RotoRig - Camera Jib and Shoulder Rig in One

zim9000

zim9000

Update: My DIY is now up and ready for viewing. Thanks for the support!


Hey guys, I just wanted to share my RotoRig I built, which is essentially the diy version of the Aviator travel jib or MK4. Except my design doubles as a shoulder rig. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. This is a overview of the rig itself and I am shooting to get the DIY out this coming week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwSPzojTC88

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40e7T1x8s3A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eil63fhMEPQ
 
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That's quite ingenious. :cool:

At the end you mention manufacturers. Have you considered doing a fundraiser campaign? The very simple $50 Follow Focus tried to get $10k... ended up with all that & a weeee bit more. (link) At any rate, just something to think about.

Good luck! :)
 
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Zensteve said:
That's quite ingenious. :cool:

At the end you mention manufacturers. Have you considered doing a fundraiser campaign? The very simple $50 Follow Focus tried to get $10k... ended up with all that & a weeee bit more. (link) At any rate, just something to think about.

Good luck! :)
Click to expand...

Well, I am thinking of options. Currently I wouldn't start a campaign with parts I got at home improvement stores. ;) But I am getting a Lot of people telling me to patent it/sell them one/kickstarter it, haha.

I just kind of hope someone reaches out to me about it. I don't have the resources beyond that I am afraid or the man power to take on such a task. But I do almost exactly know how I would design it if it were to be manufactured.
 
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Yes, with hardware store parts... that looks so much more pro than much of my gear. Part of the campaign could be finding and buying manufacturing. If it only cost $50 in parts, you could easily sell it for $100 - $150 put together. You could even give away the plans and stock and sell the parts for it... or a $75 disassembled kit.

I love the hand held jib... that's awesome!
 
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knightly said:
Yes, with hardware store parts... that looks so much more pro than much of my gear. Part of the campaign could be finding and buying manufacturing. If it only cost $50 in parts, you could easily sell it for $100 - $150 put together. You could even give away the plans and stock and sell the parts for it... or a $75 disassembled kit.

I love the hand held jib... that's awesome!
Click to expand...

I am thinking about selling the parts in a box minus the monopods I used for shafts. Possibly pre-drilled holes and it would have everything they needed to build it. I can't actually sell them a full hand built rig since I am not an LLC and don't want to get sued if something happens. I may look into seeing how much it would cost to fab up a custom bracket idea of mine. But being super tight on money doesn't help me much either :/

Thanks for the compliments guys! I think the hand held jibbing may prove more useful than realized by some. Especially considering how many people probably don't have a sturdy enough tripod to even mount the jib onto.
 
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knightly, are you trying to tempt me? :P Ha, I actually have no idea what goes into getting an LLC or how it works. I just looked into it enough to know I should have one if I sell a full product. I guess I will have to gauge the response of people towards this to see if it is worth going the full distance.

Thanks Rok! The tools used are pretty basic and I think most everyone will have them.

that1guyy, I sure am! Three times now! Haha, ironically did you watch and say "Hey, its that one guy." ;)
 
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Thanks! Now if I had an LLC that would technically make me a business right? So I would then have to file for separate business taxes or pay new business taxes, is that correct?
 
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Yes Zim, but you do not need to incorporate to form a business.

Although liability protection sounds very attractive, you need to understand what it does (and doesn't) protect you from. In many cases a one-man-bad doesn't need it.

Why not form an LLC 'just in case'? Well, there are rules, fees and additional tax issues involved. In my state, the California Franchise Tax Board hits you with a minimum $800/year tax, even if you made $0 that year.

Do some homework and know what you are getting into before you dive in.


Thomas
 
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Thanks Rok. Thats all new territory for me so any info is much appreciated. I won't be jumping on anything that will cost me out of pocket money for sure.

Anywho, I decided I am going to perform a stress test on the RotoRig to see just how much weight I can get away with loading on it. I designed it to be sturdy but its up to the $10 monopods to see how sturdy its going to be. I am looking at 10 lbs as a goal for theoretical camera weight.

Also, I did measure the extension lengths and with it the way you guys saw it it was a 34" extension from the center of both the camera bracket and tripod mounting bracket. If the center bracket was adjusted to its farthest point it would in fact be a 4' reach with 17" extended in the back.

Wish me luck!....and that I don't break my monopods before I finish the DIY, haha!
 
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Ha, Rok you crack me up. I am looking to shoot it tonight and if all goes well it will be out tomorrow some time in the afternoon or night.

I did run a quick test and my first hopes were a bit ambitious of 10 lbs, ha. While I was able to pick up 10 lbs with the setting to the original video length of 34" I wouldn't recommend it. But when I extended it to its fullest I can say it will support 5 lbs at 4ft with a little curve to it. To put it in perspective, I can put my Canon T3i with 18-55mm kit lens with an extended battery grip and shotgun mic attached to the top, on the jib and run it no problem.

Yup, thats all I got for now. Just need to figure out how I want to shoot the video so its quick, easy to follow, and gets all the info in that I wish to address.
 
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My attraction to your project is that unlike most other DIY builds, yours can serve several purposes at once. This will be important to my film, which involves lots of run-and-gun ... with permits .... um .... of course.
 
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My DIY is now up for viewing! I posted a link to the video in the original post. Thanks and let me know what you think.

Rok, let me know if you build it and how it works out for you. :)
 
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Great! We'll start the project next week.

To be honest, all I'll be doing is sourcing the parts and making the drawings. My friend is a machinist who works on a VFX shooting stage. He built me an excellent Merlin copy, as well. He's a pretty amazing guy.

If we come up with any useful mods I'll PM you.

Thomas
 
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I did a little update to the drill diagram to hopefully create a more clear image of drilling the bottom of the big bracket. Make sure to check it out if you downloaded the first one already. Thanks! http://full.sc/WmuQBP

Rok, thats pretty sweet. I have some ideas for making this a much stronger device. But would require fabrication. Let me know what you come up with. :)
 
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