All posts tagged Steadicam

2 Posts
June 30, 2012 · Uncategorized

EMS June Bike Night

Essential Motorcycle Services hosted another wonderful bike night. Bike Night reminds us once again that motorcycling is much less about motorcycles and riding and much more about socializing and making new friends. Which is a similar approach we take at Picture and Color Media, while doing something totally different which is filmmaking. We really love the social aspect of making films. Getting to see, capture and share people’s happiness and emotions is extremely gratifying to us as storytellers and even something as simple as a bunch of motorcycle riders getting together to chat over a BBQ can be a great opportunity to tell an emotionally engaging story that captures the ‘feel’ of the event, rather than exhaustively capturing all of the little specifics. We are always most concerned about feel in the story more than anything else, from the smallest of stories to the largest ones. Feelings and emotions connect with our audience in way that shooting actions alone do not.

This is a very quick edit highlighting the evening. Shot on the Canon 5D Mark III with the 24-70 2.8L exclusively and supported by the Steadicam Merlin arm/vest combined with my favorite stabilizer, the CMR Blackbird.

March 21, 2012 · Uncategorized

Fair Trade Flash Mob

This was the big event of the UBC Fair Trade Committee’s fair trade week and what a kick off it was!

I spent the weekend fearing rain but when Monday morning rolled around, we were blessed with glorious sunshine and puffy white clouds. Juliana from the Fair Trade Committee had already planned to follow me around with a big golf umbrella but thankfully it stayed as a backup plan and she was able to participate in the festivities.

Because the flash mob would be moving quickly and to several different locations, I did not know what to expect and prepared for just about everything. I brought the GH2 with the Lumix 7-14mm wide zoom, the 14-140mm kit zoom in case I needed flexiblity, and both the Steadicam and the monopod. I started with the Steadicam indoors but because of the windy conditions outside, I expected to have to switch to the monopod once we ventured out. My awesome assistant Faye followed me around the entire time holding my monopod, ready for me to request an exchange at a moment’s notice. I ended up staying on the steadi the whole time, because it was working out OK and I didn’t want to miss any of the action. I ended up shooting the entire event on the 7-14 and the Steadi.

The wind sure was a challenge though! Because the GH2 is such a feather weight, I usually balance it with a hot shoe LED light on top for the added inertia. Even with the added weight, it was no match for the rapid gusts! You can see me getting blown around in the footage outdoors. Still, it worked out well enough and most of the footage was usable.

Audio wise, I stuck to the reliable on board mic of the GH2. If only all video DSLRs had mics like this one.

It was a suitably grand kick off to a successful fair trade week and I was glad to have been a part of it.

Sam