From: Valuemetaphysics@aol.com
Date: Wed Jun 16 2004 - 12:48:51 BST
Part. 2.
A year and a half ago, I invested in all new equipment - stuff that was very
"new school." Every component in this chain (sled, arm, harness) has a
combined effect that allows me to do things I could never do before. Greater rigidity
in the new XCS Ultimate sled (refers to the post/monitor/battery/camera
platform) means more violent speed changes without vibration, and the use of longer
lenses. A more transparent arm system (PRO arm) allows for delicate, positive
height changes and snappy lunks (more below). The Daniel Sauve harness, which
was custom made for my torso, means I suffer less fatigue, have greater
comfort and can achieve more extreme body positions. The lower profile of the rig
itself means better balance and a more intimate "sweet spot" (the ideal comfort
zone where the rig rides next to your body).
One of the most interesting techniques to have been born out of this thinking
is the "lunk," a term that director Lisa Mann and I came up with three years
ago to best describe a move where the camera/rig is thrown away from my body,
either straight forward, or side to side. This creates a slingshot effect
where the momentum and weight shift pulls me after it. I basically burst into a
short sprint to catch up to the rig, then I stop very suddenly. The same can be
done in reverse, running backwards away from the rig, then snapping it back to
my body with my arms. This takes good footwork and bursts of strength. But
the on-camera look is amazing - people always think it is some kind of motion
control playback/camera ramping, but it's all in-camera on the steadicam, and it
is free of wobble.
Combined with music, this creates a tertiary effect. I look at it this way.
There are two initial stimulants for the viewer. The music, if the viewer
enjoys it, creates positive stimulus (goose bumps, euphoria, joy, etc). The visual
of the performer/subject/environment creates a secondary mood enhancement. Now
add the rhythmic pulsations of the camera's movement and you have a
kinesthetic response - a physical sensation of movement created by camera motion.
So these three factors now multiply together to create a sum that is greater
than its parts. There is now a three-dimensional interaction of the frame with
the music.
The concept of kinesthetic response also relates to the matter of shifting
planes. Experienced steadicam operators generally become aware of not only the
movement of the subject, but also the movement of the subject's background. The
various planes of space that move behind the subject are just as important as
the movement of the frame itself. It is the innate sense of that motion that
subconsciously guides the operator through the shot.
This is often what some operators refer to as being in the "Zen." When all of
the planes of action come into harmony, it is a "high" for the operator, at
least for me. When this is happening, all else disappears; it is just the frame
and the motion. The connection to that universal groove that musicians speak
of takes over and you become the conduit.
Being a commercial/music video DOP allows me the greatest creative control,
and allows me to continue to try new ideas and techniques. There is so much to
explore with the Steadicam. Hey, it took 300 years for Edgar Meyer's bass to
win a fiddle contest.
All the best,
Mark
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