Posted by Richard Crowley on 01/17/07 22:35

"Rayne" wrote ...
> Hey, thanks for the response. Health and Safety legislation is not so
> much of an issue as im in mauritius, and there isnt really any emphasis
> on that kind of thing, that being said, it must obviously be safe as 2
> or 3 kilos of rig falling on someone's head is a big no-no. The sports
> rig sounds ideal, however I doubt he ships to this side of the world.
> No im really trying to work out how to phisically do it
> myself...perhaps with a little sony HDV cam...

If you really have your heart set on some overhead
wire suspended gadget, you could always set up a
static line between the walls and then put the camera
on a pulley that runs along the static line. With another
loop, you could move the camera along the line like the
old-fashioned clothes-lines. Replace the pulley at one
end with a DC gear-motor or a stepping motor and you
could remotely-control the camera position.

Be sure the static line is safe for use overhead above
the audience. When I rig mics this way, I use 3/16 inch
aircraft woven steel rope and I use THREE cable clamps
at each end. And be sure to use adequate size hardware
for fastening to the support timber. The hardened and/or
forged kind, NOT the bent screw-eye kind. Those will let
go just at just the wrong time. Attach only to structural
timber/steel. This is no place for fooling around with wall
coverings (drywall, etc.) I prefer to loop all the way
around the beam rather than using a screw-eye, etc.
wherever possible.

Just because you don't have OSHA or some fire-inspector
looking over your shoulder is no excuse to cheat on
safety.

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