I’m have been skydiving for almost a year now and go so addicted ive done just over 200 jumps now. Im about to start looking into camera flying because ive decided that i am going to use my flying from now on as training to become a camera flyer one day. Could anyone answer these questions for me. Should i start by using a small camera to train or doesn’t it matter to much? How hard is it to get work,is there a que at most dropzones of people waiting for the next job to come avalible? How many jumps should i get before i should think about buying a decent camera and stills camera? How do you start training on filming tandems? Can you pay at certain drop zones to jump with the tandem and film for free? Does any drop zone take people on for a work placement? Any other information you think would help me would be great as this is my dream life filming for work and im going to do everything i need to get good enough.
Re: [james28] Camera flyer work questions
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>How do you start training on filming tandems?
An excellent way is to _do_ tandems or AFF. That gets you a lot of practice staying with students, and anticipating what they will do. Another good way is to film beginning 4-way teams. Do a few hundred jumps with beginner 4-way and that will give you a lot of experience with shifting formations, changing fallrates etc.
Tunnel time to work on basic bodyflight (fall rate control, 4-way moves) is also useful. Most of what you'll use as a tandem videographer is RW (belly) bodyflight, so that's most important to work on.
I'd also recommend learning to sitfly. It will be a while before you use that sort of skill for video, but it will teach you to fly in more than one orientation, and that's helpful overall.
>Can you pay at certain drop zones to jump with the tandem and film for free?
That's going to tend to set off alarm bells for many tandem masters. "I'm not good enough to get paid for this - but can I jump with you?" Make sure you have the skills to stay with the tandem/clear their airspace before asking about something like this.
>How hard is it to get work
Depends on the time of year. In the off season at most busier DZ's (Perris etc) they have more instructors/video people than jobs. Early on in the season is generally the best time. For you, sounds like you'll want to spend the next year training and getting ready; that may put you in a good position to start asking around in Spring 2011. (assuming you are northern hemisphere at a seasonal DZ.)
Re: [billvon] Camera flyer work questions
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Thanks for the great info
>Can you pay at certain drop zones to jump with the tandem and film for free?
That's going to tend to set off alarm bells for many tandem masters. "I'm not good enough to get paid for this - but can I jump with you?" Make sure you have the skills to stay with the tandem/clear their airspace before asking about something like this.
What i mean is when i get good enough at filming how do i move onto filming tandems as a job.
surely it will take a number of tandem film jumps before you could aply for a job filming them and how do most do it?
Re: [billvon] Camera flyer work questions
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>Can you pay at certain drop zones to jump with the tandem and film for free?
That's going to tend to set off alarm bells for many tandem masters. "I'm not good enough to get paid for this - but can I jump with you?" Make sure you have the skills to stay with the tandem/clear their airspace before asking about something like this.
Huh? How else does anyone get practice shooting tandem videos other than paying their own slot and filming some? I think the first few should be with no camera at all... just going out with some tandems to see how they fly. But your first paid jump should definitely not be your first tandem video.
Dave
(This post was edited by pilotdave on Nov 1, 2009, 8:16 PM)
Re: [james28] Camera flyer work questions
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That's going to tend to set off alarm bells for many tandem masters. "I'm not good enough to get paid for this - but can I jump with you?" Make sure you have the skills to stay with the tandem/clear their airspace before asking about something like this.
James, The issues shouldnt be SAFETY of the student. The Ym you jump with should know if you are a SAFE jumper. However, there is a whole lot more involved with flying with/near the student and keeping them in a "Sellable" frame.
You can go film a few of your friends to get an idea of where you need to focus at different distances.
Re: [james28] Camera flyer work questions
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The whole process isn't as formal as you're trying to make it.
To start off, once you're ready to start jumping with a camera (do a search on that topic), set yourself up with a video camera and helmet. Then jump with other licensed jumpers, filming whatever RW jumps you can. This is how you get the hang of framing stuff and maintaining proximity.
Once you can produce a reasonable quality RW video, you do two things - one of them is to introduce a still camera to your RW jumps. Learn how to set it, and get used to taking pictures while you shoot video.
(This is where you can make a couple bucks. If you're shooting nice footage, you can charge a few bucks for a dub of the video, or a print of a still.)
The other thing you do is to sit down with the head camera flyer, and go over the procedures and safety related items with regards to jumping with tandems. Then sit down with a TI, and have the same talk.
Now you're set to jump with tandems who didn't get video, so you can get the hang of things. Start off without the still camera, and just like RW, work your way up to jumping both cameras with a tandem.
Once you can consistantly produce a nice video, you can either see if the DZ you've been training at will put you on staff, or take all of your 'good' tandem footage, and use it as a resume to start hunting for a job.
Re: [james28] Camera flyer work questions
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Also keep in mind that the manufactures are recommending 500 jumps to jump with a tandem pair now. Not sure how many dz's are following this but the few that I have talked to are following this recommendation.
Re: [billvon] Camera flyer work questions
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Huh? How else does anyone get practice shooting tandem videos other >than paying their own slot and filming some?
>1) Get to know TM outside of the school; do a few jumps with him so he's familiar with your flying skills.
Like Dave said get proficient at filming RW groups. not just above them, but below and off to the side much like a tandem vid wold be. (but let the rw group know what you are doing) and I wouldn't do that until you safely fly the normal RW slot
>2) Do a few jumps with him while he is doing tandems without camera.
Definately! If you have never flown with a tandem, don't go out with one with cameras on to "see" how you do! It is NOT just another skydive!
>3) Do a few jumps with him _with_ camera and evaluate the result.
Make sure it is one of the more experienced TM's at the dz. If you are a novice vidiot and they are a novice TM not a good scenario.
