TM favourite freefall gestures

[Linas120 0]

Hey, tandem masters,

What are your "own" favourite or most funny freefall gestures or facial expressions while jumping with cameraman? "Thumbs up" does not count, everybody does that Please, share images or just describe them

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[matthewcline 0]

It depends on my mood.

But when a college crew is out as a rush event I try to learn the hand gesture for the house and "sign" it in freefall for the students video (in case they forget too)

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[johnny1488 1]

I saw a co worker do one the other day, covering his eyes with one hand and crossing his fingers for a good thousand of feet or two.

Sleeping on their head is too.

in the plane looking at the connections real confused like and missing the hook like 10 times in a row.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[AFFI 0]

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when a college crew is out as a rush event I try to learn the hand gesture for the house and "sign" it in freefall for the students video (in case they forget too)

That is a good idea - afterall, it is all about the student right?

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[Linas120 0]

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afterall, it is all about the student right?

I fully agree with you. All the fun part of the TM should not place him as the main character of the video, it should just contribute to the good emotions of the student (maybe provoke them a little bit, if a student cannot relax and have fun otherwise).

[steveorino 7]

I guess that idea is subjective. I've videoed lots of TMs over the years and some made the video boring --- it looked like THEY were bored. Others made it look fun and some made it look silly.

Donna Wright was always fun to video as she made it look fun (to me) So did Terry Goode. Plus I think my "Helen Keller, Tandem Master" for a few seconds is funny and all the tandem students love it.

steveOrino

[peek 21]

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What are your "own" favourite or most funny freefall gestures or facial expressions while jumping with cameraman? "Thumbs up" does not count, everybody does that

I prefer the ones related to training the student.

[slotperfect 7]

Paying customers: it is all about the student. I try and remove as much of my own personality from the photos and video as possible. I just relax and fly a nice and easy platform for the student to ham it up as much as they want (I give them several suggestions on the ground). I will make thumbs up or peace signs with my hands and just smile wide like I'm having fun (which - of course - I am). If it's a birthday or something I might point at the student and mouth "happy birthday" to the camera or something short. I try and personalize the skydive for each student as much as I can.

I also wear mirrored goggles. "The eyes are the windows to the soul;" if I take my eyes out of the pictures/video, the viewer can concentrate on the personality and emotions of the student. I still look cool hanging out above, but the student's facial expressions stand out.

For family and friends I will get a little more animated . . . moose antlers, etc. Various goofyness.

With everybody: unless there is something else going on (concern about a spot, an unruly student body position, special handling required for the student, etc.) I will normally geek the camera after releasing the drogue. The student is rarely looking at the camera at that point, so I can steal a little photo op.

One of my early tandem mentors ALWAYS looks incredibly cool in EVERY picture I see of him doing tandems. I asked him why he always looks so cool in all his pictures - he says from the time he gets in the door until the camera is shut off after landing, he just puts a big old smile on his face. I try to do that as well. My landing faces are pretty ugly though.

Arrive Safely

John

[cpoxon 0]

Quote

Hey, tandem masters,

What are your "own" favourite or most funny freefall gestures or facial expressions while jumping with cameraman? "Thumbs up" does not count, everybody does that Please, share images or just describe them

I know it should be all about the student (although I am with Steve a little bit in that sometimes it can be boring, I've sat in with family and friends watching the video where they have lost interest after watching 30 seconds of their nearest and dearest doing nothing, despite prompting), but sometimes I just can't help doing the "dog with it's head out of the car window" look

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[matthewcline 0]

Why yes it is!

It has also helped bring in a few repeat customers.

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[Linas120 0]

Haha, tried some of these over this weekend. That was fun for sure, both for me and the passenger

[Sockpuppet 0]

Glad to see at least someone posted a pic of the "metal" horns.

------
Two of the three voices in my head agree with you. It might actually be unanimous but voice three only speaks Welsh.

[JJohnson 0]

Most of geeking the camera is done in the plane....Reading my "Parachute Instruction Manual" or Bible behind the student's back while looking afraid.

I try to get the student to ham it up with me in the air. I'll try to get them flap their arms like their flying, or doing the breast stroke. I may join in with them or maybe cross myself and pray behind them. If they are haming it up, I lay back and do little.

Really depends on the student. Make them look good.

JJ

"Call me Darth Balls"

[docdialtone 0]

Our DZM and my stepdaughter on her 18th B-Day, we love these pics!

[docdialtone 0]

Ok I think I got em resized this time

[skydiver30960 0]

One thing I always used to keep in mind (I'm on the wagon right now): remember that anytime you move your hands in or out, you change your attitude and fall rate and make the videographer work harder. I've worked with TI's who use every single gesture in the book in rapid succession. The result is a video that is more about the instructor than the student, and is out of frame about half the time since the vidiot is working so hard due to all the fallrate changes.

I'm smiling the whole time, thumbs up or whatever, watching the altimeter, and giving a firm waveoff....

Elvisio "they paid the big bucks let it be about them" Rodriguez

[docjohn 0]

One of my favorites

Doc
http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

[bill6870 3]

On the Strong system like in the pic the student and instructor drogue release handles are both on the right side. Doesn't that particular gesture allow the student to grab you're right arm preventing main deployment and only leaving you with deploying the reserve with the drogue deployed? The picture might be reversed because it looks like the reserve handle is on the right side. If the picture is reversed do you really want your student to be able to grab your last chance? Not criticizing just asking, I am very new to tandems with only seven hundred in my log book. Please people with more experience than me way in, is this a good idea or a bad idea? I know what I believe now please give me your opinion. Isn’t this the students video, shouldn’t he or she be the star?

Blue Skies

[peckerhead 0]

As a videographer I wish you guys would knock that shit off. The video is about the student , it is not about you. You may think it is cute but when you watch the video it takes the attention away from the star of the show.

Just do your job, smile, and pay attention to the skydive. The student paid for an instuctor not a circus clown.

[steveorino 7]

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As a videographer I wish you guys would knock that shit off. The video is about the student , it is not about you. You may think it is cute but when you watch the video it takes the attention away from the star of the show.

Just do your job, smile, and pay attention to the skydive. The student paid for an instuctor not a circus clown.

I guess that is where it is subjective. I've had the opportunity to film a lot of TMs before became one. Some looked so bored you had to think their job was the worst in the world, and it distracted from the excitement of the video. Some did so many antics -- fly, swim, , etc. it destroyed the video, plus made it almost impossible to keep a decent fall rate. Then there were those that smiled, made one or two simple gestures that added to the fun. Give me the latter.

steveOrino

[Peej 0]

I couldn't agree with you more, a big part of getting repeat business from the student is having a good relationship with a lively TI. We make very sure that we chat to our students on the ground and in the plane and we tell them that it is their video, they can do whatever they want, give me the finger, wave, blow kisses, thumbs up, go swimming and a lot of them dig that.

First and foremost though we make sure that we go out and the TI gets their faces into the sun and then we take it from there. My TI also makes sure that his hands aren't obstructing the student's face at any time, i hate nothing more than having a TI give a thumbs up in front of the student's face

I agree though that i don't like them going overboard on the gestures, one or two max.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[Fast 0]

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As a videographer I wish you guys would knock that shit off. The video is about the student , it is not about you. You may think it is cute but when you watch the video it takes the attention away from the star of the show.

Just do your job, smile, and pay attention to the skydive. The student paid for an instuctor not a circus clown.

I guess that is where it is subjective. I've had the opportunity to film a lot of TMs before became one. Some looked so bored you had to think their job was the worst in the world, and it distracted from the excitement of the video. Some did so many antics -- fly, swim, , etc. it destroyed the video, plus made it almost impossible to keep a decent fall rate. Then there were those that smiled, made one or two simple gestures that added to the fun. Give me the latter.

I agree. Too much makes the video suck, but a lot of the time nothing is just plain boring. I try to work out some kind of routine with the TM though and that helps.

I as a video guy always give two thumbs up to the people I am shooting video of. They do it back about 99% of the time and it makes for a nice picture. I don't mind when the TIs do stuff so long as the tandem pair sits mostly still. When it is rocking around the video looks like shit.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[peckerhead 0]

[steveorino 7]

agreed. But come on man, 3 seconds of the Helen Keller (blind) TM is always good.

steveOrino

[Squeak 17]

Quote

As a videographer I wish you guys would knock that shit off. The video is about the student , it is not about you. You may think it is cute but when you watch the video it takes the attention away from the star of the show.

Just do your job, smile, and pay attention to the skydive. The student paid for an instuctor not a circus clown.

I was thinking the same thing, alot of the pics are great
BUT
the are all centred and focused on the TM, most of the students are located in the bottom tthird of the frame, and are not thr focal point at all.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
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