New at Tandem Video

[piahenzi 0]

Okay - a lot of you have already helped me with editing et al components and I thank you again for your input and guidance. Now comes the jumping part. Any tips and tricks on the flying/exit etc? I've only done 3 tandems (practice jumps) and learned so far that this is a whole new ballgame... which brings a new challenge I have a camera jacket with relatively large wings, freefly suit (which I did my best in) and a shorty suit with small wings so I can dress for success depending on the situation/tandem fall rate. I was using a .45 lens which I have for 4-way vid. I also have a .3 for freefly vid but I think I need to stick with the .45 for now. I have also been told to work belly first and then with experience go to sit (altho that is my better discipline).
Any tips, tricks and just plain advice is welcome - anything that worked for you that will shave time/practice jumps and have me ready for 2008 season appreciated.

[DSE 5]

Exit...from rear float, track upwards like hell from the moment you release.
You'll probably eventually use a head-down style exit where your shoulder rolls under as you're looking up at the student, and then roll into your sit, but I'd work on keeping close to the tandem for now.

Don't get all caught up in shooting only the student's face close up. Give 'em some shots that show the surrounding environment/ground.

The .3 will require you to be fairly close for a filled frame, I'd also recommend you stick with a .45 or .5...
Large wings? As small as you are, you don't likely need them. Maybe if you're wearing weights?

I'd agree with "start with belly and work towards sit/backfly." I started belly, then went to sit with bigger wing, now working on backfly when not doing paid jumps.

Then again...what the hell do I know? I'm still learning the flying parts.

[BMFin 0]

Im no pro, but what I have found easy and effective is to exit headdown to the relative wind with the tandem (launch your self to the side so you wont end up crashing the tandem..) and as soon as the drogue goes you just flip to your belly and there it is. Some TM´s take more time before they release the drogue, so this is a good way to keep the tandem close all the time even if theres a delay with the drogue..

I posted you a small sample video here on the DZ.com vids, but cant post the link yet becouse it has not been validated yet... Anyway it will be under the tandems..

[davelepka 4]

Whatever happens, don't get above the tandem ever. Especially on exit, becasue the drouge will be taking up that space soon. Then again at pull time, if you're above them the drouge will be the least of your problems.

If you're going to err on your exit timing, do it by getting off too early, not too late. If you do miss the count, don't rush off the plane. Hang on, let the tandem go by and give them 1/2 sec or so get away from the plane, THEN peel off and chase them down. This will help keep you out range of the drouge bridle.


Once the drouge is out, it's not that tough. They're not really going anywhere, just move in and do your thing. If you have a beeper, set it for 1000 ft above the tandem pull altitude, so you know it's coming and can be in your slot when the TM is ready to pull the drouge release.

[piahenzi 0]

Drogue - yeah, I got that briefing before I went ( I have lurked on some pre-vid with friends) and have a healthy respect for that. Exit is the main problem for me right now. I have been so used to rear float with the 4-way video that I started this summer, that the front float "money shot" is elluding me right now. Good advice to wait it out if late...
Audible setting also good tip - I found myself late to leave /pull back on the last one and had to turn and track - therefore not getting the opening sequence on vid.

[davelepka 4]

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I have been so used to rear float with the 4-way video that I started this summer, that the front float "money shot" is elluding me right now

The money shot is in a different place for each and every tandem. Sometimes you can get it from anywhere.

Just depending on the time of day, and direction of jump run, the position of the sun will dictate the money shot.

The type of exit each TM uses will also alter the best exit slot.

You can do great things from rear float. There's no reason to be way back on the rear edge of the camera step though, you can be right on top of them with a foot in the rear corner of the door (if ti helps you).

Front float only seems to work if you're going to exit either head down or on your back. Maybe give-in, and rear float with a belly-fly exit for awhile just to get used to being on the hill with tandems, and seeing where they (and the drouge) go.

Keep in mind that many of the full-time video guys you see around the DZ will do 8 or 10 tandem videos a day out of the same plane, with the same bunch of instructors. That's a lot of practice, and a lot of uniformity in what they do. It's easy to hone your skills, and shoot your best under those circumstances.

Give yourself time to learn, and remember that a safe conservative plan (like exiting early) will produce a nice, quality video that a customer will be thrilled to take home. Learn to shoot those, and get yourself a position on the video staff. Then work on your fine tuning, and worry about the kind of quality that would take another vidiot to notice.

[piahenzi 0]

Give yourself time to learn, and remember that a safe conservative plan (like exiting early) will produce a nice, quality video that a customer will be thrilled to take home. Learn to shoot those, and get yourself a position on the video staff. Then work on your fine tuning, and worry about the kind of quality that would take another vidiot to notice.
_______________________________________
Thank you - I think that's the part I really need to hear. I tend to expect too much from myself too early in the game. Luckily I do have a slot in the Vid room but that adds to the pressure to start producing asap. :) Rear float it is for a while...
P-

[davelepka 4]

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I tend to expect too much from myself too early in the game. Luckily I do have a slot in the Vid room but that adds to the pressure to start producing asap. :)

I see this sort of thing a lot. Usually it's when a new girl starts jumping, then a staff member will start dating them, and the new girl ends up hanging out in the video room all the time.

Next thing you know, they start getting down on themselves if they don't stand-up a landing, or their accuracy is a little off. The probem is that end up comparing themsleves to the people they hang out with, and at my DZ the video staff is made up of the most experienced jumpers on the field.

You've got plenty of jumps, but just a handful of tandem videos. Remember that when you debrief your videos, and remember what I said about the 'home field advantage' the existing video staff has when you compare your work to theirs.

Also, keep in mind that while you might like to see breathtaking footage from every jump, the customer will be happy with an adequate video documentation of their skydive. As long as the customer is happy, you are 'producing'.

Don't forget that the footage you shoot on the ground and in the plane makes up more than half of the finished product, so make sure you put the same forethought and effort into that as you do the in-air footage.

[Peej 0]

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Don't forget that the footage you shoot on the ground and in the plane makes up more than half of the finished product, so make sure you put the same forethought and effort into that as you do the in-air footage.

That's a nugget right there. I've seen plenty of guys who can fly the pants off me and a lot of the cameramen i work with, the shots they get in the air are simply amazing, but there's so little thought that goes into the rest of the videos that they end up really disappointing.

I also hear the argument from a lot of experienced guys that "oh, after the customer has watched the video five times all they ever do is fast forward to the freefall anyway" but i firmly believe that an entertaining video from start to finish goes a long way further than just cool freefall footage.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[piahenzi 0]

Luckily I am wayyyyyy old enough to be past the "groupie" stage of my life :) There are blessings in ageing...
Ground footage - true enough!! I figured I shld start at the beginning so the three practice jumps I did also included the ground/plane vid practice which takes a lot more than one expects at first (especially if you want to avoid heavy editing) and the experienced guys and (and chicks) make it looks so effortless. Like you said and I have to remember every time, I have to give myself some breathing room.. I did not put down my first or even my thirteenth 270 exactly where I wanted...
Many good thoughts and observations.. thank you!!

[Laszloimage 0]

Pia Darling,
If you show me those exit shots I'll be more than happy to tell you how to improve it.
From the OTTER for tandems front float is the best and safest bacause this way you're always under and front of the tandem. The TM/I can see you all the time.
Plus the costumer appriciates the face shot during the exit. See the attached pictures. I took the first one from the door as the tandem exiting with a front floating camera person (Carol Sternberg)
The second shows how it actually looks when you froont float (Debbie&Bernadette)
-Laci-
-Laci-

[piahenzi 0]

Oh, decisions, decisions.. and here I was going for rear float as of yday... Oren also told me to get front float down asap but I need some more flying skills/practice as well as getting in tune with the headgear/aim/timing etc. I have been doing just the vid these first three jumps and lost the tandem for a few seconds after the exit. . Once I get a few more exits with stills under my belt, I will definitely take you up on some help.

[Laszloimage 0]

You'll get it, you're a good skydiver with plenty of experince and good atitude.

[Rover 11]

Watch the passengers neck as the TI calls for head back. If the neck muscles are tense and the head tends to push forward, the passenger is not relaxed and there is a more likely chance of an 'interesting' exit.

2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do.