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Glidecam setup for downhill follow cam

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andrew95
Posts: 2090 - Karma: 124
I have a decent amount of experience with glidecams in a set environment. I have used hd4000s through film school and picked up a 2000 pro for weddings and promo work. I have had no issues balancing or using them but for whatever reason as soon as i get on the hill i cant keep it still. Even guiding it with my other hand doesn't keep it still. Whats the trick?
Nov 9 2015 10:33PM
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eheath
Posts: 61780 - Karma: 124,904
andrew95I have a decent amount of experience with glidecams in a set environment. I have used hd4000s through film school and picked up a 2000 pro for weddings and promo work. I have had no issues balancing or using them but for whatever reason as soon as i get on the hill i cant keep it still. Even guiding it with my other hand doesn't keep it still. Whats the trick?


You definitely have to be a bit more aggressive with your glide hand while skiing. But skiing is decently smooth already so it works out decently, just practice.
Nov 10 2015 12:07AM
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andrew95
Posts: 2090 - Karma: 124
eheathYou definitely have to be a bit more aggressive with your glide hand while skiing. But skiing is decently smooth already so it works out decently, just practice.


out of curiosity have you used a vest and arm on hill? I'm thinking about trying it out this season to see if it goes any better
Nov 10 2015 4:02PM
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eheath
Posts: 61780 - Karma: 124,904
andrew95out of curiosity have you used a vest and arm on hill? I'm thinking about trying it out this season to see if it goes any better


Nope, decker has used the full vest before, hennie I think as well. I just got strong arms haha
Nov 10 2015 4:02PM
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andrew95
Posts: 2090 - Karma: 124
eheathNope, decker has used the full vest before, hennie I think as well. I just got strong arms haha


fair enough, i'll have to try both out
Nov 10 2015 4:04PM
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eheath
Posts: 61780 - Karma: 124,904
andrew95fair enough, i'll have to try both out


Yeah dude it just takes practice. Heavier setups are definitely easier to keep steady skiing, mostly because of wind. The key is just to keep yourself as stable as possible because you definitely need to grip the pole a bit more than while walking/running. It took me at least a season to really get comfortable.
Nov 10 2015 4:06PM
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860media*
Posts: 1575 - Karma: 10,519
Listen to Eheath haha. At first I wasn't very good at it, but after a while you get a hang of it. Im not the best but I started off with a hd4000 using a canon t2i and noticed it helped to add a little to much weight at the bottom to make sure the wind doesn't blow it everywhere. All in all it just takes time to get use to just hit the slopes!!!

P.S. you might want to workout your glide cam hand hahahaha
Nov 16 2015 11:12AM
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M3TRO
Posts: 645 - Karma: 5,404
the posts above are spot on
i started with the hd4000 and a t3i and man was it weird starting out
you really have to feel comfortable filming, period. i found it is easy to constantly doubt how stable you are shooting rather than focusing on what you are actually shooting.
it all comes with practice
Nov 19 2015 1:19PM
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ascent_studios
Posts: 2157 - Karma: 4,580
also make sure you're good at skiing....
you don't want to break your camera because your chasing a skier at high speeds and you're focusing on the filming and you suddenly catch an edge and die haha
Nov 19 2015 11:11PM
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