Balanced and Steady.

by Tim Nixon/ Baughan Productions, Inc.

Shooting hand-held video with any camera is the fastest and most creative way to get the shot.

A shoulder mounted motion picture camera or a Betacam and a wide angle lens was the best set-up. My colleagues and I shot from skis and helicopters, ran through crowds and shot that way a lot, thanks to MTV and the 'shakey cam" style. It was great for events, documentaries, network news, and sports competitions.

Then palm-held video cameras came out. They were great for thrill cams and second unit cameras, but they were too twitchy when used hand-held. "Twitchy cam" made people sick.

No perfect solution existed that would meet our needs for getting hand-held shots with these palm-held video cameras.

The ultimate device would be quick to use, relatively light and extremely versatile. Like a swiss army knife or a multi-tool for cameras. It also had to be transparent, so nothing that drew unwanted attention from the public.

That is when I started inventing. I addressed the small size issue of palm-held video cameras by developing a horizontal handle called Levelcam. It reduces twitches and shakes through leverage and does not get in the way of controlling the camera. There's a flat platform to put the wireless mic and the harddrive.

We all liked Levelcam but wanted more. Why not shoulder mount the palm-held camera?

How about a "perfectly balanced" shoulder mounted camera? The best balanced system for a camera is the Steadycam. But it is grossly unbalanced for the operator. When shooting a high budget production, it's the best, but generally, it's too much of a hassle. Balance is the key, but it shouldn't come at such a high price.

Balancing the weight for both the camera and the operator was the next challenge. Since its going to be the ultimate hand-held device, throw in fast set-up, cost as little as a day rate and it should fit in a tripod bag.

The solution is called Levelpod and it connects to the Levelcam handle. Its design makes it much more than a balanced shoulder mount. It allows for reaching over and between people and objects. Its balanced weight floats on the shoulder and in the hands. It's a versatile multi-tool with many configurations. There's a built-in monopod that extends to over most people's heads and it can replace a tripod for some situations.

Think about the audio guys with boom poles. You can get the same angles, most of them counterweighted. Get steady high shots and reach over and around people and objects. It's simply incredible.

Levelcam also works with quick release plates so a palm-held video camera can be hand-held with Levelcam, snapped onto Levelpod and then transferred to existing tripods with an inexpensive adapter.

Levelpod is the ultimate solution for palm-held video cameras. It can be used with little instruction and the more it's used, the better it gets. As a full time videographer, I cannot get decent hand-held shots without these tools. Not only are my hand-held shots looking smoother and more dynamic, it's the most fun I've ever had shooting.

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Tim Nixon is a full time video producer and owner of Baughan Productions, Inc. and holds a B.S. in Communications/ Media-Video from Fitchburg State College, MA, 1982.

Examples of his work are at www.baughan.com

Video Productions used with Levelpod and Levelcam.

Ann Lukacs with Levelpod

Scenic's, Sports and Lifestyle shots

Getting extreme shots where a tripod does not dare to go is where Levelpod excels. Imagine scouting for the perfect shot with the video camera ready to roll at all times. Adjust the framing of the shot as it happens without being anchored to a tripod. Direct the talent without putting the camera down. Experiment with different angles and rapidly add to your shot list. Shoot the subject close-up, not from a distance. Know instantly if the shot looks good and then press the record button. Discover that you really are a creative genius and handling that tripod cramps your style. That's a wrap!

Video News Releases

Levelpod has shot parades, interviewed many people, documented works of art, covered grand openings, and even impending environmental disasters. Shooting generally starts at 10AM, and it's edited, beamed via satellite and posted on the internet by 3PM.

Documentary/ Heroes of the Slopes

"Heroes of the Slopes" is a one hour documentary about top disabled skiers. The "Levelcam" video camera support stabilizer was used with a Sony PDX-10 during the complete production over a two year period. Most of the shots and interviews were on the ski slopes of Colorado and the backcountry of Aspen and Loveland Pass.

Reality Show/ This Job is a Trip

This show helped to perfect the "Levelcam" video camera support stabilizer, starting with a shoot in Steamboat, CO. Three camera people were running around grabbing shots of everything that moved with no stabilizers. Their cameras were always shaking and twisting. The "Levelcam" inventor decided that a new prototype had to be developed for these reality type shows. From this shoot on, "Levelcam" was a standard part of the inventors camera package. Several more episodes of this show were used with Levelcam mounted to the Panasonic 100A.

Reality Show/ Amazing Race-type Corporate Video

A Sony HDV Z1U with the Levelcam video camera support stabilizer. Two Sennheiser mic receivers were strapped to it and were separated on Levelcam to reduce frequency cross talk. Cameraman had to run ahead of the contestants and shoot them coming and going. They never had to wait for camera, unless there was a tape change. Two days of running and leapfrogging the talent resulted in a lot of steady shots.

Weddings

A wedding is the perfect place for Levelcam and Levelpod. Every other shot is handheld or on a tripod. Handheld for people being seated in the church. Tripod for the ceremony. Room for the wireless receivers on Levelcam. Then Levelpod for the never ending reception when the mother of the bride asks you to stay just a little longer.

Home Movies

Shoot long segments of subjects doing whatever they are doing without excessive camera movement with Levelcam and Levelpod. They allow you to move easily and the subjects learn to ignore the camcorder and let life happen. Shoot sports: Soccer, skiing, swimming, gymnastics, playing on zip lines, rafting, camping, looking for pollywogs, whatever.

This was shot in under one hour with Levelcam on a rainy Sunday morning: