Steve Wargo
20
COW Coins
4
Premiere Pro Coins
Forum Replies Created
-
[Rafael Amador] “tomorrow I’l fly in a helicopter with the EX-1, any tip?”
Here’s my story: In 2003, I was hired to shoot the entire Pima Indian Reservation from a chopper. I worked with a Hopi producer named Patty. A former news anchor, she was on her game and we did quite a few jobs together. When we’d get in the chopper, I would wear a cross harness that formed an X in the front and in the rear with a ring in the center of my back. The chopper has a large strap wrapped around the column for the rotor shaft and she would snap me in before we took off.
After about two and a half hours, I was standing on the step, outside the helicopter and we were flying in a slow circle over the Indian’s outdoor mall. I was leaning a bit over center but wanted to lean a little more to shoot the area under and behind us. usually, I just throw myself out to where the strap’s limit is but something didn’t feel right. I sat down in the seat and asked Patty to cinch the strap a little tighter. She responded with “Oh, I forgot to snap that silly thing.” So, my first advice is this: “Don’t fall out of the helicopter”.
On the more serious side, find out if it’s a 2 blade or 3 blade copter. The 2 blade units like Bell Rangers, shake from side to side. The French made 3 bladed Airstar is smoother. If it’s a Robinson R-22, enhance your life insurance by double and say goodby to the people who count. If it’s a 44, you might be ok. My last flight was in an old cropduster unit that had the pilot in the middle and I sat on the right side with the still photographer on his left.
Don’t forget to ask the pilot if his nickname is “Crash”.
Turn your steadyshot on.
A recording at 60i will get rid of some of the shadow flash. That is the shadow that happens when the blades rotate.
Take your windmuff off or tape it down.
Go the the bathroom before taking off.
If you have a producer with you, have a monitor for them to watch.
Now, here’s a trick I use to communicate with the producer or pilot: I plug a lav mic into the camera and tape it inside my earcup on the helicopter headsets. This way, I can talk to the pilot and the producer. The producer is watching the handheld monitor and directing the shots. And the whole thing is being recorded for later. That way, there is a running dialog about everything we shot.
I try to wear a steadi stick so the camera has some support under it.
And lastly, Don’t Fall Out Of the Helicopter.
Before you land, ask the pilot to do a “dip”.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
I think that Adobe illustrator or Photoshop should be where you should start. When I worked for ESPN, I never actually worked for ESPN but the production company that produced the Speedworld Off-Road series. We made our own Press Pass Badges. Our second client was TNN, the Nashville network.
Our badges had Arrow Productions across the top, then a mugshot, name and the title Internatinal Photo Journalist, and below that were the TNN and ESPN logos in full color. I even put a barcode across mine at the bottom. If someone questioned our status, I asked them to scan the barcode. When they said that they didn’t have a scanner, I asked when they were going to move up in the world so that we didn’t have to go through the same BS time after time. Of course, no one had a scanner back then but they didn’t know that. The badge had a pocket on the back that could hold an actual pass when we were issued one.
Remember Bob, in our line of work “It doesn’t have to be. It just has to look like it is.”
By the way, which airline was this? I know that we’re always allowed to pre-board but I hadn’t heard of the other allowances.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
Thanks Paul.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
Uh, John. The airport personnel are the thieves, not someone sneaking by them. This has been covered on a number of TV programs and the prosecutions have made national news.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
We have Hartford for our basic company insurance and Firemen’s fund for our rental company. We have $500k in equipment covered and our policies cost around $6k per year with a $2500 deductible.
A lower deductible was a lot more money.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
[Robert Bryant] “I want to shot in the highest quality HD I can for under 30k (for the camera at least) “
Looks to me like you said that you had “$30k for the camera, at least”. Did we read this wrong? Just wondering…
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
Makes sense. Numerically speaking of course.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
Todd, from your office, picked up our EX-1 today for testing. Any comment from him?
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
Ray
What time are you going and who’s with you?
Adam and I will be there. We’d like to do dinner at the Imperial Palace first (We’re staying there on Monday night).Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
ALL Airlines have a clause when you buy your ticket that says that they are NOT RESPONSIBLE for camera gear and accessories. You can find that info on-line on the airline’s websites.
Our insurance covers all of our gear when in transit by a professional carrier. This includes FedEx and the others.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .