Steadicam career

[Mark Jury]

Does anyone know about the courses and how much time and money it costs to train to become a steadcam operator in the UK? I hear they make between ?500 and ?1000 for a day. This guy I know of from Cardiff is smaller than me and he's working all the time.

[eddie]

You will probably find that all you need is
to own your own steady-cam.

[Mark Jury]

that's exactly what I am thinking..

[Krystal_synK]

Courses vary, there are a few places in London that do it, I don't recall the price right now. I met an operator while I was at Panavision and I think it a few 1000 or a 1000. If you own your own rig you'll get payed better but the rig costs fuck loads, you can try to look for second hand ones and even those go for 20000 sometimes.

[Chance1234]

also freelancing, i know where i work we dont touch anyone unless they already have at least one years full comercial experience and i know a lot of other production companies do the same

[marti-c]

If you subscribe to http://www.shootingpeople.org/ they give details every now and then about the courses that are run for steadi-cam operators. The last one i think i saw was about 500ukp to 1000ukp at the national film and television school. I think this is running quite soon so get your skates on (or weep at the price)

marti

[Jon Taylor]

Optex run a course, which I believe was the first of its kind, which I believe cost about ?400 + VAT (freelancers rate) which last 3 days. They know what they are talking about because Optex sell and hire Steadicam equpment.

A friend of mine who works as a camera op for Sky Sports was sent on a steadicam course run by the BBC last year, supposed to be one of the most comprehensive courses around but costs about ?1500.

Most steadicam ops tend to be operator / owners as the rig needs to be adjusted to fit you perfectly. Operator / owners for a 35mm shoot using something like a Steadicam Master can earn ?750 per day.

Jon.

[miker]

Quote from a steadicam operator: "It was buy a house or buy the steadicam rig..."

Be sure this is what you want. You need to know about cameras, composition and film and video, too. You don't just run around with the rig strapped to you all day.

IMHO steadicam is generally unnecessary if you are a master camera operator with a bendy body. Of course, some of those cameras are heavy though and sometimes it's good for effects shots...

Do you think if Bruce Lee were a camera operator, that he would use a steadicam?!

[Jon Taylor]

What people forget, is steadicam operators are incredibly fit - with plenty of stamina. It is recommended ops rest evry ten minutes. I have heard of several steadicam ops who do Tai Chi to help fitness and balance. Like previously mentioned, it is a vocation, not strap on a rig and run around , otherwise every muppet would already be steadicam ops.

I once used a Steadicam Video SK with a Beta SP camera onboard. After 20 minutes my lower back muscles were burning with lactic acid, quite painful. You seem to use muscles you did even realise you had.

Jon.