I so apologize for my lack of posting but between work and a damaged roof on my house in Atlanta, I haven't had much spare time. I just came off an allnighter and am trying to recover (it gets harder every year). Alexa- I always love hearing from you. You ask great questions and are obviously going places. I got your email and will answer, I promise, when I have more time. Wick is in town and I'm going to try to get together with him this week, even if I can just get him out to set. Otherwise, I'm trying to spend some down time this weekend and recuperate before it all starts up again. Thank all of you for your contributions to this page and for reading. Once I get caught up on real life, I'll be back with a real post. Oh yeah, we tried out a few pieces of GI Track this week, thanks tro Gil and the guys at General Lift. It worked great and I'll give you a call, Gil, later this weekend. Please visit Gil's website at gitrack.com and check it out. It really does ride like a dream. That's all for now. I'll try and catch up later this week.
D
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What We Do Here.....
The art of Dolly Gripping is like no other job in the world. It falls to us to work out the mechanics of a particular shot, as well as offer a smooth, aesthetically pleasing move which makes the shot work and delivers emotion to the scene. It's the ultimate blend of engineering and art. This website is a place for professionals in motion picture camera platform movement to meet and swap tips, stories, and gripe a little about the difficulties we often face, but rarely get to talk about among ourselves. It's also a place for aspiring Dolly Grips to learn a little something from the old pros. So, welcome. Look around and join our little community. The site is run by myself, D, and Azurgrip, two guys who have each spent the last 20 years moving cameras around film sets. But it also benefits from the readership and participation of hundreds of Dolly and Key Grips from around the world, men and women who have helped deliver some of the most memorable and beautiful moving shots on film. So if you have any questions, please ask. You can ask questions or make comments on our message forum, which is below, just above the photos, or email us at dollygrippery at gmail dot com. We, or one of the experienced grips who frequent this site will answer.
If you're looking for something in particular, please check out the "Links" section. Everything from equipment in India, to glamour shots of grips can be found there.
What you won't find here: How to make a dolly out of plywood, info on the Wa11y Dolly, anything about how to move a boat.
If you're looking for something in particular, please check out the "Links" section. Everything from equipment in India, to glamour shots of grips can be found there.
What you won't find here: How to make a dolly out of plywood, info on the Wa11y Dolly, anything about how to move a boat.
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13 comments:
As a previous user of Gil's GI Track (and mighty biased as you can tell in my posts), I'd really be interested in hearing your thoughts on it!
D,
Leaving Atlanta today. We'll catch up soon, I look forward to seeing you and Simon (and anybody else in town).
>>"Alexa- I always love hearing from you. You ask great questions and are obviously going places."
Heeeey.... why do the chicks get all the love??
(I am completely joking -- I know Alexa well and have hired her on many occasions. She's a sweetheart).
On a more pertinent note:
I have a question. I have never used the GI Track. I hear you rave about them. What makes them so good? Is there something that sets them apart from from other aluminum precision track, such as from Chapman-Leonard, Fisher, SGS or Cinegrip? A lot of the time, track decisions come down to location, I feel, (as long as you're not getting an individual's 10-ton package, for example), but what would be the particular reason to send away for GI Track, for instance, rather than something you have locally? (assuming you have none in your neck of the woods).
[That being said, everything I've heard about and read tells me that Gil's stuff is great]
Hi D,
Good to see you are back at your keyboard. My brother is an architect in Atlanta, incase you need help with your roof ;)
I have just come off a crazy 8 night shoot for a commercial and am recovering a little from the jet lag that invariably comes with night shoots.
I am waiting to try GI track. Have heard a lot of good things about it, and almost bought some.
If anyone hears of any good new products, please use this site to share it with us all. Its also a great way to ratify if something works well or not !
DW - You can search our previous posts here on the topic of GI Track, but off the top of my head:
I live / work in a town that all is available is FilmAir / Cinegrip track (FilmAIr moved here in the 90s from South Africa - the company split and half the company returned leaving Cinegrip here).
I find FilmAir too lightweight and you have to baby the care and storage of the track. It can't be repaired on the fly (everything is pop riveted or Loctited beyond use) and most rental houses don't look after it.
GI has the solidity that one needs for a proper tracking base. Yes, it's a little heavier, but if that's what it takes then so be it.
The track's caps are a godsend to fighting the gremlins of track joining. Yes, having to Cardelinni the caps from being forced apart are a pain, but well worth it in the end.
Gil's support is outstanding and he stands behind all that he sells - and damn it, he's a nice guy too!
How's that for a start? I'm still waiting to see what D has to say about it.
Who makes SGS?
SGS - Onno's Solid Grip?
Right -- there's a link at the bottom of this page :)
-DW
I've used GI Track. It's great. great idea. great system. everyone I know that has it loves it.
Hello All,
Yes, SGS is SolidGripSystems is BarTrack is Onno.
My own on-set-experiences with tracks is limited to Matthew (heavy en bendable) FilmAir (to lightweight and scratchy) Egripment (bulky). But if any one is willing to do a comparative test for tracks please let me know: I can send some pieces over...
Onno
What about Cadillac track? It's fairly heavy but that translates into durability and rigidity. It uses turnbuckles to join the track pieces - which means there's at least one piece that's easily replaceable. I've used it once but haven't the slightest idea who to contact/where to look for more info or to buy. I imagine it's a small operation which means it won't be easy to obtain out here in Detroit.
Thoughts?
hey guys, has anyone used the track from dragon grips in south africa?
check it out - http://www.dragongrips.com/precisiontracks.html
i'm thinking of buying some but have only worked with it once so i'm still unsure.
what do you think?
Heya All,
Every track-brand has it own pro's and cons. Main thing is that the joints are perfect and that they remain that way. If you can remove the joints and replace them with no hassle it is simply perfect (depending on the "no hassle") All the rest of the options, the likes and the dislikes you can work around with. (even a good carpenter can work with a brick, as long as it slams the nail...)
Pricing, lightweight, strength, baby-handling, swopping crossties, supports per meter, spanners/rachtets, foldable(scissor) or rigid, height of the profile, simplicity or not... etc. are all set to our own taste. Again; a surgeon can do appendix-removal with a blunt leatherman when neccesary....
Just my 2 cents from a non-native dutch guy who is manufacturing the BarTracks...
Hey Gang,
Cadillac track comes from Per Peterson here in Los Angeles. You can contact me for more info.
Chris
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