User Manual
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PLATE. We recommend that you do not exceed 2 G’s of acceleration when handling and operating your
Glidecam GOLD SLED. Also, the Glidecam GOLD SLED is not intended for use under water, nor does
it work under water. The GOLD SLED is not waterproof, so avoid direct exposure to rain or water spray.
Also the BEARINGS are not sand and dirt proof, so avoid getting dirt or sand into them. The GOLD
SLED is not arctic weather proof and if used in extreme cold the bearings could cease to operate. (See
Bearing Maintenance)
SHOOTING STYLES
For NORMAL SHOOTING, hold the GLIDECAM GOLD SLED with your GUIDING HAND at the
point just below the CENTRAL BEARING on the GIMBAL TUBE as mentioned in previous sections.
This placement of the GUIDING HAND will allow you to slowly or rapidly PAN or TILT your camera,
while still producing smooth and shake free images. It is this position that will allow you to shoot smooth
shots when walking or running with the SLED. NOTE: Make sure that your GUIDING HAND and/or
wrist do not touch the GIMBAL's MAIN BEARING ASSEMBLY and/or YOKES during shooting, for
doing so can cause unstable shooting.
For UNCONVENTIONAL SHOTS, like ones that require aiming the camera either straight up or down,
sideways, or angled as in a Dutch type shot, you can try holding the SLED with your GUIDING HAND
on a LOWER portion of the CENTRAL SUPPORT POST. With your hand in this position your
GUIDING HAND will have a greater degree of control over the SLED while shooting at strange angles
etc. It is this position that might allow you the smoothest shots when shooting very erratic shots, like
shots simulating the point of view of someone who is drunk, or shots where you are trying to simulate the
point of view of a bird flying through a house etc.
Also, the GUIDING HAND positions for shooting NORMAL or UNCONVENTIONAL shots can be
interchanged in the middle of a shooting sequence.
PROFESSIONAL USAGE
If you are going to use the Glidecam GOLD SLED to shoot professional footage, and you plan on
incorporating them into a short film, a feature length movie, or some sort of commercial, industrial or
video project, then we suggest that you have an assistant help you, and we suggest that you plan your
shots out in advance, and rehearse the camera movement a few times before shooting. Don't forget that
the motion of what you are shooting, be it actors, cars, etc., should be taken into consideration when you
rehearse and shoot the scene. Careful staging and blocking of all elements involved in the shoot will go a
long way in making your footage look professional. Again, the use of an assistant is very important. An
assistant can help setup and maintain the equipment, and is very important for safety. A typical example
of the need for an assistant is when you are shooting when walking backwards. In a case as this you
would need the assistant to guide you to make sure you did not hit any obstacles etc.
SELF TRAINING TECHNIQUES: One of the best ways to train yourself to shoot perfectly smooth
and accurate shots using your Glidecam is to use some removable adhesive tape to place a reference cross
(not an "X") on a wall. Make the cross big enough so that even when you are 40 feet or so away from it
you can still see it on your video monitor. Next, make a small cross with tape on your video monitor
screen. With both of these reference crosses in place you can now walk towards or away from the cross
on the wall while using the cross on your monitor to accurately align your shots. Think of the cross on
your monitor as similar to the crosshairs on a rifle targeting scope. When you are able to approach or