Steady your shots
If your film action requires that you can't use a tripod, even with lots of
practice, you are likely to end up with lots of shaky video footage. Whilst it
is possible to improve such shots on the computer using motion stabilisation
software the results are not brilliant so getting the best original footage is
always best.
The professionals use devices such as the Steadicam or Glidecam. The vast improvement that these devices yield may lead you to believe that they are complex devices, but that is not so. Anyone with a few DIY skills can make their own.
The motion sickness inducing handheld shots are mainly caused by the rotation
and tilting of the camera, which is difficult to avoid with a small camcorder.
The idea of the Steadicam (Steadicam is used in the same way that Hoover is used
for vacuum cleaner) is to isolate the camera motion from the body motion. This
is done by coupling the camera to the handle by a pivoting device. The camera is
then kept stable by a counter weight that moves the centre of gravity of the
whole device below the pivot.
A
simple way to achieve this with a light weight camera is to extend the legs of
the tripod but keep them together. Hold the tripod loosely below the head so
that the tripod/camcorder combination can swing freely. For a more sophisticated
DIY approach a metal tube with a mount for the camcorder at the top end and a
counter weight at the other can be used. The pivot can be a spherical bearing,
sometimes known as a rose joint or rod end. Most bearing specialists
should stock something suitable. There is no hidden secret to these devices;
well OK taking time to get the balance set up and practice using them could be
considered the secret- and if you need to ask about detailed plans then you will
probably struggle with the construction. The various pictures should give you
the necessary information.
This final picture shows a large body mounted Stedicam but it should be clear
that the basic principle is the same as the smaller units.
The Steadicam and Glidecam pictures are taken from the respective manufacturer's brochures and more information can be found following the links to their web sites.
More examples of home built stabilisers can be found here