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T H E L A T E S T C O O L G E A R
As
if attaching your VX-1000 to the $499 Steadicam JR wasn't cool enough;
Cinema Products has upped the bar, redesigning the JR with DV cameras
specifically in mind. The price tag ($1,395) is a bit higher, but it's
still a fraction of the cost of a real Steadicam rig. They've improved
the video-out display, upped the weight-limit (the VX-1000 just barely
balances on the JR), and streamlined the design. They've also added
a quick-release mounting system, a definite improvement over the JR
if you're frequently alternating between hand-held and tripod camera
setups. I haven't used one yet, but I'm looking forward to a test drive... The
original Steadicam JR is still a dream. Here's my original review, as
printed in the premiere issue of RES
magazine last fall... Steadicam
JR Even
Sony's impressive Super SteadyShot can't take the bounce--bounce--bounce
out of hand-held shooting; but this nifty gadget can. The most remarkable
thing about the Steadicam JR is probably its simplicity. Designed by
Garrett Brown, the inventor of the original, multi-thousand-dollar Steadicam
system used by Hollywood pros, the JR uses the exact same principles
employed by its big brother. The unique counter-balance design shifts
the camera's center-of-gravity to just slightly underneath the camera;
this bottom-heaviness allows the camera to balance and move smoothly.
A clever gimble system pivots the camera, allowing for pan and (somewhat
limited) tilt, without allowing disturbing angular bumps and shakes
to pass through it. The proof is in the resulting footage -- it works,
and it works well. Although
the Steadicam JR has been available since 1990, only now has the camcorder
industry had the quality level and professional market to really take
advantage of it. The down side: a definite learning curve, setup time
needed to get the camera and unit in completely harmonious balance,
a dim display, some strain on the forearm (it acts weightless, but it
isn't), and a significant susceptibility to wind, especially compared
with the beefier pro rigs. But the advantages outweigh the quirks. Considering
the affordable price, the Steadicam JR is likely to be one of the most
significant steps you can take toward making your hand-held video look
truly professional. Check
the Steadicam
website for more information on either hand-held unit.
The Canon XL-1 Frame
Movie Mode isn't quite progressive-scan, but it might be cool enough.
After weeks of debate and internal testing about potential "flaws" in
this innovative camera design, the XL-1 has finally been given a hearty
endorsement by the watchdogs of the DV community. Apparently, the optics
on the XL-1 are "too good," exposing flaws (artifacts) in the DV format
itself. Personally, I just think it looks "too cool." See
the Official
Canon XL-1 website or the Canon
XL-1 Watchdog for more.
B E S T B O O K S Rebel
Without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-old With $7,000 Became a Hollywood
Player El
Mariachi changed my life. Seriously. It also changed the reality
of low-budget filmmaking, for Hollywood and lots of aspiring filmmakers
everywhere. Robert Rodriguez redefined filmmaking by breaking all the
traditional Hollywood rules, and we loved him for it. He became an indie
cult hero and somehow a major Hollywood player as well, in spite of
his disregard for tradition. I only wish his story -- in the form of
his own diary reprinted in this hilarious and informative book -- had
been available sooner. My own low-budget film experience, hot on the
heels of Rodriguez's proving debut film, would undoubtedly have gone
smoother if I'd only read Rebel Without a Crew first. Most
of the book is made up of excerpts from Rodriguez's own journals, written
during all the phases of Mariachi. How he possibly had time to write
a daily journal during his whirlwind production is quite beyond me,
but the entire adventure is there, captured in a natural documentary
style. Experiencing each day in "real time" is an insightful and inspiring
ride. Rodriguez really didn't know much about making movies the Hollywood
way, and that proved his greatest blessing. As he puts it: "that's exactly
the kind of experience you don't need." Robert had shot many short films
on video since the eighth grade, and the gross limitations of his early
equipment (short cables, no flying erase-heads) taught him to pre-visualize
and plan ahead. To be lean and solve problems creatively. These shorts
also prepped him for Mariachi. Rodriguez's
"Ten-Minute Film School" is provided as an Appendix to the book, and
it is just that -- a grand total of twelve-and-a-half pages. But much
like Rodriguez's budget, his crew, his dialogue: big things come in
small packages. These are twelve-and-a-half of the most valuable and
inspiring pages the zealous filmmaker could read. After those pages,
I found myself reaching for my camera, newly inspired to conquer the
world. Rebel
isn't a step-by-step "how-to" manual like Rick Schmidt's classic Feature
Filmmaking at Used-Car Prices, which gives readers a hand-holding
description of all the feature filmmaking stages, from starting script
to final self-promotion. Rodriguez's book is more of a walk through
the trenches, and his exact methodology just might not work the same
way twice. But beyond the specific details, there's an attitude that
educates, a fundamental premise as valuable as any step-by-step manual.
In fact, more valuable. Because that fundamental allows for changes
it applies to everyone. There are no rules for breaking rules, after
all. Appendix
2 is the original El Mariachi screenplay, written while Rodriguez earned
his financing in the research hospital. The script is annotated with
comments -- what worked and what didn't, what changed due to shooting
conditions, and other hilarious insider bits. The script is primarily
interesting for these annotations; it also reveals the attitute and
clever problem-solving that made Robert's film possible. As
an "underdog" story, itıs hard to beat the fable of Robert Rodriguez
and his remarkable feature debut. The fact is: few earnest filmmakers
can probably make a film as entertaining or as good as El Mariachi on
a budget as meager as $7,000. But some can. And some will. It's doubtful
anyone will ever wow Hollywood in quite the same way, but the final
Mariachi message is clear. Anyone is capable of telling a good story,
with even meager resources. Rodriguez's story and his advice are as
helpful as they are inspiring. Rebel Without a Crew might take
you one step closer to making your own indie dream happen, and even
if not, watching the story unfold through Robert's eyes is as entertaining
as any fairy tale. Published
by Plume/Penguin Books USA Inc. Feature
Filmmaking at Used-Car Prices A
must-read for the guerrilla filmmaker, analog or digital. Tons of valuable
how-tos and inspiring material. Well worth sixteen bucks. Check out
Rick's
website for more. Published
by Penguin Books, 1995
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