Pedro Guimaraes, SOC ~ Life Behind the Lens

New 2nd Edition of Jerry Holway steadicam “Bible” is released!!

The second edition of the “The Steadicam Operator’s handbook” was released. Jerry Holway was nice enough to include some pictures of me operating a 3ality Technica ATOM 3D rig in the 3D steadicam section of the book. I want to publicly thank Jerry for including me in the most “sacred” of steadicam books. It truly is an honor. I remember reading the first edition when it came out and reading it all cover to cover in awe.

Here is the new book…..! I’m now the “guy in the book….literally!”

Here Is the 3D steadicam section…..featuring 2 pictures of me!

Second page of the 3D section.

So it seams…….if you look me up, I’m now “the guy” in the book! So if you your shooting 3D and need a 3D steadicam operator, I am the man! Hahahahaha………but seriously…..call me. 310.592.8450 or email me anytime…. pedro@steadi3d.com !!

Available at AMAZON.com

http://www.amazon.com/Steadicam%C2%AE-Operators-Handbook-Jerry-Holway/dp/024082380X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363026135&sr=8-1&keywords=steadicam+operators+handbook+2nd+edition

Or where i bought it in-store but they also have it online…..FilmTools.com

http://www.filmtools.com/the-steadicam-operating-handbook.html

Here is the original version of the photo. Me operating a 3ality Technica Atom Rig with Red Epic cameras, Zeiss superspeeds.

This time I’m pictured operating another 3ality Technica Atom rig, Red Epic cameras, a prototype 3ality Technica IO balance compensator and the much debated Angeniuex Rouge with the V3 lenses modification with the oscillating iris feature……all which made it possibly the heaviest 3D rig I have ever flown……and pictured here in low mode!!! Low mode was extremely taxing and I did not operate very long in that configuration….

The Emulsion Emotion.

Recently I have had the opportunity to shoot 2 projects on film after over more than a year of only digital projects. Much of that is due to the fact that I work a lot with stereoscopic 3D projects. Native 3D is almost exclusively the realm of digital capture.

It was a refreshing experience, the veteran DP brought me in to do 2 days of steadicam on his feature. The differences began from the start. He knew exactly what shots he needed me for and did not just use me in all the shots of the day because I was there. There was only one small SD monitor on set for the director only. He lit with a light meter while the camera was off the set, he was fast at what he did and nobody questioned his choices. While watching the actors rehearse me and the DP talked over the shot, we followed up with 2 takes of a camera rehearsal….then we finally rolled camera. Everyone on set naturally went quiet when the AD started calling the roll. The 1stAC rolled the camera and with the barely audible whine of the film starting to spin thru the camera, my steadicam monitor flickered a bit and it seamed everyone on set knew there was money flying thru camera and to be quiet.

In this particular scene we followed actors thru an apartment and ended up inside a bathroom with the 1st AC having to stand on top of the toilet! It was dark inside the bathroom with the actress as she closed the door. Soon after the take the DP comes over as we walk out of the bathroom and he asks me “How was that?” I reply…”It was good, but I think I can do a bit better as we enter the bathroom” he also asks the 1stAC how was that for focus “nailed it” is the reply. Just then the Director walks up and remarks to the DP…..looks dark in that bathroom….with a puzzled look on his face. The DP jumps in a says……”…don’t worry it will be great, just like we talked about this morning.” Just like that everyone walked back to our positions, completed another take and after all of us remarked it was a solid take. The director smiles and nods to the 1st AD that yells….”New deal!”…. Notice the director never asked another take for safety! he trusted his crew to deliver.

Now this might seam like such a regular exchange and account of how a set is run but the reality is that this whole description goes very differently when we are capturing digitally……and these days that description is changing quite a bit.

On a typical digital set…..the differences are abundant. First there are big, bright, HD monitors everywhere. All of a sudden everyone is a focus and lighting expert and is full of opinions. many times the camera is required to be in position and on frame for lighting to be done and tweaked, on occasion hear many comments by video village about the DP’s lighting choices and a few directors or other crew members start involving themselves in areas that there opinions are not so welcome. There is rarely any “camera rehearsal” and we are always “rollin’ on rehearsal!”. Naturally this first “take” is frequently a mess for obvious reasons…..camera is not the only one that needs a rehearsal! Nobody respects silence when the AD begins to call roll….now the AD’s & director start to not respect the fact that the camera is rolling….which result in mins. of wasted footage as last looks get applied and the AD adjusts the actors or the director gives last min notes to the actors, meanwhile I’m patiently holding my frame on my steadicam waiting for everyone to be ready while the camera is recording.

There is generally no respect for a rolling camera when you shoot digital. Maybe it is because people fail to recognize the fact that digital footage is not “free” as some people think. 4k + cameras consume an alarming amount of data. I have seen the storage budgets for many digital feature films and it is no small sum 15-20TB of storage is not that cheap. Especially because 15tb becomes 30TB when backed up to another source or 45tb if 3 copies are made! These numbers will only grow from now on…..especially in 3D with double the cameras rolling. There should be more set discipline regarding a rolling camera…..like there is on a film set. Generally speaking there isn’t. It can be very lax to say the least. I wish more people would realize the cost of the digital data being produced in that camera.

The final massive difference I notice is trust and respect. There is a massive amount of trust that develops between a DP and his crew and a DP and his director and producers when shooting film that just isn’t there with digital. Maybe it is because some people tend to look at the nice HD monitor and have an opinion on what they are seeing because it looks so much like a final product.

In my example the Director commented that the room seamed very dark…The DP assured him it would be fine. The director clearly trusted the DP’s work and just took him for his word. Trust. The DP asked the 1stAC how was his focus….the 1st confidently assured him it was a good take. DP trusting his crew is a great feeling for both parties and spurs professionalism. It requires people to always perform at the best.

Now I’m certainly not saying I haven’t been on digital sets when a lot of this has not been the case but this lack of respect and trust is more and more commonplace on digital sets these days.

I’m the first one to say film is dead 5 years ago! I think it’s days are now numbered as the new digital cameras are reaching above 14 stops of latitude and 1200iso native and 6k and beyond. I am not lamenting on the good ‘ol days of film………my recent film work just reminded me how important experienced crew is and how good it is for the DP and the director to value,respect and TRUST the crew they have in many cases assembled.

I for one hope that I start getting that “emulsion emotion” on more and more digital sets.

There is a lot we can learn from film. I hope it stays around long enough to teach its lessons enough so that some of it’s effect is still felt in the digital age.

“Se Puder Dirija!! 3D” -  “If possible Drive!”

As a Brazilian born filmmaker that immigrated to LA to chase the American dream and the dream to be a part of this wonderful business that is Hollywood, it has been my long time goal to do what I love and work in Brazil.

Well this dream has come true in a way much bigger than I would have ever hoped for. I got a call from one of the top feature film production companies in Brasil, Total Films as they were looking to make cinema history in Brazil and shoot the first live action 3D movie. A family comedy for all ages in partnership with Disney Brasil and Miravista. I was asked to be the Stereographer and Director of photography.

After many meetings over skype and a visit for scouting, in Sept. of 2012 we began shooting on location in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Much of the movie takes place inside a car with a 4yr old, a dog and his dad. This naturally presented many challenges for regular film making much less 3D film making. To top it off we had a very tight 24 day shooting schedule and one camera.

So early on in pre-production I realized I needed a very small, compact, efficient 3D rig that supports a cinema quality camera a lens. Thankfully German company ScreenPlane http://www.screenplane.com/ has just released a production version of just that kind of rig. It’s called the steadyflex and lets just say it was the perfect tool at the right time to get the job done. It performed fantastically, and the custom filtration made all the difference in the world. We mounted the rig inside the car, outside the car, on steadicam and all the while it maintained perfect alignment and allowed us to shoot a 3D movie in a schedule of a 2D movie with no camera delays. It is a steadicam operators dream when it comes to 3D rigs.

Workflow was super inexpensive and smooth. We shot using RED EPIC cameras, Ultra prime lenses, C-Motion Cvolution lens control and recorded proxies to a Sound Devices pix240. The Raw footage was backed up immediately by the on site DIT, the pix240 ProRes files were used to edit the movie in FCP. While on steadicam I would transmit a wireless side by side 3D signal to video village using a Paralinx HD transmitter.

The Brazilian crew was fantastic, the G&E guys really blew me away with their hustle, ingenuity and talent. I brought along my long time collaborator Bobby Settlemire to handle the 3D rig and pull focus but the rest of the crew was Brazilian.

I had the opportunity to work with one of Brazil’s top DP’s Nonato Estrella, ABC. We formed a close partnership and we worked together very well.

I am immensely proud of the project for breaking new cinematic ground in Brazil but also so the level of professionalism I witnessed all across the board.

I hope audiences laugh and enjoy the 3D as much as we laughed and had fun making the movie.

Diretor Paulo Fontenelle – DP Nonato Estrella, ABC & Pedro Guimaraes

1stAC/3D rig tech Bobby Settlemire

2ndAC Daniel Xavier

Camera PA Vlad

Key Grip “Minerinho”

Gaffer “Cabeça”

Produced by Walkiria Barbosa & Jose Dias

check out some behind the scenes pictures,

I recently had the pleasure of working with the talented people at a new 3D production company Golden Gate 3D more info on them on their website
http://www.gg3d.com/

The project was a beautiful 3D ballet performance in front of the Golden Gate bridge Directed by Kate DuHamel using the new Screenplane SteadiFlex rig with dual Epics and Ultra primes lenses.

It was simply amazing to work with the dancers, the director and the choreographer. Despite the extremely windy conditions we managed to pull together some amazing shots.

This marked my first job with the new ScreenPlane “Steadyflex” beamsplitter Rig. We used Ultra prime lenses and RED Epic cameras with Cmotion Cvolution wireless lens and rig control. The rig performed fantastically and worked like nothing else on my steadicam. We were able to do some incredibly dynamic shots with the dancers that would never have been done with heavier rigs. Not to mention as the operator I had very little time to rest in-between takes as we were racing the sun and the dancers only had a limited amount of stamina and it was also very cold so we had to keep rollin to try to keep some heat in thier bodies!

It was a fantastic shoot and I can’t wait to see the results!

Thanks to everyone for a great day of shooting in San Fransico!

Thank you to Golden Gate 3D for providing me with wonderful behind the scenes pictures.

Enjoy the gallery!

Last week I reviewed the new BX4 rig from 21st Century 3D. I was impressed that a rig that size could be that light and work so well on my steadicam……well this week Sebastian from Camadeus invited me over to check out a steadicam specific 3D rig.

It raised the stakes!

Built by ScreenPlane in Germany this rig was purpose built for steadicam use, thus the name “Steady-flex”.

ScreenPlane rig has a unusual design. Very ingenious!

They have partnered with C-Motion lens Control and have built into the frame of the rig a “Camin transmitter” (like a preston MDR) The internal electronics control IO&Convergence Focus,Iris,Zoom of both cameras. Thus reducing the overall weight of the rig at the same time cleaning up the spaghetti of cables usually found on rigs.

The other major design aspect is that of the frame itself. It’s centered it’s mass instead of building more of a perimeter frame like on other rigs. This in addition to a few other design aspects enable this rig to be mounted “over-slung” on the steadicam rig. Meaning one camera points up instead of down. Usually on other rigs due to where there mass is and how far away it gets when overslung you end up with a long post and a heavy rig! Which is why on every other 3D rig we generally run “under-slung”.

Being able to use the rig in this “overslung mode” solves many 3D steadicam problems. The first of which is that when mounting the underslung rig on the steadicam you end up with a very front heavy rig. Which causes many problems. mainly you need to add weight to the back of the rig to counter all the front weight. This usually consists of mounting rods in the rear of the rig and mounting batteries, lock-it box, decimator and anything you can find to add rear weight. This also makes the rig really long! Which makes doing a “switchover” move all but impossible. As you have to push the rig so far away from your body ot get around all the rear weight that you had to run. This of course leaves your “dynamic” balance all out of whack. The other large issue with underslung mode is that usually your gimbal will at some point make contact with the bottom camera or camera plate. This means that on some rigs you can barely pan right. Many top rigs being used in the market today suffer from this. You end up have to pan with your body instead.

On the “Steady-flex” in overslung mode I can place my post exactly underneath the “CG” of the rig. This enables a much better fore-aft balance and removes any need to add any weight to the rear of the rig. This has tremendous consequences. The biggest is that I was able to dynamic balance the rig! (I open the video demonstrating this). Also I can keep the rig closer to my body because there is no “stuff” in the back of the rig. This helps with operator fatigue alot. The other is that I can now spin the rig 360 around my gimbal! So no issues with panning.

In this picture you can see how close the bottom camera is to my shoulder enabling the rig to be close to my body.

Once built out with a ambient box (to genlock the cameras), my decimator and all the necessary cables the complete rig (3D rig, sled, batteries) with RED Epics and UltraPrime LDS lenses came in at 52lbs. !!

This low weight coupled with the fact that we can dynamic balance the rig and pan freely presents a massive step forward in 3D steadicam.

Over the last 4 years or so I have flown just about every rig out there. I can honestly say this is the best rig for steadicam in the market. Compare 52lbs with the 75lb rig I flew just in December for Katy Perry 3D also on Epics and Ultra primes(altought that had a telecast copperhead on it).

I spent some time with the rig in my vest and was very happy. Then I threw it up on my segway and was just as happy, altough because of the overslung mode my post was a bit long. So if I ever opted to use it on a segway I would add some battery weight and collapse my post more.

I called my friend and legendary steadicam operator Randy Nolen, SOC to come check it out. He had just finished a job with a 70lbs rig so he was excited to try it out. He brought his friend a fellow SOC member Rick Drapkin to also check it out. He had a previous experience with 3D at around 80lbs!! So needless to say he was almost speechless.

I have a upcoming feature that we are planning on using the “steady-flex”. They want to shoot with the ARRI Alexa-M camera. So in a few weeks I will complete another test with the rig with Alexa-M cameras.

I look forward to flying this rig on the movie and posting a update to this test.

Watch and enjoy the video from the test.

on youtube

on vimeo

https://vimeo.com/41254637

Here some additional pictures from the test.

3D Steadicam…now with less fat!

This past week, famed 3D pioneer and Stereographer Jason Goodman invited me out to his LA offices to test out his new creation.

The BX4…what’s new?

Designed specifically for RED EPIC, RED Scarlet, Arri Alexa M, Canon C500 and C300, and other small form factor D-Cinema cameras, BX4 is among the lightest and most versatile rigs available. Weighing only 11lbs in its lightest configuration, BX4 is optimized for steadicam, handheld, and remote head applications.

In addition to motorized interaxial and convergence controls, all camera alignment functions can also be motorized for remote operation. naturally I always prefer to use my C-Motion Cvolution wireless lens and rig control. But….no built in electronics means no delays from electronic failures and no additional weight when motorized operation is not needed(this is key for keeping the steadicam light). All controls can be manually actuated as well.

One of the key new features with the BX 4 is, two optional filter holders, they can easily be attached or removed in the field.(once again keeping the steadicam config lighter) The two stage filter holder utilizes standard 4×5.65 drop in filters. The single stage rotating holder accommodates 5.65×5.65 filters and has unique click stop positions as well as angle markings that allow DPs and stereographers to utilize linear polarizing filters and easily match the angle for both cameras. Cinematographers have the option to creatively employ polarizing filters on a 3D rig. Managing reflections and shooting skies in 3D is greatly enhanced with BX4.

The other major design change is that now both cameras move. They move opposite of each other which keeps the steadicam sled in balance during IO changes mid shot.

Base price is $29,995. Optional filter holders are $2,495 each.
http://www.21stcentury3d.com

So how does it work on my steadicam?

Having previously operated the previous model the BX3 (later the 3.5) I can honestly say the BX4 is a massive step forward.

Like I mentioned, the “IO” (Inter-ocular or Inter-Axial) is now achieved by moving both cameras opposite each other. This keeps the rig “mostly” balanced on sled during IO changes mid-shot. I say mostly because there is some torque effect and some slight differences in weight that may cause a horizon change. This can easily be remedied by trimming the balance with a few small weights. Even without any trim weights the balanced is mostly unchanged. This allows the stereographer to alter the IO during the shot.

The rig is much lighter now. In fact, it’s an amazing 11lbs. at the moment! I set up the rig on my sled in “underslung” mode. This lowers the CG and allows me to run a shorter post. The rig was still front heavy but luckily I only needed a bit of weight out back to even things out. In the back of the rig you can see the decimator, the ambient TC and sync generator and also the Cvolution “camin” transmitter.

The total ready to shoot weight of the sled cam in at 58lbs. This was with Red zoom lenses. Also Jason mentioned a few small design changes to reduce weight even further.

One big design aspect that assists in practical operation for the steadicam operator is that fact that the bottom camera plate which is located in front of the gimbal is rather small. This results in quite alot of gimbal movement before contact. You can pan the rig quite a bit before there is any contact with the rig. This point cannot be understated. It is a huge pain in the butt to have to pull the gimbal handle closer to your body and make sure you don’t ruin you shot by hitting it on the rig. Thankfully due to his elegant design there is alot of room and this situation is greatly improved over other rigs/designs. In fact in “don juan” you wrist is free to assume it’s normal position and you have a clear view of the monitor.

Due to it’s lighter weight, running with the rig is now possible (see video) and generally I see no problems using this vest mounted in most situations. But when the situation comes when you need to zoom up and down a soccer field or chase actors down streets or do 4 page “walk and talks” there is nothing like a segway!

…on the segway.

Due to it’s lighter weight segway operational envelop is much larger. I found myself fighting the inertia of the rig much less. Due to it’s lighter weight and my resulting short post I had no issues with contacting the wheel on the segway.

All in all I came away very impressed by his new rig. The only other rig in the market that is lighter and better for steadicam is the ScreenPlane “Steady-flex” rig which is ready to shoot (Epic and ultra primes) at 52lbs. Full review coming soon.

The BX4 is a full size rig, with great optics and simple, robust, reliable adjusting mechanisms. All of which are things I value.

Can’t wait to use it!

For more information on the rig and rates, contact Jason Goodman – www.21c3d.com

For more information on my and my rates contact at www.pgfilms.tv

below is the full review video:
on youtube

on vimeo
https://vimeo.com/41135454
Here are some pictures taken during the test

The “LEDZ” lights & Slash’s “Gotten” music video

Recently I had the opportunity to DP a music video for the legendary guitar hero Slash. The music video was for a song that was a collaboration with Adam Levine (Maroon 5) called “Gotten”.

http://slashonline.com/gotten/

The project is intended to benefit Slash’s longtime charity “LA Youth Network” therefore the budget was very small. The cast and crew donated thier time and we were lucky enough that the vendors came onboard and donated some key equipment. The camera (ARRI AlexaPlus) and slider (Panther Ubangi) came from Camadeus Film Technologies, the lenses (Zeiss Master Primes) came from Radiant Images, I donated my steadicam and Cmotion Cvolution lens Controler. Finally CineMills saved the day and donated the use of thier brand new LED lights the “LEDZ”.(Superspot, Brute 9). So first and foremost I want to personally thank the sponsors. Right after reading the treatment for the first time I realized there would be no money to close streets, condors or 18k’s. While there is a portion of the video that occurs indoors the majority of the video was to be shot at night in downtown LA with limited permits and locations.

Due to the aforementioned lack of budget, I immediately realized I needed small, powerful, battery operated LED lights. A few with broad coverage and one with more punch. We also had a few car interiors to light so a small led would also be great. Immediately I thought of Litepanels as I had used them before. Unfortunately the one place I could rent them from didn’t have them in on the dates I needed it. Then I thought of CineMills line of led lights “LEDZ”. I had seen them on my facebook since I was friends with them. I checked out their website and took a look at their line of led lights and got excited! I contacted Carlos de Matos(owner) and arranged a visit to their Burbank factory and headquarters. Carlos and Mike welcomed me and walked me through their product line and were incredibly friendly and helpful. Thankfully were gracious enough to let me try out a couple their lights for the weekend on my shoot. They provided me with 2 lights.

First was their brand punchy new “Superspot”. It is the first in Led lighting as it provides a sharp, powerful circular beam, a throw that easily exceeds 40 feet, the SUPERSPOT is comparable to current 575w HMI fixtures, including the 5500k color temperature whilst only drawing a single amp. It is extremely robust with an all aluminum housing and yoke system with junior mounting pin. It has a slim profile so can be used in a multiple of lighting setups utilizing minimal space. The fixture produces no sound and very minimal heat, making it friendly in tight spaces. There are two built in dimmers on the fixture which allow for 100% – 0 output control with minimal color shift. It comes complete with a switchable power supply unit. There are additional accessories available including the LEDZ Speedframe, Chimera, filter frame, DMX capabilities and 12v battery options for mobile applications.

It has a double Anton Bauer gold battery mount which provided power for many hours on set. In addition we had the optional “Chimera” softbox option. Which I used alot in some of the interior scenes.

The second light was the small but surprisingly powerful “Brute 9”.

The Brute 9 provides an extremely bright, spread beam and comes with a Gel frame. The BRUTE 9 is a modular system and can be set up as a duo fixture with a conversion kit. It incorporates an on board dimmer for full intensity control. It equivalent to 200w HMI. It has a single Anton Bauer gold battery mount which provided power for us all night on a single dionic90!! For the night exterior scenes we mounted it on a gobo arm, slid a gel in it and mounted the battery. I would have an assistant simply hold this light in place during the scenes. In addition I would frequently diffuse it further as well.

Here it a close up of our workhorse for this project. You can also see the dimmer knob in this picture.

I would of loved to have one more but I was more than happy to get what I did. The rest of my lighting package consisted of a Kino “DIVA” …..and that’s it ! Even then to my surprise I only used the Kino in one scene. It honestly did surprise me how much I was able to accomplish with just these 2 lights and……..lets give credit where credit is due, also thanks in large part to the amazing ARRI Alexa and the beautiful Master Prime lenses. I think the best way for me to share how crucial the LEDZ lights were to our project is to just show a few of the frame grabs off the Alexa footage and a few behind the scenes of the same images. I managed to snap a few production and my friend and photographer Myron Parran also was on hand to take some key stills of the project. Lets highlight some of the lighting setups and their results.

Scene Breakdown

Opening Scene – Slash Poster Closeup

I used the BRUTE 9 behind Slash with no diffusion to edge him and separate him from the background. It also illuminated the poster so it could be reflected in his Aviator RayBans.

Here is the result

Scene 1 – Living room

Slow push in on our lead actress and her birthday cake. The SUPERSPOT with a chimera was overhead above and to the left in the kitchen and way our key light for the parents in the background. I had the BRUTE 9 next to the camera dimmed down to provide our main key light on our actress. To augment the candle flicker we added 5 votive type candles at the base of the cake out of frame. These additional candles remain unseen by the camera and gave us great warmth and candle flicker. You can see here the BRUTE 9 to the left of camera (before we added a gel) 1stAC Daniel Schade and 2ndAC/loader Jazz look on. You can also see the Panther Ubangi slider we used for the “push in”

Here is a frame grab from the ALEXA footage showing the results of this setup.

Same shot on a 75mm (was used in the video)

Later for the parents coverage of thier argument in the background I bounced the BRUTE 9 off the ceiling at full power which worked great.

Scene 2 Bathroom

There are 3 main scenes that occur in the same bathroom. While I changed a few things to differentiate the scenes the basic setup remained the same. You can see the SUPERSPOT w/ chimera softbox giving us our key, we wrapped overhead light with blackwrap and created a “skirt” to give me some warmth and also a uglier downlight during one of the scenes where the keylight is off.

I used the BRUTE9 this time gel with some 1/2 CTO and controlled it with some black wrap to serve as my edgelight on the actresses blond hair.

…..and here is results…..Some Alexa frame grabs of this scene.

Scene 3 Bedroom

I this scene I used the SUPERSPOT to give me my colder light coming from a hallway entering the room thru a open door. This is the light you see on her face. We positioned the actress with the light alomst splitting her face in half. This way the light from the hallway creating a shadow from the door frame. This was for 2 reasons. First was a indicative of the character duality and struggle and more importantly when the abusive boyfriend walks into frame his shadow then covers her face in darkness and his whiskey bottle enters frame. Warmth was added back into the scene by placing the BRUTE9 w/ CTO behind and to the left of the actress. This gave us our backlight and glow on her hair and was also bouncing off of the yellow wall behind camera providing us with her FILL light. Furthermore we placed a practical lamp in shot to motivate the backlight from the brute9.

For the reverse on this scene on the boyfriend, we hardly had to change anything. We had the SUPERSPOT in the hallway giving us our backlight and we just bouced some of that light onto his face. The intention was for him to be a bit colder in color temp than her so this worked perfectly.

Scene 3 Steadicam sidewalk

Finally, moving onto one of the many exterior night time scenes. We find ourselves with a moving steadicam shot tracking our actress in a profile shot as Judd Nelson tries to get her attention in the background. Unfortunately the location I scouted for the shot had to be changed due to safety. None the less we found a great spot nearby to our basecamp. We took our workhorse the BRUTE9 gelled and diffused and mounted it on a gobo arm. An assistant walked in front of me doing his best not to change the direction of light (too much). This setup worked incredibly well and after a few takes we moved on!

…and here is the Alexa frame grab and I was happy with the results.

Scene 4 Slash Playing on the 6th St. Bridge

The first night I scouted this location I imagined slash playing with the defocus lights of his city in the background. We were lucky enough that we were able to pull it off. As I’m not so sure our permit would of held up on this one.

I had the assistant position the BRUTE9 about 10ft. off to camera right. this gave us the exposure we needed on Slash to give him a bit of an edge and pull him out from the background a bit. Luckily his signature leather top hat and leather jacket helped by reflecting some of that light.

Scene 5 Runaway sleeping next to dumpster

Another great simple example of us moving around the Brute9 on our gobo arm keeping us very flexible. You can see in the picture below the diffusion we wrapped around the light to soften it a bit.

The result was a very natural looking composition. The light you see on on face is the brute9 and the more orange light seen on her jacket and background is the overhead sodium vapor street lights.

Scene 6 – Car Interiors

There were a few car interior shots. I just used one of the car’s dome lights and the Brute9 in the back seat. You can see in the shot of Judd Nelson below the light coming from the back of the car.

Scene 7 – Motel room.

I used the SUPERSPOT outside the window thru the blinds at full power to give us the raked shadows we see. Then used the BRUTE9 off to the right.

I used the Panther Ubangi to push in towards the actresses face over the bed.

here is the final frame in camera…

Scene 8 – Under the Bridge

The last scene I leave you with is probably one of my favorites of the shoot. We shot this underneath the 6th st. bridge in downtown LA. The Alexa and the master primes were able to pick up and incredible amount of available light (1000iso & F2.0) . So all I had to do was fill in the actors face with the Brute9 once again diffused.

Here it is….Our director making a cameo here as well….Clifton Collins Jr.

In Conclusion,

All in all, by the end of the shoot I came away very impressed with both lights. I ended up using the Brute9 a lot more than I though I would. For that reason I was surprised that the Anton Bauer Dionic90 that I was using lasted all night in downtown LA. The SuperSpot is not as focused as a Fresnel but a lot more focused than any LED that I have used and played a crucial roll on the shoot. Lights like these open up a whole range of possibilities to every level of production.

It’s time take this opportunity to thank Carlos and everyone over there at CineMills for providing me with what I needed to use this perfect opportunity to try out their lights in a real world situation. I’m now left trying to figure out how I can afford to buy a few! Last but not least I’d like to thank the amazing cast and crew of the video who all donated thier time in hope of creating something can might change a few peoples lives for the better.

“GOTTEN”
Director – Clifton Collins Jr.
Cinematographer – Pedro Guimaraes
Producer – Slash
Executive Producers – Clifton Collins Jr. – Talbert Morton

CAST
Slash as Himself
Runaway/Daughter Amanda Milchalka “AJ”
Street Thug 1 Sevier Crespo
Street Pimp-Jacob Vargas
Runaway Street Worker – Megan Ozurovich
Mother- Kristin Bauer
Boyfriend- Jack Rubio
Teacher/John- Judd Nelson
Gun Dealer- Clifton Collins Jr.

Camera Crew
Operator/steadicam Pedro Guimaraes
1st AC Daniel Schade
2nd AC Nick Lantz
Digital Loader Jaswinder “Jazz” Bedi
Stills Myron Parran

Editor Alex Kirkwood
Colorist James LaViola

Original Recording of Gotten produced and mixed by
ERIC Valentine

Camera provided by
Camadeus Film Technologies
ARRI & PANTHER Rentals

Lenses provided by
Radiant Images

Lights provided by
CineMills – LEDZ

Cvolution remote lens control provided by
Digital Incident

Post Services Provided by
Stereoscope, LLC.

Please support LAYN at
http://layn.org/donate.htm

and watch the finished video here.

LINK TO VIDEO

Link to Behind the scenes video

Donate today on Slash’s website and download the song!!!
http://slashonline.com/gotten/

enjoy some behind the scenes photos!

Photo Credits Myron Parran, Pedro G.

Katy Perry is working on a 3D concert movie (more info here) and i was hired to work as the steadicam operator during a couple days on her tour. Incredibly after working in 3D for 5 years and operating on just about every 3D rig out there this marks the first time I got to work with the 3ality TS-5 rig. In this case the “lightweight version”. Same rig that was used on “The Amazing Spiderman 3D”, “The Hobbit” and “Step up 4″.

During prep the rig tech (John Bloom) and I managed to get to a very clean setup. We mounted the Telecast “copperhead” (more info here) unit on the bottom battery stage. This gave me some needed back weight and bottom weight. Thus with this setup I managed to have a rather short post. So this setup would be good for use on a segway where a shorter post is vital. Here is a picture of the rig with our final setup during prep. Total weight 74lbs. (rig, sled, batteries) this is the weigh on my steadicam arm. So if you add the 11lbs of the arm itself that is 85lbs. that the operator has to lug around!!!

This is why when I can I use my segway!

Production being what it is changes were requested with our configuration and we had to move the Copperhead up to the top. This meant that I had to extend my post quite a bit. This setup with the long post actually dropped 2 lbs. off the total weight. The long post means it would make for a tricky configuration on a segway. Here is a picture of the re-configured rig….longer but a bit lighter.

Here is a video of the “prep” config and the show “config”.

http://youtu.be/Dx4IhWhjZ1s

Operating notes,

What can you say about operating a 75lb. rig? Uffff…..!!!

Well that said, it is long…. like most 3D rigs so “switchovers” are just about impossible. Your stamina will be tested. Mine was! 2-3min songs for 2 hours? ……yeah, separates the men from the boys. The biggest issues for operating though is the huge fiber tether. Worse than the rather stiff cable is the fact that the connector(on the camera side) swivels. Unfortunately it only swivels back and forth. What this means is that the cable is always pushing the rig off balance. So besides dealing with the weight you will always be fighting the rig to maintain your horizon and balance. Here some pictures of the fiber tether and the connector. You can see the large swivel connector that only swivels in one direction….

I would say the most important thing is not to underestimate how hard you will work when flying 3D rigs. This should reflect on your rates. I hold firm on my rates for 3D because I have done it so much and know all too well the challenges and effort required. Frankly it’s just not worth the wear and tear on your body and your gear to work for discounted rates. I cannot emphasize this enough. Many arms, socket blocks and other equipment have been broken or damaged while operating at the limit of our equipment parameters. I have not heard of any physical injuries to operators but it is not inconceivable to imagine a possible on the job injury.

I hope you enjoyed my quick look behind some of the most advanced 3D technology being used today for steadicam use. Feel free to contact me with any questions! @ www.pgfilms.tv

For more info on the rigs or rentals contact 3ality Technica today!

http://3alitytechnica.com/

Naturally I ended the night the same way many 3D jobs end…….with someone spraying the camera with something…..hahahahahah!!! That’s life in 3D !!

Here is the link to the trailer!

Enjoy the photo album below with more pictures from the shoot.

Hi guys,

Finnally got around to finding some of my gopro footage from some of my segway work on a recent feature I worked on this year. I will walk you thru a “stepoff” shot. I will also talk about using the segway and other interesting things….

I let the video do the talking…

or vimeo here

http://vimeo.com/33469869

Currently I’m working as B-camera operator/Steadicam on a feature film shooting in Sonoma, CA. We are using 2 ARRI Alexa Plus cameras for our main shooting unit. In addition we have used Si-2k on a RC helicopter and Indicam cube cameras in other rigs.

On the last day of prep we upgraded the camera’s firmware to the new 4.0 release.

link to release notes: click here

With many new upgrades and features one of the ones that excited me besides the LDS display was also the Adjustable Digital level!

Most steadicam ops are very familiar with digital levels as we use them on a regular basis. GPI PRO makes one, XCS makes one and both Tiffen and transvideo include them on thier monitors as features.

Steadicam digital levels XCS and GPI are highly adjustable in a variety of settings. This coupled with optimal placement on the rig enables purpose built digital levels more accurate and therefor more usable than built in monitor and camera level.

more info on the XCS PDL plus click here.

To quote XCS website on level placement;

“It is critical to all digital levels that they be mounted as close to the center post as possible. The worst place you could mount a level is out on the monitor or in front of your sled. When you mounting any level that far out in front or back it will be reading the panning and tilting inertial forces induced into the level by movement and even though you may be perfectly level, your sensor will be telling you that you are off level.

You can easily demonstrate this to yourself by taking the level and temporarily Velcro it out further and further away until you reach the furthest point on your monitor. You will immediately see why level placement is critical for accurate readings.”

I’m not sure were in the PLUS camera they have placed the electronics for the level but as stated this can have an adverse affect on readings. My PDL is mounted exactly where they recommend with manufacturer mounting bracket.

Either way, I use a XCS PDL plus regularly on my sled. I absolutely love it. I hesitated for a long time on spending the money on a digital level but i’m so glad I did. For me it helps especially on very slow moves. The level is made even more effective by allowing me to chose it’s placement on screen the graphic style of the level and other great features.

I usually have my XCS PDL displayed on the top portion or my monitor luckily the ARRI digital level appears on the bottom center. So I could see how they both performed at the same time!

The ARRI level is displayed using small bars and a circle….as you can see below.

Initially as you can see the reading were way off!

Then I dug into the Alexa menu’s and adjusted the sensitivity to match my level a bit closer….

After a few takes and more fine tuning you can see I got them to respond pretty close..

I found it most useful when I’m operating handheld. Since my PDL is mounted on my sled….I can replicated an off angle start for each take or if I’m trying to be as smooth and level as possible while handheld it can help me a great deal.

My biggest complaints/suggestions to ARRI would be: (most of which are already provided by XCS PDL so now I’m used to them)
-Ability to ZERO the level at any angle
-Ability to move the “level” anywhere on screen.(even vertical on either side)
-Ability to choose from different level graphics or display methods
-Ability to have more control over the level settings like I do with my PDL….

-Ability to enable it for viewing on 1 MON-OUT only instead of both. A little bit of information is a dangerous thing in video village! you don’t want to be getting feedback on how level you are from village!! Especially since the level is not the end all of your horizon choice. Keystoning due to camera placement to certain architecture…in the end your BRAIN is the best level, these are assists ONLY! So broadcasting it to village can be problematic because they can fail to understand all the factors involved in your choices etc….

Conclusion
That said …..ultimately it’s no replacement for a high end level on my steadicam rig. Maybe because of the algorithm they use, the placement…..but most definitely the lack of adjustability and control. In the case of you steadicam rig not having any digital level it is a very useful tool you can use.

Let me say that I applaud ARRI for putting such a innovative device inside their camera. If anything it give AC’s tilt and roll information for VFX shots without having to pull out any tools or your iphone!

One of those idea’s that you wonder aren’t on all digital cameras!

My point is that it can be made even more useful if they take some input and give the feature more attention and make it even more useful.

So cheers ARRI!!!