This is a special dedication to my family, and especially to my Mom, in honor of her birthday (18th January). My Dad, my sisters, my brother and I miss her dearly. She was truly one of a kind; the kind of lady that one doesn’t easily forget. She was a teacher, singer, recording artiste, actress, philanthropist, radio DJ, writer and generally an amazing human being. She believed in me, even more than I believed in myself. Along with my family, she has been my inspiration and support. For that, I am eternally grateful. Happy Birthday Mom!
Since I got my DSLR, I have been having a lot of fun learning the techniques professional cinematographers and directors use to make their movie masterpieces. While the new DSLRs have given us a new low-cost option for shooting very high quality videos, some of the film accessories are still alarmingly expensive. So what is a pseudo-super-beginner-filmaker-in-the-making like me supposed to do? Watch YouTube and see if I can get an idea on how to get one, or how to make one…..for less money or even better…no money!
Having recently discovered how steady cams really help in giving filmakers a smooth, professional-looking gliding effect when following a moving object during shooting, naturally I had to have one. Finding out how much they cost brought out the businessman in me giving me insight that beyond a shadow of a doubt, after adjusting for inflation and the current world monetary exchange rates, it was a rip-off! So finally here it is….my newfangled DIY, couldn’t-be-simpler steady cam, ready for prime time! I have tested it and it works great, except it is a little heavy, but hey, I don’t mind getting an arm workout while I’m shooting a video!
My cool DIY SteadyJinxCam!
A lot of people seem to overlook the fact that ergonomics is very important to people who do repetitive tasks (and let’s face it….we all do). As a music producer and a general computer control freak, I spend quite a lot of time in the studio working on various projects. I am always wary of the possibility of getting some sort of repetitive stress syndrome on my wrist (from working with a mouse, not that other thing…and get your mind out of the gutter!), so I got myself a couple of ergonomic mice. I’m happy to say that I don’t have an aching wrist from extensive mouse usage anymore although……..I can’t be too sure about the pain in my wrist for that other thing, though!
