Michael Nelson

I bought some SDI cables to carry with me as a "just-in-case". The problem is that they are very new and hold their round coil VERY well. So well that instead of laying flat on the ground, it lays in coils and MUST be taped down. Is there a way to fast track the process in loosening this rigidity and make them lay flat?

Wow, I never thought of carrying something like fake leaves with me for focus marks. That's so crazy I might half to do it! I carry with my sandbag t-markers... but when it's a head to toe, i've used reference points on the ground. The leave thing tho... :-)

I graduated a year ago with a bachelor's in Film and now I work in video and commercials as a camera operator or a camera assistant. I also do editing as well, mostly corporate stuff; nothing too interesting. I would like to get into bigger things: national commercials, maybe a TV series, maybe major film, always in the camera department. I'm also working to become a steadicam operator but that's still a ways off. I get great feedback from new clients (i'm prepared, knowledgeable, great to work with) and have been referred to for more and more work as I go. Right now I have 3 main clients (small production companies) that I work for. The work comes and goes with active times and slow times. It's nothing terribly interesting but I know that the more I work with these companies, the more industry people I will meet and more opportunities for bigger and bigger stuff will come along. The amount of work I've been getting and the production value of that work has been steadily increasing since I graduated and I would say I am pretty happy of where I am, and VERY happy and excited of where I am going. Recently, Princess cruises has shown interest in me. They have offered me a position as a junior videographer on a ship (could be anywhere) it would be a SIX MONTH contract being on a ship, shooting their cruise video (ship events, excursions, around the ship) and editing it as well. I would work under the senior videographer while aboard. It pays.... not too great but I get free room, and free food on the ship so all the money I make is all profit and I would walk away with about $8,000 in the end. There's also the ability for quick promotion in the video department as Princess's Video Program is very young. I also love to travel and see the world. The Dilemma: If I go on this 6 month contract, I don't want to loose the connections I've made here (Orlando) and have to start from scratch again. If I leave, the people I work for now will find someone to replace me and I don't know how hard it will be to get back to where I am now and resume my climbward in the industry. I don't want to work in the cruise video industry for very long but I think it would be a great experience to travel the world, shooting video, shooting pictures (I'm an avid photographer as well). However, I don't believe that it adds to my current path of a full industry camera operator/ camera assistant. But I also think it would be a once in a lifetime experience; something I could look back on and say, "WOW! I did that." I friend told me to go because, "you can't pass up one oppertunity in hopes of something else to come up. Seize the opportunities as they come. Who knows, maybe the cruise job will lead to something even bigger!" Do I go? Do I stay and continue my path here? What are your thoughts? Cliffs: Do I continue working as I am now or go on a 6 month contract to work on a cruise ship and risk loosing current clients when I come back?

Well, just got done with my first meeting today and the outcome was less than favorable. To start things off, I clearly outlined my experience in steadicam, my intentions with working on student films, and sited my website to give people a sense of where I'm coming from. When I got to the meeting the first thing the professor did was eye me over, glance at my resume, look at me again, and say, "well, you're kinda young, dont-cha think?" From them on he explained how he usually hires owner operators that are fairly well seasoned to work on the student's films. He didn't like that I rent gear from an owner/ operator and that I have doing most of my bigger work as an AC and not a cam op. He said he's keep my resume and contact info on file for smaller jobs. Makes me want to buy something along the lines of a archer or a clipper! Oh well I suppose, I've got a steadicam assist job tomorrow with the owner/ operator I rent from and then another meeting with a film professor on Wednesday.

Thank for for everyone's thoughts. My whole intention is not to work for free, either on student films or on low-budgets/ any other production. I am mainly referring to student shoots and working for a special "student only" rate. I definitely know there is a time when free work is no longer beneficial for anyone. It took me a little while to learn that it's ok to "put a price on myself" and I think I have learned to do that accurately when I AC. I want to become a part of the steadicam community and add to it all I can!

Ya, I think I'm going to have to spread into multiple bags. John, do you bring all of that stuff to each shoot? I would love to get some pictures of your bins. Also, is your car usually close enough to access everything you need?

With sandbag t-markers, a bunch of cables and connectors, tools and etc this thing is in a big tool bag and weighs in at 36 lbs. I don't feel like I have too much, I like to be prepared for ANYTHING! What say you? Move to two different bags/ multiple bags? Keep the one big bag? Change to a different type of bag?

I would love to do this, my problem is finding those shows that need steadicam, then getting them to hire me: someone with no reel and little experience. I would much prefer this way, but I don't know how to make it happen.

Didn't know where to put this. mods, move if placed incorrectly. Small bit of background: I am 24, I have a bachelor's in film (graduated 1 year ago), I've been working as a cam op/ AC since graduation, attended the lake arrowhead workshop in the spring to fuel my steadicam interest and it caught fire. I know a local DP who will rent their Steadicam SK and all supporting equipment to me when I need it. Last week I made a bunch of cold calls to the local universities stating who I was and that I am interested in working on student films as a way for me to get my on-set steadicam experience up as well and benefiting the students because they get the steadicam look in their films and get to learn to work with day players and budget for their services. Most of the department heads were interested and I've booked times to meet with them next week. I was wondering, what are some key points for me to hit while speaking with them about this deal? I do not wish to make any sort of money on this, I just want the practice and get to a reel going. The one thing I would like to try and get is the cost of the rig's rental covered covered. I can rent the rig for only a couple hundred dollars a day, but I would like to try and get this cost paid for through either the students' films' budget or from somewhere else. What tips can you all provide me for these meetings?