HOW TO MAKE A £9.50 STEADICAM! ~ LOW-BUDGET FIMMAKING (UK)

[TMCsyforceHUN]

What is fimmake? (i think it's filmmake)

[moviemaster00000]

actually u need to build a gimble witch seperates ur body movements from the camera

[spyshocker]

notes area?

[goonluv]

Hey that is a great idea will have to try and make one

[wyciskTV]

Hey Rick, what's the recommended weight for the counterweight dumbbell?

[maller121]

its easy to see that you are standing in front of a green screen

[PhobiaGuy]

@maller121 you are wrong, he hired the London Palladium just for this!

Some people!!!!!!!

[averagefilms1]

You'd think that for someone who is making videos on how to make videos, he wouldn't make that pathetic attempt of greenscreening. What's with the echo? You can hear that you are in your shed...

[rickvanman]

@averagefilms1 Hey! gimme a break! I made this over 4 years ago when I was keen and VERY green :o)

[HARRYMILT]

I use a small tripid unopened for a steadycam. Works fine.

[2009korte]

nice reverb. is it lexicon vst?

[afewtube]

Thanks Rick, re. the kitchen unit leg why not just remove a leg and put a couple of bricks under the unit (jk)

[fishtris16]

*Zooms in* HELLO GREEN SCREEN haha

[s2pidmuffin67]

this is boring no offence

[Steinarwarjar]

What was the name of the film showing how the steadicam works?

The Jewel? The duel? Do you have a link for it, please? :)

[rickvanman]

@Steinarwarjar It was called The Duel - but I had to pull it because it had copywritten music on it :o( I also used this counter-weight in parts of my film "The Last Verse" which is here:

watch?v=oCoc2QBnvmI

[joeiacotaco]

@rickvanman its private

[rcboatdriver1234]

you could have used a celling fan extension

[vwfanarg]

thanks, rick

[sye005]

Hiiiii , could you show me How to Build camera linear slider ????? :) Thank you

[emberfx]

you have many videos... which ones did you use this device on?

[rickvanman]

@emberfx not many actually! i did this 3 years ago shortly before i got a Flycam. the only video that is on this channel where I used it was my film "The Last Verse" - The town center scene.

[DIYfilmaker]

@emberfx try to view my stabilizer.. DIY steadicam..gimbals are made from ballbearings.. all X,Y,Z axis tnx

[SingleCameraPro]

Nice film. Also have a look at 'singlecamerapro' in youtube. Its a video on Creative Camera Technique, made by an award winning (BAFTA) BBC senior cameraman. Used for training in the BBC. A great learning tool. Happy days!

[norsemannn]

Hi, I loved your video. I made a slightly more elaborate wooden stabilizer after my first "$14" one. I call it the Wōden -and yes -it's wooden!

einarkramer.22web.net/Photos/P­hotoDiY/#Woden

[KRAFTWERK2K6]

metric system instruction would be nice. I've been in my local hardware store including my camera in my pocket and tested different screw sizes and not a single one did fit. Looks like we in germany don't have that size you can fit onto the tripod mount. I've heard about hardware stores who a nearby a US military base. They seem to have the right size of them but that is unfair..

[youwiko]

:-)

0$ Steadicam from junk

watch?v=B5FMTjcF2Ng

[freestylefilmsinc]

where did you get the background

[rocketman1003]

Fantastic! Thanks for taking the time to share your design with the world.

[tinotrivino]

no thats not true the real steadycam was introduced in Shining

[FilmCrab]

You can get imperial threaded bar from most engineering supply shops. You need 1/4". I think it's 13 turns per inch.

[ngvgnDOTcom]

Maybe so. But I was just making a joke. 28 Days was the first movie to so the rodey run. They have the rodey run in Gear of War game for XBOX 360. They took that idea from 28 Days.

[ngvgnDOTcom]

STEADICAM are really good but bad for zombie movies. I do not think they used them in 28 Days or Dead Set from Channel 4.

[tinotrivino]

well yes they did, there are technics for using the shakes ;-)

[silmusashi]

@ngvgnDOTcom: your comment is the most stupid one ever.

[95bradders95]

im going to use that music link in the details, its good, 5/5

[TheBill2468]

Nice video!

Very informative!

Looking to make a Brooklyn, NY/USA steadicam like yours but....

.......here in the land of milk and honey I would like to make it of pvc pipe (Plastic).

My camera is a Kodak Zi6.

3.8 oz. / 107g.

I was wondering how short a verticle shaft I can get by? Yours is one of the few I have seen with a short horizontal handle (which I like). I was considering a "C" shaped stabalizer but the gimlet problem made me give it up.

Digital Regards,

BiLL

[rickvanman]

In practical terms, all this stabiliser really does is make your camera heavier and less prone to footstep judder. With the weight right at the bottom (my weight was waaay too heavy), unless the weight is the same weight as the camera, and the unit is gripped at the center-balance point, then you will never eliminate the swaying pendulum effect,

So I think a short vertical shaft should work just as well. It's just a case of experimenting to find what works well for your camera.

Good luck.

[wiibart]

you forgot the name of Johnny Lee??

[sanmaran1]

Thanks Rick from America

[vpmitchell]

Great Video! But whats up with the fake theatre background/green screen and the added hall reverb? lol....having fun are you? Just pulling your leg Rick :) thanks as always .

[luke01112121212121]

It looks very well;-)Thanks for posting

[jondeeca]

Great resource - thanks for taking the time to present this....

[boeygirl]

Even easier ..make it out of rigid poly pipe..super strong screws together really easy ...all the parts you need at an irrigation shop.

[tylerfrankling]

I have a quite heavy tripod, great for when you don't have time to setup a shot, you can grab it and move and film, and then instantly place it on the ground. I've actually ran with it, and its been fine.

[tenaciousd2005]

I mananged to build one very simliar to your design. I got a big steel pipe from B&Q, brought a plumbing T-joint and got some plastic end caps from Wickes. Took a few weeks to find all the parts that fitted but I got there in the end. I've posted a video response of test footage.

[nevarakka]

Or you could just use your orginal tripod to do the same thing.

[seansaccount101]

Hey Rick...awesome idea...pardon my ignorance but aren't you supposed to have some kind of shoulder strap...in other words...how do you carry it...the professional ones I've seen usually have some kind of shoulder harness.

[rickvanman]

Thats a whole can of worms you don't want to be opening on a low/zero budget!

The only thing a shoulder brace/strap/harness will do is introduce even more ways of de-stabilizing your footage by adding your own body movement into the mix.

You need double/triple axis stabilizer arms to get anywhere close to eliminating the body movement from the footage, but these cost a LOT of money.

That's my theory anyway - if anyone can prove otherwise, I'd love to hear from them.

[jiidee]

Phew. I've been looking for an anwer to the black pipe issue. I was thinking of using those theaded rods in b&q and some wooden poles. Ideally i want to be able to split my steadycam into 2 lengths so cut down its size for transport. ANy ideas? i suppose i could use a double female coupler but i suspect i'd loose the rigitidy i'd need.oh yea..a single rod and some pipe..is really a stable/strong enough arrangement? I recon i'm going to b&q tomorrow

[yawangle90]

nice video, could be made more concise.

[rickvanman]

true - it was an early video - made when I didn't know how to make videos very well.

[foreyeproductions]

Really enjoyed this video, glad I found you now:)

[OptikC]

Interesting Video. I just need a camera now =]

[muktistudios]

you are great!!! :)

[rickvanman]

thanks :o)

[muktistudios]

you really help us to make a dolly today ... that was awesome ... thank you so much to help people like us!!!

Regards

[rickvanman]

Always glad to help :o)

[Tedy8989]

awesome thanks!

btw the inventor's name was Johnny Lee

[rickvanman]

ah - thanks for that :o)

[FRAT99Po]

What about simply attaching a weight to a standard tripod? My tripod is fairly light and has a handle. There is also a hook at the bottom of the main shaft. This made it pretty easy to modify and use. This didn't detract from using as a standard tripod as the weight can be attached and removed easily.

;)

[rickvanman]

sounds like a nifty little setup :o)

[ETMusicOnline]

the majority do though - although i'm sure rick will recomend you check the size of the screw thread of your cam before you go out and make it - or at least buy the thread

[fayaz86]

mind blowin,,,,

[diddymuck]

very informative! color me subscribed.

[Lukrecia888Crowley]

it basically looks like the lower half of a simple weighted microphone stand =/ shouldnt that be easier?

[rickvanman]

It's along the same principals - give it a try!

[doctordeejay]

9 minutes to explain?

Quicker

[leshark]

i canot find your movie "the duel"

[rickvanman]

It was so cheesy, I pulled it!

[ThePottersWheelPro]

Hi Rick I seen your video last year and made a steady cam but it was heavy

2 pounds so I made another different. I will look at more of your videos they are great.

[atavener]

Can I just ask if all you need is a counter weight to stop the footstep wobble when your walking, can't you just keep it attached to yuor tripod, fold it up and carry the tripod with the camera. That should be heavy enough right? Or just add a bag of sand to your tripod or something? Someone explain to me why that isn't an easier solution please?

[rickvanman]

Actually that is a pretty good solution and is used by a lot of people.

[atavener]

So could you please explain what are the benefits of this device. Why did you (why should I) build a steadicam for a tenner when I can use my tripod?

[rickvanman]

It looks cool :o) just use your tripod.

[atavener]

Lol ok, will do

[comraad]

whats the best mode for using a glidecam , progressive or interlacing mode (HV30)?

[zWizart]

progressive should always be used if you aren't recording for tv statiions..movies are recorded in progressive mode

[comraad]

but using glidecam will result a lot of motion, wouldn't that be a disaster if my mode was progressive?

[badcunuk5]

hi, why dont u just use a tripod?

[ddogg845]

i cant see it ether

[Ryutube]

you forgot who made this?????

Jonny Lee from this USA!!!!!!

hmmmmmmm credit him for his work

[PerspektivProduction]

Where did you get the 'Machine Screw' part from?

[rickvanman]

hardware store

[rexcrossnet]

How did you do the handle?

[DJEmergency]

Good DIY. One thing you should add is make the middle handle movable so that the weight is balanced from the camera to the bottom weight. The way you created this doesn't make it balanced and doesn't steady the camera fully. I hope this tip helps you. ;) Best bet is to get some sort of ring that screws into the handle and then have a screw that hits the poll to keep it tight. (don't screw the screw into the poll) Make sure you don't use a screw with a sharp end and that should work.

[wayfairing1]

I am thinking about making one of these steadicams.I was wondering,which of these videos were done using this steadicam?Thanks

[JoeCnNd]

Did you take the jewel down? Don't see it

[branaginslaw]

this is awesome so awesome i wish i had seen you video years ago at university and i would have left and kept my fees

[remibrandtcom]

where have you got the background image? or can you sent it to me?

[emzirek]

I could tell it was a green screen too. At 2 minutes in he is about to put it to his right side and at 2:04 it disappears. Weird?!! You bet!! That's Rick for you tho. GREAT JOB!!

[APJPictures]

How did you edit the backgroud? and what editing software did you use?

[rickvanman]

greenscreen and premiere elements 3.0

[APJPictures]

Thanks for the reply! Helpful video also!

[cmmovie]

It  is helpful!! i got idea from it

[FreakZilla34]

How much in American Dollars???

[gordonyould]

maybe you should get two video cameras..

[stagecurtains]

Rick I have looked for the duel , it does not seem to be available. David.

[deankumar]

cheers buddy. Great video. I was wandering whether i could use this in a presentation at my university. I intend to put it up on a website for students (with your permission of coarse).

[rickvanman]

sure thing - go for it!

[boiledmilk]

Great video Rick. Thanks.

[yyyzzzz]

Regarding the sloppy fit for the camera,why not use standard quarter whitworth threaded rod,(BSW) I assume the UK has gone all metric these days, damn the french, and their silly metric threads.

[rickvanman]

A 1/4 inch whitworth is exactly what is needed. The problem is finding one. Getting one off-the-shelf appears to be impossible, and having one made to order, well you would probably be able to buy a proper stabilizer for less cash.

[yyyzzzz]

Hard luck, I'm glad I moved to NZ years ago, I can get it off the shelf locally here, you could borrow my lathe if you were a bit closer.

[rickvanman]

LOL! thanks for the offer. I have since aquired a flycam, so this little unit is now redundant anyway. :o)

[GoldenFilmProduction]

would of thought that it might work alot stedyer if there were 2 handles at a 90 deg angle

[JonWaking]

Just thought about maybe using a TV/monitor bracket as a start, as they have a certain amount of sprung/tension, arms etc. I'm no engineer (and it shows,huh!) but wondering if a steadicam works on the same principal..?

Cheers,

Jon

[rickvanman]

afraid that kind of thing is waaay out of my league!

[JonWaking]

Some great idea here, thanks.

Just wondered if you have you tried making a model closer to the original "steadicam" product? ie; utilising springs and brackets...inexpensively, of course?

Cheers,

Jon

P.S. You have THE biggest shed in the world! tee hee.

[mjwheels75]

Rick, how do you get such good quality video on youtube? What program do you use and what are your settings when you render a video to put on youtube? Thanks in advance for the info.

[rickvanman]

save as a DV-AVI from your main editing program. then open the file in Windows movie maker and re-save it at 2.1MBps.

good luck.

[mjwheels75]

Thanks! I'll try that. Thanks too for leaving a comment on our video. I really appreciate it. It was our first attempt at anything. Thanks again.

[rickvanman]

no probs ;-)

[rickvanman]

bluescreen

[eymik]

Another question. If you're using a larger, heavier camera (I've got a XL1) are there any adjustments to be made? A longer pole perhaps? And I guess you'd need a weight to match the camera.

[rickvanman]

In hindsight, I would have made the upright pole shorter. The weight just needs to keep the camera upright otherwise you will get a pendulum effect on your footage and make your audience sea sick. The burning question I have here is, if you have an expensive XL1, why on earth compromise your footage for the sake of a mere £100 where you can get a flycam or equivalent which is a million times better than the poor mans steadicam?

[Moledmc]

Hello mate. Im very busy. Can I buy one from you? Or somewhere? Cheers.

[JDM525]

Very informaive, Thankyou

[featuresFyodor]

this is really helpful! just one question, how long did you make the upright piece of piping? im guessing that following the $14 plan, about 20-25" would be right?

[rickvanman]

Hi. Glad to help!

I made my version about 27" long. In hindsight, I think this was way too long as it is more susceptable to being knocked, and the pendulum effect is quite exaggerated. If I made another one, I would probably opt for the 15" version. Hope this helps.

[redtail5]

you need to make the hande longer. in aditon to the counter weight having a wider space between your arms will help alot,its the same concept of a fig rig :)

[rememberyesterday]

Great job! Indie FTW!

[kevzeppelin07]

that was very helpful! thank you!

[whambam01]

Nice stuff! I am hoping to make an amateur film within my spare time off college. And this is going to come in handy if I need to get my hands on a steadicam. Thank you for that demonstration! =)

[silver3B]

Cool! Thanks Rick for the info.

Anthony

[FallingFlag]

Hey there. Had our own go at making a steadicam. Couldn't find all the bits suggested in your video, but it worked out pretty well.

Check out the test on our profile page (the description has a link to the build process).

Hopefully we should have some more stuff (and behind the scenes photos of it in action) soon!

[rickvanman]

Hi Ben. The handle is purely to stop horizontal wobble (in hindsight I think it should be longer). You grip the upright pole at the point of balance.

Good chromakey is achieved in the lighting of the bluescreen. Soft, even lighting is the key (no pun intended) - and not too bright. I use DV and Premiere.

[benbluebanana]

Thanks for this very nicely done tutorial.

What about balance adjustment ? Doesn't the handle need to be in the center of gravity, between camera and weight ?

Next question, how did you do your green-screen trick ? Do you use DV or other format ? I've tried it whith DV and with some good editing stuff, It did quite well but the resukt was not as refined as yours.

Best Regards,

Ben (France)

[rickvanman]

err.. it was just a general weight (all I could find!)

I think the weight centrepoint is determined simply by where you hold it. good luck!

[alexm24]

hi, great video. im definately going to try this out as i work in a DIY store. just one question, does the counter-balance weight have to be in relation to what you mount to the top, whether its a compact digicam or a large video camera? Or is it just a general weight to steady it. Thanks, alex

[lsw24]

thanks...

[seanEbusiness]

If the thread runs all the way through how did you attach the handle? As this would obstruct another bolt going through the tube sideways? Thanks

[rickvanman]

I removed the long bolt while drilling the hole for the handle, then replaced it after the handle was fitted. If the handle bolt is quite thick - it might be better to drill the handle hole in a slightly offset position. The long bolt then has to sort-of curve around the fitted handle. It's all a bit "heath Robinson" but it works! lol