Smooth Moves II - Dave Williams

[HankCastello]

Dave Williams is a fantastic wedding videographer and well known for his Glidecam / Smooth Shooter workshops, so it was with high-hopes that I ordered his "Smooth Moves II" DVD which claims,

..includes more time on balancing the Glidecam as well as tips and techniques for using the new Glidecam Smooth Shooter

But actually, the balancing info was not anywhere near what I'd hoped and so much detail was omitted - even detail that is included in the sparse Glidecam / Smooth Shooter instructions that come with the equipment, was not mentioned in this video.

There was just so much that wasn't in this video - including one thing that is also not in the instructions about how to adjust the Smooth Shooter.  This is not something that is readily obvious, yet if not done you will never get smooth moves while walking.

I was having a rough time balancing my new Glidecam - it was taking ten to twenty minutes and would have been an impossible task at most receptions.   This video did little to help me in this area.  (Though the next day we did come up with, and write down, our own system for balancing the Glidecam that uses a tool nobody has ever mentioned and includes all the little details that no one else includes.  I now balance in one or two minutes!)

There were some good tips here, like how to setup some practice exercises, but not worth the $99 price for this DVD.  I'd recommend you wait for the price to drop or go to one of Williams' workshops where you can ask questions and make sure you get all the pertinent info.

[jerry]

Just who do you think you are?  Dave Williams is a nationally known well respected wedding videographer.  What gives you the right to criticise him?  I bet you couldnt do half as good a job.

[HankCastello]

Fair enough Jerry - let's take your comments one at a time.

True, Dave Williams is a nationally-known, well-respected wedding videographer.  I'll give him that and more.  I've seen some of his wedding video work and it is really good.  But that is neither here nor there when it comes to a review of his how-to video on the Glidecam / Smooth Shooter.

What gives me the right to criticize?  Perhaps the fact that I spent ninety-nine dollars to buy the video and the fact that I spent the time to watch it twice (it was pretty short).  His website spoke of the extra time this video takes in regards to balancing the Glidecam and that's where I was wanting help since I'd just gotten my Glidecam and Smooth Shooter several weeks ago.

The fact that, after watching the video twice, I could find nothing I didn't already know about balancing the Glidecam or setting up the Smooth Shooter and the fact that I was quite surprised that so much of the little I already knew was NOT included in this video.  Further, after spending only part of one day studying things, I came up with much more detailed instructions that not only solved my balancing problem but added a lot of important information that was not included in this video.  I've posted this information in an online article - "How to Balance Your Glidecam and Setup Your Smooth Shooter" - http://weddingvideodoneright.com/wedding-video-articles/16-wedding-videography-equipment/36-how-to-balance-glidecam.html

You can read that to decide whether or not I can do "half as good a job".  Or perhaps you were referring to the production quality of the video?  I was going to give Dave a pass on that, and frankly it wasn't too bad, but I didn't think it was on the level of professionalism that his wedding videos are.  If you like, you can order one of my sample wedding videos with the "How to Choose a Wedding Videographer" video, and decide from that whether I can do "half as good a job" production-wise. (See http://weddingvideodoneright.com/wedding-video-articles/32-info-for-oklahoma-brides/59-how-to-choose-a-wedding-photographer.html)
At any rate, I wasn't trying to make this a contest.  When I do a review, it is my job to give the product, book or video an honest, thorough checking out then write my honest opinion and that is exactly what I did.  Sometimes it makes people angry, but it also helps people decide where and where not to spend their hard-earned money.

If you've purchased this video and have a different opinion, then by all means post it here to share with others.  But I don't think it is a good idea to give an opinion on something you haven't seen.
[edited to fix link from web update]

[jerry]

You are the Don Rickles of video product reviews!

[HankCastello]

I've listed this on ebay with a starting bid of $20 and a BIN of $60.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140188195481

[Dave Williams]

I'm sorry it wasn't worth it for you, Hank.  But now that you've had some practice with your Glidecam, I'd love to hear how I could have made the balancing part better.

Dave

Edit: Oh - I see your article - I'll look over your tips.

[Edited to add article link, 2010]

[Fitzufilms]

I'd love to hear how I could have made the balancing part better.

I just wanted to comment on how cool I though it was, that as good as Dave is he is always looking how he could do things better.