Superfletch

Thanks Spot... I'm actually very excited to try it out. I haven't even hooked my camera to Vegas yet, I've just got it all installed. Here's another question... Should I look into investing in an external DVD writer? Am I burning up my internal superdrive by burning literally 1000's of DVD's with it? Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

I still plan on using my Mac side MOST of the time. I'm completely comfortable with the environment and it does everything I need. I'm sure I'll do all my skydiving projects on the mac side as well. I'm hoping to gain a working knowledge of Final Cut. I use iMovie exclusively at the moment because it's so powerful and EASY. It amazes me how much more difficult a PROFESSIONAL editing suite is to use. Perhaps I'm over thinking it. But it's hard to move away from iMovie because of it's ease of use. I only installed the Vista partition for doing tandem videos in hopes of speeding up my workflow. As of now I'm spitting out a final product on the mac side in about 45 minutes. I'd like to cut that time by a significant amount. I just don't see how I can really do it any faster in iMovie. I'd like to be able to edit and hand to the customer and still make every other load. I also wanted to gain a better working knowledge of Windows. I don't do much gaming but I loved Call of Duty 4 on my mac, so I wanted to check out COD:WoW on the PC. Another question... If I were to go tapeless, What's the best way to archive my footage? I'd expect that it would be to purchase an external drive for archival purposes but I am unsure of the size... Would it be better to say get a 320GB-500GB for each season or just get a monster drive and fill it with as many seasons as I can. Since going to an NLE type of edit for videos I don't shoot as much video as I used to perhaps 4-6 minutes per vid. I think I used in the neighborhood of 12 tapes last year. (I'm at a small Cessna dropzone with 3 other video guys). How many GB's does 12 hours of footage generally take up? SD and HD? Thanks for all the input guys, I really appreciate it. I've been "winging" it for years now and I'd like to be more educated. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

What is Revolver? Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

Hey guys. I'm a long time Mac User and a ZERO windows user. I'd like some suggestions from some of you that perhaps are doing the same thing as me. I have a 17" MacBook Pro 2.4 Ghz Santa Rosa, 4GB RAM, Upgraded to a 320GB 7200rpm Internal HD with a LaCie 1TB FW800 external Drive. I've set up Boot Camp with a 100 GB Partition for my Windows Environment. Is this enough? Too Much? I do most of my editing in iMovie 6 HD and output with iDVD. I'd like to play around with FCE or Pro, but I just haven't got around to it yet. :P I burn my stills using Toast 10. I shoot with a Sony PC105 and a Rebel XT. I'm considering moving into HD perhaps and a tapeless work flow. But for now I'll stick with what I have. I've set up my mac for Dual Boot via Boot Camp. Mac OS X 10.5.6 & Windows Vista Ultimate. I have Fusion. If I'm understanding things correctly I can open my boot camp partition with Fusion in those cases where I might want to access my windows side via my mac. Anyone doing this? Does installing the Fusion Tools on the boot camp windows partition upset the Windows side of things when I boot up windows via Boot Camp. I haven't tried it yet and would like a bit more insight on the process before I do. My questions are: 1. I've installed Sony Vegas 8 and Nero 9 on my Vista Partition. Is there any other "must have" software for Windows that a Videographer would need? Is this software sufficient? What is the Media Manager software from Sony and should I worry about installing it? 2. Am I on the right track here? What sort of "complications" should I look for and try to avoid on the Windows side of things? 3. If I do decide to go tapeless with say a CX100 or something, what's the best way to get the "vids" into my computer. Will my USB 2.0 card reader be sufficient or should I invest in an Express/34 slot reader? 4. Will installing Call of Duty 5 on the windows side of things mess up my computer for editing purposes? Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

I've jumped with Jimmy as well. One of my most memorable to date. I also made a couple of jumps with Jimmy Olander of Diamond Rio back at Quincy... Good times... good times... Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

Is that Omar in there? Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

You Don't. You have to use the i.Link (1394, firewire) port. the USB port is for only transferring the photos off the memory stick. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

It's hard to believe it's been a year. So much has happened. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you. Fly free forever. I'll see you again someday. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

I agree that the tandem video should be about the student and excessive freeflying takes away from that however I didn't feel that was the case with those videos. I saw a cartwheel transition but that only took a second, it's not like he was orbiting headdown with the tandem being upside down for 10 secs. I thought the videographer mixed it up pretty nice and got a lot of attractive angles. The video to me seemed to be very much about the student. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

Amen to that... I have a MBP 17" w/4GB Ram that I edit with. I've been doing everything in iMovie 6 HD and iDVD. I have about a 3 minute leader I put in front of my tandem video and the video is approx. 6 minute so my "movie" typically runs from 8-10 minutes in length. I then export to iDVD and burn it with a fancy menu set up with moving photos and sound. The end product is nicer than anything I have ever seen given to a student from a dropzone. Granted, I've not seen A LOT of final products from A LOT of dropzones but I would put my video up against ANYONES video in my area from the surrounding dropzones. I am a very good tandem videographer and my edits are top notch to boot. I just believe that the customer is paying a premium (even if I'm not seeing it) and they deserve a top notch product. I am very proud of my work and constantly strive to improve upon it. Typically my edits take just under 10 minutes to capture from tape into iMovie (plugging in camera, cueing up, real time capture), Then I have in the neighborhood of 10 minutes edit time (Title screen, cross dissolve transitions between clips, manipulating sound during pre & post interview, repeat and slow mo parts of the dive like exit and opening and then dropping a hi res still with a ken burns affect at the end of the video). I then export to iDVD which renders it in like 2 minutes and then burn a disk image of the DVD which takes like 17 minutes. Once the disk image is burned I burn that to DVD and that typically takes about 5 minutes. So all and all I put out a VERY, VERY nice tandem video with all the bells and whistles and 100% professionally done in about 45 minutes from the time I land. Being that I work at a very small Cessna dropzone with 3 other video guys I can usually edit between loads that I'm on. If not I just mail them out. I found that I can burn a CD of the images with Toast while I'm editing, quicker than adding the stills to the DVD which makes the burn time longer thus increasing the time to the customers hands even more. Plus it's just easier to hand the student a DVD & a CD... Here's your video, here's your stills. I don't have to explain or field phone calls all week long explaining to people how to find their still pictures thus decreasing my hassle. I'm sure there are things I can do to speed things up like, shorten my leader to about a minute. Take out the fancy DVD menu with the moving photos and sound, etc. I can probably shave 5-10 minutes off my burn times. It's just that they look so IMPRESSIVE. Who knows, if I save enough time, I may be willing to sacrifice. I've recently upgraded my internal hard drive to a 320GB 7200RPM drive to up my free hard drive space to about 100GB from the typical 25 I have now and also afford me a Windows partition through boot camp with a 100GB partition. I'm kicking around the idea of trying the VASST edit method with Vegas Pro. If I can get my final products out in say 15 minutes start to finish without having to sacrifice too much of the eye candy I might just make the switch. I'm gonna play with it this season. We'll see. I love my mac and the simplistic way of doing things and the super nice end results. However, if all I have to do is put a little effort into learning a new way of doing things, I'd be all for that to save me a half and hour per tandem video edit. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

I whole heartedly agree. "Flying" camera is only part of the equation. Knowing and using your equipment is a whole other side. Where it looks as if you've earned your wings over the years, your "vasst"

I think you may run into a little resistance at some places but for the most part this is an achievable goal. I would call ahead to a DZ where you are going to be in advance and tell them your situation. That way you'll know right off the bat whether you'll encounter any resistance. Also, explain your situation to each instructor so that they make damn sure they are filling out your log book in a way that ANY instructor can read and KNOW exactly where you're at in your student progression. They should be doing this anyway, but make sure they do. Also, if you could get phone numbers of each instructor, any new instructor could call and confirm and gain a bit more knowledge on past jumps. Really, skydiving isn't rocket science. It's pretty easy stuff. Good luck and if you're ever near Springfield, MO I'll be happy to take you up where ever you are in your student progression. Good luck and get to jumping!

WHAT!?!?!? Are you telling me I have to redo all those flag jumps? Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

We had probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 people. We spent all day in the hangar going over basically the entire first jump course, start to finish. Last year was a bad year for our dropzone in that we had a plane crash resulting in two fatalities and a fatality due to EP's being initiated too low, so we spent a great deal of time on equipment and especially RSL usage and aircraft emergency procedures. Safety Day is a huge deal at our dropzone every year and we never really plan on getting loads up. Sometimes perhaps 1 or 2 but with the recent events that we've had here in particular we took advantage of the number of skydivers on the dropzone and used that time to promote safety to help insure a great season this year. It was a great time and I think a lot of great information was put forth. I believe there were many people that took quite a bit away from the seminars and I am hopeful that this year we'll have A LOT more to be thankful for. I hope everyone else out there had a great Safety day as well. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

Welcome to the club! Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

I've never seen anyone wear a HANS device but Lazzlo down in ZHills wears a sort of neck brace and Oren and his girlfriend both use Motocross neck braces that would look very similar to that. I talked to Oren about his and he swears by it. Anyway, I'm sure you could contact them and find out what they think the benefits are. I believe that Oren and his girlfriend wear Neck rolls like found at the bottom of this link: http://www.motocrossgiant.com/Mens_Shoulder_Brace_and_Neck_Collars_s/1722.htm Anyhow, like I said, I'm sure if you were to call Skydive City and ask for Oren he'd be more than happy to talk to you about it. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

Our DZO did also... that is why we don't bring it in anymore. Better to be safe then sorry. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

***Never, I repeat, Never allow your daughter to date a skydiver. What he said... Dude... are you crazy? You're daughters HOT! If you don't want her passed around the dropzone like a piece of meat I'd get her SCUBA lessons or something immediately and make her forget all about this skydiving nonsense... Gook luck man... and welcome back! Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

Mount Vernon is a city owned airport and open to ALL public access for any and all aircraft that will fit on 3000 foot runway (or there abouts). It might be 3200 feet or something like that, I really don't know the particulars, cause I'm not a pilot. I know that we've operated a CASA there a few times if that helps. There are NO take off and landing charges. bdiver1, if someone told you they were charged to take off there, then they lied or they were duped by someone. There is no FBO and NO gas for sale however, Aurora and Monett both sell gas and are very close by if you need it. It's a very small quaint little airport. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

Freefall Express Skydiving in Mt. Vernon is open and always has been... weather permitting... it has been cold here lately and there were a few weekends the city didn't plow the runway. We got loads up last few weekends and are planning on this weekend also. It's supposed to be in the 40's and that's plenty warm for us. Come on out. And if you get here early... I live across the street from the dropzone and I'll have a cup of coffee waiting for you till I get off my lazy ass and go open up the hangar. :P I believe we are tentatively planning on opening at 9 a.m. maybe 10 a.m. if it's really stinking cold. HA! We don't close for the winter around here cause we love to skydive TOO much. :D Freefall Express maintains a very healthy relationship with the city of Mount Vernon and always has. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

My friend Jason Preston has flown lots of skydivers out of an R44 and could probably answer all your questions for you. Unfortunately for the life of me I can't find his number. :P Anyhow, he's working for ChopperCharter out of Branson, Missouri and if you call their offices I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you about it. http://choppercharter.com/branson_helicopter_charter I'd say all you have to do is call the number on the website and ask to speak to Jason Preston. Tell him Fletch says... WASSSSSUP!?!?!?! Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

Way to go Mike. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

After reading many of the reviews on this camera and such, that is my understanding, however the limit is in the speed it will do it. If I'm not mistaken, it will take an unlimited amount but at a speed that will only allow perhaps 3-4 shots during the freefall portion of a skydive. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

Larry was my friend. We traveled the country together on skydiving excursions from time to time. I'll never forget his laugh. And even know he used to whoop my ass in poker and take my money (and not even feel bad about doing it) I'm going to miss him, dearly. Until we meet again brother... Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer

You might also try Tom Dolphin at MRVS in Lexington, MO. I believe all his info is on the net somewhere. He made some for us and they are great. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer