23
Basic movement
Practice moving around in the Steadicam
and get used to the way it feels. Walk
around. Pay attention to the way your
movements and posture affect the
Steadicam.
Relax your muscles and control the Flyer-
LE with your body position and a light,
finger-tip touch.
Leave the monitor off for now. Don’t
worry about making shots – you want to
experiment, test, play.
Get used to walking with the Steadicam
next to you.
Balancing with your body
As the Steadicam gets farther away from
your body, you must lean back a tiny bit
more and use your arm reach to keep that
light balanced touch.
If you lean forward, the Steadicam will
try to move away from you — fast!
— requiring a firmer grip, tiring your
back muscles more quickly, and most
importantly, not flying properly with that
great Steadicam feel.
Placing the camera in space
Swing the arm around to find its range
of motion. Practice gentle boom moves
with your right hand. Find the lowest and
highest positions the camera can reach.
Avoid hitting the stops as you boom (it
won’t hurt the Steadicam, just your shot).
More Practice and Training
For operators who have not yet taken a workshop, we (once again!) strongly urge you
to do so, as it is the quickest way to learn how to operate a Steadicam properly.
However, there are several good training videos, including the 1990 Classic EFP
Video Training Tape, which has been remastered to DVD. Although some of the
information on the EFP video is specific to the EFP, most of the concepts, information,
and exercises are common to all Steadicams and still taught in the workshops today.
We suggest you spend some time with your Flyer-LE learning how to start and stop
moves cleanly, pan and tilt, boom up and down, walk the line, do switches, track
sideways, do pass-bys, use long lenses, and a host of other techniques.
You already know what you want to do
with your Flyer-LE. The exercises and
concepts presented on the video will help
you quickly develop the necessary skills
to make your shots.
As often said in the workshops, running
around chasing your dog is fun for
awhile, but it’s hard to judge how well
you did or if you are improving.
Many experienced Steadicam operators
are still perfecting their moving camera
skills after 25 years of operating, and
most of them thought they were pretty
good at the end of their first workshop.
How good you get is part of the artistry
and fun of being a Steadicam operator.
You have a great tool in your hands.
Practice, practice, practice.
