Director Dave Deperro is standing where he needs to be to ask questions and maintain the correct eyeline, while simultaneously monitoring a live stream of Chris’ Steadicam shot.   From a production for Americans for Prosperity, in Richmond VA.   Photo: David Aronson

We provide remote monitoring for our Steadicam shots to provide directors and clients the ability to view our shot in real-time, while standing anywhere on set.  No longer do directors, producers and clients need to follow the Steadicam around set, and risk getting in the shot or creating unwanted noise with their footsteps, just so that they can monitor the shot.   No more waiting for the Steadicam operator to hang up the rig and playback footage after each take.  As soon as you see that we’ve gotten the shot that you want, you can immediately move on to the next shot.

We use two different technologies to provide live monitoring, depending on the needs of the production:

Teradek Cube to iPad

We use Teradek Cube encoders to wirelessly transmit a compressed signal via Wi-fi to any iPhone or iPad on set.   This is the best option if the director stays in the same general vicinity as the Steadicam, which is usually the case.   There is a slight transmission delay (less than 0.5 seconds), and audio from the camera is not transmitted the iPad.

Teradek Bolt to SDI Monitor

We use Teradek Bolt Pro transmitters to wirelessly transmit the full 3G-SDI to any HD-SDI monitor on set, with zero latency.   This is the best option if you have set up a video village and the director doesn’t need to move around much.   The full 3G-SDI signal is needed for precise color monitoring and camera shading.  The zero delay transmission is needed if you are integrating the Steadicam into a live switch, or for iMag, or if the director needs perfect lip sync to assess how good an actor’s delivery is.

Teradek Bolt + Teradek Cube

On larger sets with larger budgets, you can combine the two technologies and get the best of both worlds:  3G-SDI, zero latency signal, plus the ability to transmit to multiple iPads on set.

 Audio Monitoring

When needed, we can provide a feed of the audio wirelessly to the director.

In a pinch, a director can plug directly into the camera on the Steadicam to monitor audio. It’s not the preferred method, though, as it can contribute to instability in the shot and greatly limits the movement of the Steadicam operator.