Blog

So, we recently tried out our new Glidetracks from Scotland.  (We think it’s particularly cool that they’re made in Scotland, BTW.)  We’re excited about implementing them in our field production.  There are all kinds of uses, but the most obvious is the fact that adding slow, subtle movement can dramatically increase production value—especially when paired with the shallow field of a DSLR.  In our first test shoot, we used camera one for typical interview framing, and camera two on the Glidetrack.  Here are some selects from camera two:

Glidetrack Selects | CCC Interviews from ProlifikFilms on Vimeo.

We learned a couple of things.  First, due to the lightweight nature of the DSLR (even with the Zeiss lens and all the accessories) it takes some practice being able to create smooth moves.  This isn’t a drawback of the Glidetrack—just something to practice and get used to.  The good news is that we mostly used camera two for short, establishing shots & it worked nicely cut together with the camera one footage.

Secondly, due to the challenges with DSLR LCD screens (low-resolution and the inability to tilt), Nick ended up in a terribly uncomfortable position, with limited range of motion.  This LOOKS like a smile on his face, but he’s actually wincing from the back pain:

It was a hard day for Nick, but now that we know how awkward that LCD makes things, it should be an easy fix.  The new Marshall V-LCD70XP-HDMI in the hot shoe mount will free up the operator to stand normally & be able to create smooth, full moves.  The monitor & battery will add a little more weight, which could end up helping with the first challenge.

We agree with other reviewers that the Glidetrack is a powerful creative tool—especially for the price.  With a full-size video camera, the moves would be amazing right out of the box.  We added a few more things to the “challenges-when-shooting-with-a-DSLR” list, but thankfully new solutions are coming out every day.  And a few generations of DSLR’s from now & we’ll all look back at this time period and have a good laugh.

We’ll add the Marshall to the mix & post more samples soon!