35 kg of pleasure

By Sergey Afandeev, Andrey Migachev, Alexander Raevsky, Robert Filatov

Review contents:
Stability is over all 35 kg of pleasure Steadicam from fragments German steadicams from ABC Products Devices of Cinema Technologies Group DvRigPRO from DVTEC Glidecam stabilizers Sachtler Artemis camera stabilization systems: from DV up to HD The Tiffen Steadicam systems

Sometimes the operators meet such directors who demand “vivacity of a picture”, active “intraframe” movement under full denial from cutting and with desirable average length of the frame equal to 4 min. The more often there are such directors, more often the operators should refuse from the camera crane, cart and tripod which in different cases are good in own way, but as their alternative by many positions is the system of the camera stabilization such as steadicam.

In the case that it also the serial, yes with crowd scene, yes on leaving nature… well, you understand… What would be desirable for operator in that case? Correctly! To have a rest on the beach. But still each operator would like to have such construction which nothing would weigh, and even on the contrary, allowed for the operator to soar, fly and so on in three planes, with the camera, gracefully turning aside from the chips flying after explosion that there are the products of disintegration of pyrotechnic professionalism.

Waist designed doesn’t affect the cameraman’s motion

The photo shows well the Pultex stabilizer’s two-section arm

But, so far as such opportunity at growing Russian film production is not present, it is necessary to work with that is. So, what we have? For two years of active operation the standard complete set of system of the camera stabilization manufactured by joint-stock Pultex Company (Saint Petersburg) has proved to be the efficient and practically completed system.

Simplicity of design, the big safety factor and successful selection of materials for completing allow to carry out exact both fast balancing and operate with cameras of different types and dimensions (Arri BL2 with lens Cook Vorotal, Arri II C, Arri BL16, DXC 537 PL1).

Elements of a design

The waistcoat was initially made as custom-built, for the concrete person having the certain dimensions.

As the result the convenient, simply operated and kept all possible adjustments design have received. Occurrence of the metal corrosion traces on the surface of standard screws and washers that it have not been noticed on the device made of titanium, stainless steel and synthetic materials — there is the single disadvantage of that design which is appeared during bad weather.

The arm is the most important part of the whole system and is made of light corrosion-proof materials. Additional springs allow to be arranged under heavier or, on the contrary, lighter cameras. It is possible to replace springs operatively.

There are two brackets for bar fastening to the arm. Convenient operating handle for zoom control is located on one bracket. Fastening of the arm to waistcoat is made as two-plane balancing unit that provides both fast reliable fastening and adjustment. For operation of all system the accumulator such as the standard dry-charged lead 12V battery by capacity 7.2 A-h, providing the operation of the camera, video control system, monitor, transmitter and other hinged equipment (focus drivers, zoom, and diaphragm) within 8…12 hours was chosen.

Also it would be desirable to have an opportunity of connection of the additional hinged unit for increase of the supply voltage up to 24 V, that it is necessary for operation with cameras of other series.

The bottom plate with monitor and battery

Stabilizer’s adjusting is going on

The radio transmitter of video signal is a hard necessity. The cable will not help in a wood, with an interior with 360° panning too, therefore the radio transmitter is simply necessary, but the offered systems of transmitting and reception device are good under direct visibility and on distance no more than 50 m.

The design of the balancing platform on the bar is provided with high safety factor even during operation with heavy cameras of weight more than 20 kg.

Design precision and arrangement of set-up screws of balancing platform provide exact and fast adjustment in all planes.

Bayonet-screw fastening of the down part of the bar with the accumulator and monitor allows quickly dismount the construction and to extend the bar when necessary, and also to screw the counterbalances specially made.

When camera is fixed by a single screw than camera plate does not provide by sufficient rigidity. For operation with lighter camera it would be also desirable to have an opportunity of additional weighting of camera plate.

The handle of the bar with collet fastening is enough convenient and durable, but the collet clip does not sometimes provide the reliable bar fixing.

The liquid crystal monitor is convenient, is provided with metal housing, deriving handles of contrast, luminance and chrominance control and is enough transportable. The monitor is characterized by low power consumption, but the model is provided with insufficient screen intensity at direct sunlight.

Victor Zubarev the steadicamer (left on the photo)

Stabilizer used in the shooting a movie about war

Well, that it would like still? It would be desirable, certainly, the fire resistance, bulletproofness and floodability even up to three point choppiness plus stand-alone system of the climate control. And that — that is hot or cold, for example.

Application

Under production of the serial “The person of the war” by director Alexey Muradov we have completely refused other methods of shooting and all eight series we are shooting with Pultex stabilizer. All series are shot by the equipment described above. The average frame interval makes about 4 minutes; the maximal frame interval is 9 min. Thus, we speak not only about pleasure in 35 kilograms. We speak about long pleasure. This pleasure is long enough. Yes, it is necessary to note, that weight is correctly distributed, that it is important both for the picture and for the operator though, as a rule, the latter does not interest anybody.

In general, the stabilizer such as steadicam gives to the operator more freedom, than any other device. In particular, freedom of presence in the middle of fight, among torn shells, burning hay, houses and stuntmen. There is an opportunity to shoot rather interesting frame, and we may observe the object from any side and with any scale, creating the effect of presence inside event.

Careful distributing of stage setting is required, of crowd scenes especially, but thus the active director also receives new opportunities for realization of the plan. Battle scenes when it is necessary urgently to come nearer to object, to bypass it, to pass to other object, keeping the movement sensation and, as to say, a human, subjective sight, are managed very well. You are not the observer who the convenient position has chosen, but you are the participant of the event. All occurs around of you, than is achieved, as a minimum, the effect of presence, as a maximum — the partnership in the event.

Material provided by Pultex Company