicam operator I appreciate when an AC has a laser tape measure because it's so much faster than tape when I'm standing there holding the rig while a tape goes out.

I've worked on and have viewed four theatrical screenings on full-size screens from projects shot on the HVX with mini35 adapters, then transferred to 35mm and they looked pretty impressive for "what they are", much better than I expected but all the other elements of the production where of high quality to start with. The same with F900 shot projects. However, it does not sound like she is headed toward a "theatrical release" quite yet? Marie, either a mini35 or Pro35 adapter will give you the depth of field look you want on those cameras. If this is one of your first few shorts and the first time working in HD w/35mm adapters don't get bogged down too much by exotic or complex equipment choices. It sounds like you might be editing on FCP and if that is the case your editor, workflow and budget may point you to the HVX. On the other hand, if using the F900 allows you to save a few thousand dollars or more that can be invested in a higher production value of the film and not bite you in the budget on the post side then there is your answer. Have fun! Robert Starling, SOC