piahenzi

Me and a few other tandem vid guys do it the dirt cheap way but some of the other video guys at my DZ do it more sophisticated/with mixing board. I got around the intro by working up a 30 sec video and still intro on my windows movie maker and then burned that file on a DVD. I have small $25 DVD player hooked into my DVD burner and sort of pre-burn the intro segment onto say 10 DVD's before the day starts. As long as you don't finalize the DVD, the intro just sits there as a "chapter". The additional video that you feed in ( I go directly from my vid camera to the burner and only add music) also then becomes another chapter. It's quick and easy and takes no time at all and looks pretty decent for very little editing effort. I think the key is really to make sure your video of the tandem skydive or whatever is cleanly/well shot/lit with some interesting quick fades etc etc and then you can avoid using a mixing board altogether. it's the meat that counts. If you intro is great but your video sucks, it's not going to make up for it... trust me, I know The camera itself should allow you to slow mo-reverse slo mo etc which adds some additional "fun" to the video ( exits etc.) it's worked for me this year and it's simple to get the hang of and get a video out to the customer finalized in 8 minutes tops ...which can be instrumental when you have 10 jumps to do that day.

tipping is a part of our culture. There, we're done with it.

For what its worth I had a Spectre 170 right off student status... biffed in every landing... no matter what I tried... after abt 50 or so jumps, I got a Sabre 150 and the rest is history.. loved it - landed it great all the time, got that tricky 2 stage flare thing down...Now it might have been a better flare on my part, a better brake line setting, more speed/lift/ from the canopy, etc etc that made it all happen but I never looked back.

c'mon now... with your w/l you shld still be able to swoop a Spectre 150...

So I volunteered to address my kids Middle School about my hobby, figuring it would be to his class or whatever. Little did I know that it would be a half day event, all of the middle schoolers in his school and I would be talking for 25 minutes about my "adventurous" hobby skydiving and tandem video 4x to 4 new audiences. I got the call tonight and will be addressing an auditorium alongside a stuntwoman, an aerobatic pilot and a guy who trekked the Appalachian trail.... Oh boy... So, I am looking for ways to make the whole experience fun for the kids - youtube-ish so to speak... as it will all be very visual/fast paced etc.. I would love to get some of your best pics of any kind of skydiving/swooping/CRW etc... and anything you think that illustrates the job of tandem video (and photograpy) to get to the point after I do a skydiving 101. ...and any other ideas and input to make this "cool" would be appreciated... I'm a pretty hip 42 year old, but it might just be me that thinks so... Thanks in advance to everyone...you will be credited!! Pls check my profile for email address to contact me directly if you are interested in helping. Blue skies, clean lens, and full batteries...

I advised him to try this forum as well, thinking that this forum in particular has the experienced canopy pilots that can probably be of immediate assistance to him. My regrets for causing him to get into trouble. Mea culpa.

...yeah, I keep saying that as well yet somehow... it's always something.. I hear you brotha...

The only way to avoid that is to come to the FLCPA meets and practice I was Joe's bitch for the day... missed being the "token" but at least it let someone else have the pleasure of being last....

I was just going to post this one myself here... I lurk on this forum but never post (characters too feisty for me). I did send it to my ultra liberal ex teacher mother in law tho..... couldn't resist

C'mon ....let's face it...GW isn't coming because he knows I won't be there to make fun of ... ...but the cheststrap is intimidating for sure...I still run scared and I see it all the time...

...what swoop pants?? I don't have the cool wardrobe yet... i am such a noooooooooob!!! but then again, Mike's my hero with the dirt cheap wardrobe .... as I recall the Velo kept me dry at Natonals... I guess we'll see what happens back at sea level..... maybe I'll pack a razor as well and just shave my legs during my water drag... could I name that one if I stand it up?? If you really wanna make it fun - let's have a swoop-n-chug - last round of accuracy...f' the box.. put a cooler there....Al, are you listening ?????????????

LOL... with that many legs even a tandem rig is a cinch, right??? Good to meet you in CO!!

oh.. we're all going to smell so yummy after a day of THAT aren't we????

...we're just jealous...

The Op Code is : BALLISTIC BUNNY

Yeah baby! YOU kick ass !!!

...so true - my Katana has some ferocious openings LOL... was good training tho! I never jumped a Safire 2 so perhaps given the two comments below mine, going a size smaller there is a wise choice.

just out of curiosity, what didn't you like about the Crossfire?? I learned a lot under that one - still have a 99 in my arsenal. ( I flew a Sabre2 120 and loved that one as well!) I found the Xfire to be a very nice opening canopy, good dive, responsive to harness input and a good step to the next level coming off a Stiletto 107. I could also suggest that you try a Katana but that may be one step too many. Not sure- talk to people who know your proficiency level and have an honest evaluation. Maybe have a chat with the PD people and have them send you a 135 to demo,...NOTE....this one is one to be really heads up with

...well, at least that way you lessen the drag even more!! Get out those razors, boys, and see how the other side suffers....errr... lives...

....welcome !!!....and although I don't necessarily condone this advice /debt ( for some things just totally necessary at times) ... a credit card comes in really handy :-) - or just make a tandem here and there as you have the funds for it - just to keep the memory alive....

...just look what happened to LoudDan when he finally "arrived"....history is bound to repeat itself and my bet is on BigSteve

..yes, you certainly did !! I hope my 2nd season is as rewarding as yours ....

....all I gotta remember is... go further deep....been kicking myself for days now.... :-) ....I am coming after you Steve... watch out !! xoxoxo

..you KNOW I am in for all 5 if I can swing it with work... who wouldn't want to swoop on Valentine's Day??? I already paid my 2009 dues to Al so I am committed to the season.... when you're ready to book, so am I

...absolutely!!! Everyone has to find their own way and do what they love.. I don't, however, think that 4-way is "nonsense" There I will have to respectfully disagree. ....all I can state is my experience which may or may not have any impact on another or make any difference in someones progression choices...and everyone has different learning curves and talent areas. You may have had no problem with belly skills after the fact, but not everyone is that lucky/talented and I do think that SOME belly skills are basics that should be mastered - at one time or another...