Caleb Heymann
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I've got a feature film coming up that's going to be shot entirely through the POV of a ghost. I've been stressing for months about what combination of Easyrigs, Steadicam, Easyrig-Figrig hybrid, and handheld to use. When the Movi announcement came, hyped as it was, it certainly seemed like the answer to our dreams. Still waiting to see how effectively the operator can control via Majestic mode, but for now I'm assuming it's a two person operation, and that I as the DP on the project will be controlling framing remotely on the monitor.
Obviously, as many have pointed out, the huge drawback to the Movi is one and the same as its appeal - it's not supported by anything other than our arms. So that will be great for shots where we want to pass the camera through a window or a hole in the fence to feel this sense of limitless movement, but on a day to day basis we'll want some support. Epic maxed out at 10 lbs in the cage, 3 lbs for a battery and monitor (not sure if that will be V-lock or Freefly's own) on the support bar, and 3.5 lbs for the rig itself will add up to around 16-17 lbs.
The Easyrig option to support the Movi is perhaps the simplest and most cost effective. Either the Cinema 3 300N, Cinema 3 400N or Vario should be fine for that weight. However I am worried about how low the camera will sit on the Easyrig. There's no way to get the support bar very high, and then you hook into the top handle on the Movi and the lens will sit somewhere below the operator's eye level. I'm about 6' but would certainly like the camera to be able to achieve at least my eye level and I'm worried the Easyrig won't get me there. It also seems with the Easyrig one it seems would have to use the 5" extended arm, as the normal version would put the camera too close to the body.
As for the option of mounting it on a Steadicam, I'm guessing it would go onto the arm as opposed to the sled. If it were able to rotate over 180-270 plus degrees, it would be exciting to put it on a sled and be able to go from low mode to high mode ala the MKV-AR, but it's limited to 90 degrees on the roll axis. So for simplicity and weight it will probably connect to the arm. Now if someone were to make a bracket something like Walter Klassen's Gore-Link system (see the link below) only with an adjustable height, that to me seems like the best solution. Perhaps it would allow you to go high if it had an adjustable post, or to go low by extending the cable down.
http://www.walterklassen.com/home-page/equipment-2/handheld/gore-link/
The downsides to this system seem to be the cost factor of a steadicam vest plus arm, and perhaps the weight as well. It's perhaps a bit overkill and limiting in movement, but then again, this could be a pretty powerful combo. So much of it would come down to the coordination between the rig operator and the remote control operator, unless of course this Majestic mode turns out to be something magic.
I know it's a largely hypothetical discussion at this point, but it's one I need to have nonetheless as things have to be decided so we can move forward with this feature (shooting around October). Any advice or ideas would be welcomed!
Obviously, as many have pointed out, the huge drawback to the Movi is one and the same as its appeal - it's not supported by anything other than our arms. So that will be great for shots where we want to pass the camera through a window or a hole in the fence to feel this sense of limitless movement, but on a day to day basis we'll want some support. Epic maxed out at 10 lbs in the cage, 3 lbs for a battery and monitor (not sure if that will be V-lock or Freefly's own) on the support bar, and 3.5 lbs for the rig itself will add up to around 16-17 lbs.
The Easyrig option to support the Movi is perhaps the simplest and most cost effective. Either the Cinema 3 300N, Cinema 3 400N or Vario should be fine for that weight. However I am worried about how low the camera will sit on the Easyrig. There's no way to get the support bar very high, and then you hook into the top handle on the Movi and the lens will sit somewhere below the operator's eye level. I'm about 6' but would certainly like the camera to be able to achieve at least my eye level and I'm worried the Easyrig won't get me there. It also seems with the Easyrig one it seems would have to use the 5" extended arm, as the normal version would put the camera too close to the body.
As for the option of mounting it on a Steadicam, I'm guessing it would go onto the arm as opposed to the sled. If it were able to rotate over 180-270 plus degrees, it would be exciting to put it on a sled and be able to go from low mode to high mode ala the MKV-AR, but it's limited to 90 degrees on the roll axis. So for simplicity and weight it will probably connect to the arm. Now if someone were to make a bracket something like Walter Klassen's Gore-Link system (see the link below) only with an adjustable height, that to me seems like the best solution. Perhaps it would allow you to go high if it had an adjustable post, or to go low by extending the cable down.
http://www.walterklassen.com/home-page/equipment-2/handheld/gore-link/
The downsides to this system seem to be the cost factor of a steadicam vest plus arm, and perhaps the weight as well. It's perhaps a bit overkill and limiting in movement, but then again, this could be a pretty powerful combo. So much of it would come down to the coordination between the rig operator and the remote control operator, unless of course this Majestic mode turns out to be something magic.
I know it's a largely hypothetical discussion at this point, but it's one I need to have nonetheless as things have to be decided so we can move forward with this feature (shooting around October). Any advice or ideas would be welcomed!
