Balance Productions - Unicycling Glidecam Demo

[GShoe32]

who is that at 3:19 on the BC wheel?

[sye005]

Hiiiii , Its cool :) ... Very nice :) ..even am having T2i and glidecam 2000 Pro , but am not able to balance it with 18-55 mm , 50mm 1.8 n 55-250 mm lenses :( ... Could you please tell me what's ur set up n How many weight plates did yu put on ur Glidecam to shoot this ??? :) .. Thanks bro , Please please Reply :) ....

[brianmackenzie]

@sye005 what's the total weight of your camera with lens?

i think i used 3 or 4 weighplates here (i have long since upgraded to a much larger camera)

as long as there is 2 seconds to drop the bar from horizontal to vertical, you have a proper weight set up...if it takes less than 2 seconds, remove weight (or shorten pole) if it takes more than 2 seconds, add weight (or lenghen pole)

[sye005]

@brianmackenzie - Hiiiii , Thank you soooo Much for ur reply :) ..... I think wit my cam n lens it weights within 2kg ;) .... And yeah am trying as you said :) ... Thanks again for ur reply :) .. it helped me alot :) ..... Have a nice day :)

[rubent100]

Very nice location, i need to figure this out for my upcoming wedding shoot.

[brianmackenzie]

figure what out?  mounting the monitor...or unicycling? :)

[rubent100]

Haha, both. I did some research on the L7 and there is a lot of negative feed back out there, so i am considering finding a solution to mount a 7" Marshall or Manhattan instead. Do you think the L4-PRO-BKT Monitor Mounting Bracket would work?

[brianmackenzie]

no idea. i got the L7 and never looked at anything else. i love it. i don't even know how other things are mounted, but i'm sure there's a solution.

in my trial and error phase, the L7 fell off my gear and went down about 15 cement stairs like a slinky.  i picked it up and put it back on, worked great

[rubent100]

Hmm, now i'm lost at sea. I was just informed by Pete at B&H that i can use the Manfrotto superclamp part number MA035RL

Then use heavy flex arm to attach montitor MA237HD , but i'm not really sure it will hold.

[gjhj786997jhgf]

Hey, thats my camera, the Sony HDR-HC1 :D I really think that the Glidecam HD 1000 suffices.

[brianmackenzie]

i knew that i would be replacing the HDR-HC1 soon enough with a much larger camera, so I used additional weightplates to weigh it down, then I wouldn't be stuck having to get another sled when I got my new camera. The HDR is long gone, and I couln't use anything as small as the HD 1000 for anything I do

[RipCordFilms]

thats awesome, we just got a glidecam 2000 with the smooth shooter for our V1U but i don't think any of the cameramen will be riding at a unicycle at the same time haha. thats an amazing amount of skill and coordination!

[Inboundbogie]

fantastic 5*****

[acirak]

wow

[ArtyomZakharenko]

this camera is way too light fot the glidecam

there is no weightshocks to absorb

[brianmackenzie]

the camera is too light for the 4000 pro, in theory, but i have several weighted plates under the camera, so it works perfectly

[trialmedia]

All that really expensive Glidecam gear for an A1U, is hilarious! I was expecting to see a Z1 or something bigger! Why not just settle for the 2000 or 4000 and run next time, less chance of damaging the camera if you fell off. Good footage though, the A1 is a good little camera.

[brianmackenzie]

I needed a couple of cameras i could throw in my backpack and ride in the woods with. More expensive cameras would add nothing to this technique and would be a waste of money

PS...Glidecam sponsored me...that gear cost me $0 :)

I bought the cameras as pretty much disposable, and they did all I needed, I'm happy with having bought them. But, don't get me wrong...I want some better ones now :)

[trialmedia]

Fair enough mate! Im gonna try get a 2000 Pro, looks ace!

[Bobnoxious]

just read the interview in Event mag. VERY interesting concept, but I'll leave all the "wild stuff" to a younger videographer than I. I do like using my Stedicam JR. It's old but still works as advertised. I don't think I'll be shooting while riding a unicycle tho'

:)

[brianmackenzie]

hey, thanks for the note!

[Bobnoxious]

just read the interview in Event mag. VERY interesting concept, but I'll leave all the "wild stuff" to a younger videographer than I. I do like using my Stedicam JR. It's old but still works as advertised. I don't think I'll be shooting while riding a unicycle tho'

:)

[ChillpointNews]

Very nice footage! I liked the night-scene and the one where you ran down the stairs the most.

[brianmackenzie]

i must have ran down those stairs about 20 times to get the shot i was looking for, and it was just as scary every time! (i had to angle my feet inwards so i could get as much stair as possible under me each time without really being able to see them)

[ChillpointNews]

I'd imagine. I've handled a steadicam before up and down stairs, but not running.

[BlackRiverRoyal]

yes and also much more public friendly than a segway as well.

[billytaylor5]

now here i was trying to mount my monitor like the other guys on the front and you have ingeniously mounted it on the HANDLE!!I think you solved my problem

I agree on the unicycle...cheaper than a segway!!

[BlackRiverRoyal]

WOW I'm an operator myself and know how much it can hurt falling with a steadicam while walking, but a steadycam on a unicycle thats borderline suicidle,

MAN YOU EITHER GOT NO BRAINS OR GOHONES THE SIZES OF COCONUTS, AND A INSURANCE POLICY THAT COST YOU A FORTUNE.

RESPECT

[brianmackenzie]

thanks man, but when you have as much unicycle experience i have, it truly is easier than walking! (no need for me to look where my feet are stepping, for example)

[PeterYorkProduction]

why would u buy such a nice piece of equpment and have such a shitty camera?

[brianmackenzie]

becuase i needed 2 cameras that i could easily throw in my backpack, take into the woods, and not care if they happened to get destroyed. (which one did) You would not believe how often my cameras hit the ground!

They also fit nicely in a ziplock bag to throw in a swimming pool.

I didn't buy the Glidecam stuff, they sponsored me :)

[unidudedx]

That be-eth, sick-eth.

[TopFlightTV]

Absolutely rocks! Great footage and great way to get it. The most innovative shooting approach I've ever seen.

[bestbowltix]

YOU fuckin rock.

[dnrstyle]

damn u are a pro unicycler and got balls to hold the camera while riding.

[brianmackenzie]

hey, thanks!

[DISCO7460]

Hi were can I buy one of those rides the you use to film on the road.

[elholandes]

I loved the scene with the stairs. Really impressive man!

[brianmackenzie]

thanks, appreciated

[foamuno]

Thank so much for your help!! I´ll follow the advice about the bubble level and see how it works. It´s just a matter of BALANCE eheh :-)

[foamuno]

Yes my Smoothshooter is kind of bouncy and I have my sled balanced OK. So i´m thinking it might be the tension on the spring, I´ve removed one of them.

[brianmackenzie]

i think you still probably want both of those sprins in there....i'm not sure about this, but two springs making the same tension as one spring might offer a little smoother action? 'sounds' like it makes sense

i think your two springs were just too tight.

my sled weighs 11 pounds with camera and weight plates...one of my springs is at 5, the other is at 1

[foamuno]

You´re right about the springs, i´ve installed both of them and it´s much better. I´m gonna get myself some bubble levels to make it perfect. Today i´ve shoot my first footage with the glidecam and I´ve achieved amazing results with it!! The system whorths every cent I´ve spent. Thank you so much for your valuable help. : )

[brianmackenzie]

my pleasure, you will be amazed at what your videos start looking like now!!

best of luck

[brianmackenzie]

PS, if you are on facebook, i made a group called 'Glidecam Users Unite!'

[foamuno]

Nice footage and awsome stunts! :)

How many springs are you using in the Smooth Shooter arm?! One or two? I´m having a hard time getting my setup right.. I´m using a Sony PD170P and the 4000 PRO Sled. Any help is welcome. Sory for my english!

[brianmackenzie]

I use two springs in my glidecam arm. I don't use a PD170, but have in the past and set my Gldiecam up to use it.

Is your 4000 properly balanced, but your Smoothshooter is bouncy?

Assuming your sled is properly balanced (1.5 second drop time if you hold your sled sideways and let it drop...if it drops too fast it is bottom heavy, if it drops too slow, it is top heavy.

A bubble levels are nice to have on the bottom of the sled so you can see it is level.

[brianmackenzie]

In order to make sure your smoothshooter springs are set properly, if you leave your balanced 4000 in the smoothshooter just sit 'neautrally' right in front of you, the smoothshooter arm should be parellel to the ground (another bubble level)

Hope this helps, ask anything if you need to

Brian

[richyricherthanu]

wow i thought you were running to film him!

Cool camera!

[bitchbcool]

great stuff brian..yes very cool

[brianmackenzie]

much appreciated, thanks!

[brianmackenzie]

Check out the Manhattan scene from the Inner Balance DVD! search youtube for 'unicycling manhattan'!

[maxmwood]

Thats a really awesome piece of kit, id love that but id be terrified of dropping it!

[brianmackenzie]

that's the best part!!

it's all made of modular components...you'd only possible ruin one small section of it if you fell.

If you drop the camera though...you're on your own!

[morphix007]

excellent thought you were a shit talker from reading your post in the featured video.

great footage interesting video

[brianmackenzie]

thanks!

[matroshka]

but could you imagine if he fell with that, at least $1000 camera, and the glider? I could never risk it

[dvdjjl]

Gotta be honest. Seeing the guy on the unicycle with a glidecam was one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen(in a good way). I got the 2000 yesterday and bombed a huge ditch on my skateboard with it today. Such a rush. I had so much fun I forgot to push record. D'oh. Maybe tomorrow I'll get some footy

[brianmackenzie]

don't worry, you'll have so much fun with that you'll have many opportunities to press record!

[sismithin]

That is like insane and so great, fab video, thanks :D

[Tylermadas]

wow, that idea to put the screen on the handle is so sweet, i bought a glidecam and have always wondered why people put it on the shaft where you cant see it...

awesome video

[brianmackenzie]

that's what I thought, as soon as the camera pivots away from you, you can't see the screen, and if you want to set the screen sideways for a particular shot, it throws off the balance of the rig. The only thing I had to be careful of with the handle-monitor was that until properly set, the 4000 sled might hit the monitor when spun around, or you might get the monitor in the shot. easy fixes once you know to look for it. Did you get a monitor for your glidecam? i love mine!!

[combostand]

How is the dynamic balance?

[brianmackenzie]

I'm not sure what you mean?

[lkabird]

INCREDIBLE, YOU GUYS ARE GOOD :-)

[brianmackenzie]

thank you <tips hat>

[inmyfacehaha]

hey, how much does a coker go for?

[brianmackenzie]

maybe $500 or so?

[unidaddy]

Now.....should we comment on the fantastic camera work, or the incredible riding? Hmmmmmm. Thanks for showing your set-up.

[brianmackenzie]

thanks!