23
Basic movement
Try moving around and get used to the
way it feels. Pay attention to how your
movements and posture affect the sled.
Relax your muscles and control the
Zephyr
™
stabilizer rig with your body
SRVLWLRQDQGDOLJKWÀQJHUWLSWRXFK
Leave the monitor turned off for now.
Don’t worry about making shots – you
want to experiment, test, play.
Get used to walking with the sled next
to you.
Balancing with your body
As the sled 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 Zephyr
™
will
try to move away from you — fast!
³UHTXLULQJDÀUPHUJULSWLULQJ\RXU
back muscles more quickly, and most
LPSRUWDQWO\QRWÁ\LQJSURSHUO\ZLWKWKDW
great Steadicam
®
stabilizer feel.
Placing the camera in space
6ZLQJWKHDUPDURXQGWRÀQGLWVUDQJH
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 arm, 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 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
LQIRUPDWLRQRQWKH()3YLGHRLVVSHFLÀFWRWKH()3PRVWRIWKHFRQFHSWVLQIRUPDWLRQ
and exercises are still taught in the workshops today.
We suggest you spend some time with your Steadicam
®
stabilizer 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 Zephyr
™
stabilizer. 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 operators are still
perfecting their moving camera skills
after 25 years of operating, and most of
them thought they were pretty good at the
HQGRIWKHLUÀUVWZRZJRRG
you get is part of the artistry and fun of
being an operator. You have a great tool
in your hands. Practice, practice, practice.
