The Steadycam Project

[phatmoose94]

haha i love how everyone in his highschool is like WTF when they see the camera in their faces :L

[beachcaster56]

I do think the footage is really jerky........hardly steady.

I dont think this approach is as good as the gimbal type of stabiliser.

[TheJazzdogg]

Hah, of course not. I made this when I was back in high school and was trying to be inventive with what gear I had. There are many better ways to stabilise your camera body... but on a budget this can work. If one can afford a Steadicam Merlin, by all means knock yourself out. (unless you're shooting on DLSRs as the camera body is very light whilst the lenses (especially Canon-L series lenses) leave the unit too front heavy)

[DIYfilmaker]

@beachcaster56 try to view my stabilizer..homemade glidecam type.. tnx 

[Rock123]

Could you make me a Steady-Cam, and I'll pay you.

[TheJazzdogg]

@Rock123 Heh, whilst I'd much rather be a "Yes Man", this was a concept back in 2005. Five years on and the market has really adapted for stabilisation on the smaller end! (They always have, but a lot of newer products are out). The Steadicam Merlin is a good place to start. Manfrotto also makes a stabilising rig. =)

[lonelyday91]

i am thinking to use plastic pipes. what do you think

[TheJazzdogg]

@lonelyday91 Give it a go! Sometimes the best DIY products come from whats lying around. ;)

[bikeshwor]

you got youtube doesn't mean u can upload anything.....

[jamesclementcook]

great video man.

[youwiko]

0$ Steadicam from junk

watch?v=B5FMTjcF2Ng

[Laszlomedia]

Hey, cool rig!

What is the intro tune to "Born Too Slow"

[TheJazzdogg]

@Laszlomedia The Whitlams - Gone Surfing. Some early stuff from a great aussie band before they were a lot more popular. =)

[supportren]

How about a high quality iPhone or camera phone stabilizer under $10 and 5 mins to assemble with a screwdriver? This is my design.

/watch?v=ilHCWFilP2w

[TheJazzdogg]

@supportren Wow! Did you design that yourself? You seem to know the whole in and outs of designing a practical steadicam! With DIY knowledge like that you could go to design some amazing things! =D

[supportren]

@TheJazzdogg Thanks :-)

[crash0veride]

not sure if you realized this but it looks just like you are holding the camera in your hand like normal

[TheJazzdogg]

Thanks for the *positive* feedback. As I've mentioned before many a time, I was young and looking for any sort of stabilisation - I was too young back then to understand what I do now. It sucks, but was a huge improvement on handheld and allowed for moving shots close to the ground that I wouldn't have normally been able to get, so it did it's job.

[EnvyMyPower]

these camera stabilizers are terrible... i am going to make a DIY Merlin instead of these...

[redix111]

Hi. God job.

Can you speak me, where can you buy the post clamp?

[8Abel8]

no vales verga, tu pinche madres esa no sirve... Saludos...

[pteypablo0]

@8Abel8 tu sabes lo que cuestan estos aparatos el steadycam cuesta mucho dinero no se para que ofendes si no sabes para que sirven las cosas por lo menos el quizo economisar deberias respetar eso ya qte quisiera ver como filmas con una camara a ver si muy chingon y te lo dicen alguien que lleva estudiando 7 años video

[khelawanb]

Good job man! I need something quick for a snowboarding trip, but I can't pay $900 for a Merlin steadicam. What do u suggest?

[TheJazzdogg]

Hah sorry for the delayed reply. There were rigs that could connect around your shoulder's and needed only one hand for operation. I haven't shot snowboarding cinematography before so I don't know about the troubles people go through to grab the shots, sorry.

[stevenkristopher]

Awesome, way to go.

[biginbonsall]

Good job. Kids are just too smart now days :)

[chubster007]

good job man

[MentallyResmarted]

what are those two songs?

[vanGrav]

4 Months...but:

1. The Whitlams - Gone Surfing

2. The Crystal Method - Born too Slow

[poprocz]

Did you ever think you would still be getting comments four years later?

Great video, I have a mono pod and might have to look into this.

Thanks

[TheJazzdogg]

Hah, yeah I actually didn't expect this to ever get any hits. Needless to say I cringe now at the quality of the shots... a lot has changed since high school =P

With a bit of practice, tinkering to the DIY'd Steadycam and better than shown above foot placement you could easily make a really powerful and efficient smoothcam. Be sure to throw up an example and link it my way if you do - I'd love to see something better than my motion sickness induced video! =P

[seeblueinkblot]

i actually thought the 'sometimes not so steady shot with the steadycam' look, was rather interesting and gave the effect that makes this video kinda cool.

i'd be interested to see what (if any) improvements were done to the design over the years.

thanks for sharing.

[TheJazzdogg]

Cheers for the positive feedback! =) Over the years just looked for different ways to stabilise the shot... on the last film I had access to a mate's Steadicam Merlin... those were interesting devices and worked well for handycam and prosumer cameras, but not so much HD DSLR cameras so he ended up selling it.

[flim72]

great job!... how many hours?

[TheJazzdogg]

Umm, one morning "I'd love to make a DIY Steadycam, I read about it last night on the internets".

An hour later "Oh, here... we can use this monopod!" and then bought it over to the tech design room where my good mate Cam bought out the tools and put it together. 20 mins later had the beast of a camera up on top and shooting. A very quick turn around, and a fun day was had!

[M0LONLABE]

Thanks for the share, what is the audio track?

[TheJazzdogg]

Starts off with "Gone Surfing" by The Whitlams from their "Touch The Moon" album and then kicks to Crystal Method's "Born Too Slow". (I had a thing for Crystal Method back in High School... hah)

[M0LONLABE]

Thanks Jazzdogg, guess I should have read all the comments, I would have found out this info, instead of bothering you :)

[TheJazzdogg]

Nah it's no worry... too easy! =)

[shot311]

Just horrible... A lot of work for nothing..

[TheJazzdogg]

Terribly constructive criticism shot311. Do you feel better now you've had a shot at me for "nothing"?

When I shot this and worked on the "steadycam" (which really isn't MUCH of a steadycam at all) with my mate, I had very little camera operation experience in comparison to what I do now. Yes, it's amateur, but we at LEAST gave it a go & at the time we were pleased that we (myself & my mate) DIY'd a steadycam with minimal resources & experience.

Don't flame. It's pointless and lacks credibly.

[JulianProductionz]

When you run don't hold the side handle, it helps against the shaking. Needs a little bit of practice but it looks nice!

[youutubestinks]

mmm the tilt control is ok, but hte pan has a nodding movement lack

[003io]

great job!!

[naylan71985]

1:28 she's like wth you want..

[TheJazzdogg]

You know, I'm thinking you're right. You're walking away and then some not-so-smoothcam rocks up in your face. That'd only be slightly weird. :P

[HammerMillFilms]

See -  The Day New Orleans Stood Still - on youtube

[luke11986]

YERY BAD!!!

[TheJazzdogg]

Same deal applies here. Why is it "YERY BAD!!!"?

It's worth remembering that when my mate & myself made this video & steady-cam our needs and experience were different to now. We researched the "poor mans steadycam" and we wanted to do something similar using a monopod we had on hand. Considering I didn't have nearly the amount of in-camera experience that I do now, I think we did well. It's nowhere near useful as the industry steady-cams, but it served it's purpose to stabilize the image.

[JannesFricke]

That isn a steadycam it`s only a handle.

[TheJazzdogg]

It had weights and was easily reversible to it's original monopod form at anytime. No it's not a professional steadycam, just emulating the poor man's steadycam!

[rcs2003]

Its very bad... :\

[TheJazzdogg]

Could you be more constructive? Instead of saying "it's bad" come out with reasonable comments to backup your comment?

[rcs2003]

The picture is very shaky. I take much better footages with only my hands. This is the worst construction ever. See the glidecam-like diy modells, far-far better than this. Anyway, check my steadycam demos. sry for my bad english

[detonart]

It´s shaking becaus you didn´t make the stabilizer axis between the vertical stick and the handler ... this axis must permit you to move the stick up and down ... left and right without shake the vertical stick.

[dornbirn007]

can somebody tell me the song of this clip??thx

[monkeyboy85]

crystal method-born too slow

[JUKIO01]

to be honest, its still a bit shaky, but hell you buitl this one, and its pretty good for homemade

[TeamVanquish]

yep. my thoughts exactly.

[Helgaiden]

hey! for the super low to the ground shots what did you do? Did you hold the whole unit upside down and edit the video to flip over so it looked right? I really want to know! I depend on low angle shots for the videos i do if you see my videos. Thanks.

[TheJazzdogg]

You have the right idea, flip the video in post... but it takes practice to do a decent job - my shots were purely experimental and were too shaky / wrong angle etc. Get out there and have some fun with it, I suppose!

[Kirilltraceur]

you can add onto the steadycam

[shakeandbake321]

WHAT IS THE FIRST SONG AND BY WHOM

[TheJazzdogg]

Whoa lay off the caps dude...! First song is "Gone Surfing" by The Whitlams from the fantastic "Torch the Moon" album.

[KILLERB00TSMAN]

Sounds like the song on the very first Need for Speed: Underground...

[shortaweekproject]

This is fantastic.

[TheJazzdogg]

Cheers for the feedback :)

[Soundstage8]

I never got how Steadycams work. Wouldn't it bump up and down as you walk with it?

[TheJazzdogg]

The idea is that if it's weighted down you're constantly lifting and your arms adsorb the bumps and up/down movement. Pro units are like body straps that wrap around your body for supporting the camera.

[DSeymourFilms]

Although the idea of the Merlin is completely different. The merlin itself alters the COG on the camera, so it changes it to just lower that the platform, or the sled, and the handle that you hold on to is isolated, making your walking or running have VERY little influence when moving around. Which is why it almost looks like it floats around in a mirror.

[simonSaysProductions]

man i wish someone would mkae something liek this supposrting my 15 pound setup=/ guess ill have to by a steadicam pilot now for bout 4 gs!

[TheJazzdogg]

There is what's called the "Poor man's steadycam" - go google it and check it out! Not as good as the pro ones but still very much worth a look!

[werebacke]

nice vid what the name of the second song??

[TheJazzdogg]

Thanks for the feedback! Song is "Born Too Slow" by "The Crystal Method" from their album "Legion of Boom".

[StianSvendsen]

Thats awesome! Good work!

[capriccioso35]

hey man nice job! did you have to figure out the balance point before you put on the handle of did you have the counterweight the same weight as the camera and just stick the handle in the middle?

[TheJazzdogg]

Hah nah we weren't too concerned at the time, we just decided one day we wanted to build a steadycam... we used whatever materials we could find and an hour later we had one. We plan on building another one soon however...

[i3econ]

Been wondering about how to build one for a while. Thanx for the input.  Great vid btw.

[wb7ptr]

Too bad to learn someone dismantled/destroyed your steadycam! At least it wasn't one of the high end professional ones at $2000 a pop!

I see you enjoy playing with your toys :)

I think I'm going to build myself one of those. REALLY cool!

[TheJazzdogg]

I have plans to build another one... and if anyone dismantles that THEY will be destroyed :P

[Lukania]

1:28 Was Funny

[53339ypoop]

what did u use to attach the handle can u email me

[LuminolBlue]

Nicely done, guys... I wouldn't mind having something like this.

[TheJazzdogg]

Appreciate the feedback! I want to build another steadycam - they're so useful!

[Lesfreak]

Great work guys, this may come in handy =)

[TheJazzdogg]

It did! It worked great, but more practice (on top of what was used for this demo film...) might've come in handy. We put it in use right away for a short film we made. Annoyingly shortly after we graduated someone ruined it by dismantling it, but oh well... their loss :P

[lauriran]

how did you make it work upside down? that would be very handy when filming skateboarding. ultra low and stable

[oskararnarson]

turn it upside down... then flip it in an editing software (for example) but also check out the poor man's steadicam.. by googling it

[Vohrsoth]

I made one too! its quite good.

[yamilettodes]

That will be usefull for Cloverfield 2 's filming =o

[Shagron1349]

hm cost? how to make? and how its works?

[TheJazzdogg]

Well the idea for this project was to make a steadycam out of what we had on hand, which was a monopod, weight, wooden horizontal pole and a few nuts and bolts... so for us it didn't really cost anything.

[Rodgleztube]

I'm sorry, but your project sucks.

[TheJazzdogg]

Care to elaborate? Negative feedback sucks and is a waste of time unless you back it up with solid reasons.

[Jakemmx]

It seems to work fairly well ... I don't know what sucks about it (unless you just are not fond of steadycams)

[thenhbushman]

great homebrew project!

[TheJazzdogg]

Thanks mate! :-)

[SteadycamPro]

Great Vid.. Check Out Our Latest Home Built Design.. The Steadycam-Pro HBE

[Andrewz05]

NICE Job man! I made one too, I have a video on it on my page. :o

[ObserverSUB]

All right! Crystal Method rules. Tho i wouldve used an handle on ABEC7 Bearings... That way u eliminate the vertical tilting.

[chupap1]

There's a reason why no commercial stabilizers use a horizontal handle off the side of the post--you'd be better off without it. Otherwise, good luck and have fun with your rig!

[Elsbernd10]

i made one using a broken broom handel, a racthet as a counter weight and it works amazing.

[DocHackenbush]

Hi! I made one myself and it's pretty amazing. But I was more lazy. I went out and bought some pipes. My Steadycam was built together in 5 minutes. :D

About your clip: I liked it but the segment with the camera above the ground would look better if it wasn't speeded up. It already looks pretty fast from this position, there is no need to make it faster. The bad thing is, it looks more shaky than it actually is. So I gave only 4 Stars. ;)

[TheJazzdogg]

Thanks for the comment!

Fair point- I agree that it would look better if it hadn't been sped up, but at the time I was churning though videos and had to finish this one as quickly as possible... not to mention the heads on the camera were dirty (boo!) thus the dropped frames at the beginning, and if you look closely during the last bit.

Catchya later,

Jazzdogg.

[warachito]

I want to make a steadycam!!!