The Best Way to Move Your Camera | Tips from Steadicam Expert Dan Kneece

Connect with Ted Sim
Instagram: / aputure_ted
Twitter: / aputure_ted
Ted Sim sits down with Dan Kneece to learn more about why Steadicam can still be better than gimbals, what makes good steady shots cinematic, and why shot lists don't always help a movie.
Dan's Facebook: / dankneece
What We Film With! bit.ly/ingymogu...
Hear Our Podcast! bit.ly/Indy_Mog...
Follow Us!
IG - bit.ly/indymogu...
Twitter - bit.ly/indymogu...
SubReddit - bit.ly/indymogu...
Facebook - bit.ly/indymogu...
Hit Us Up!
Ted Sim - bit.ly/Ted_ig
#Filmmaking #Steadicam #Cinematic

[@ChrisParayno]

"The shots shouldn't out perform the story" very wise words Agreed!

[@muybitchin2180]

can someone elaborate more on this...

[@parisangelo1753]

@@muybitchin2180 don't try to make a bunch of over complicated shots just because they look cool but instead take shots that allow the story to flow

[@carlosdaudt88]

Chris Parayno true

[@WhirlOmar]

I'm proud to say I was in the iconic Steadicam scene in Goodfellas. I was an extra in that movie and was right behind that camera and Ray Liotta. The extras in that line outside the Copacabana were directed to rush in after the Steadicam and the film lead couple. And as Liotta and Bracco are seen sitting at the table sitting, the people a few feet behind taking their seats were those same extras in line outside that were directed to follow the Steadicam. That way Scorsese used the same group extras in two areas for efficiency. So I am always proud to know I was part of the group walking in through that whole now-iconic shot. At one point a fake wall in the kitchen was moved after the Steadicam passed it to allow us extras to step out into the club area to go to our tables and pretend to be other people that were already in the club.

[@aquilifergroup]

WhirlOmar wow, cool man. Nice piece of trivia.

[@sobasicreviews3097]

Nice story.

[@nickyoon8619]

that's incredible... would pay top dollar to see all of that played out

[@rob_productions]

Great story & info! Must’ve been an amazing experience

[@marquelamar]

That shot is epic. Thanks for sharing!

[@charlesnetzler2262]

He just called all those KZbinrs with the trendy movements and transitions amateurs. Well played sir, 🍺

[@venjemen4444]

BRUH! I love this new series yall are doing with these legit professionals. So tired of corny/cringe 'youtuber' content. So much wealth of real world information. Keep up the great work. You da real MVP.

[@indymogul]

glad to hear it -- Dan is an absolute legend so thanks for sharing the love.

[@MichalOlender]

Imagine having a guy like this as a mentor.

[@itziebitz]

He's a good person and a good friend.

[@07jackg]

“I look at any shot or any movie like a piece of music” My man.

[@chuckaube4867]

Dan's a Great guy, we have been friend's for over 30 years, We are in a "Club" unlike any other once a Steadicam Operator, Always a Operator.

[@cah88]

"The chicken is going to go union" comment is 100% brilliant!

[@jake2eproductions]

6:10 is the most honest piece of filmmaking advice I've ever heard. It's so true, unless it's a specific type of shot I never make a shot list and I bet some people "look down on that"...its up to cinematographer to work it after seeing the scene play out. Love this guy!

[@anzhonnycastillo1731]

I really think this is something that should be talked about. I mean, at the end of the day I the right thing to do is that which works. But this is an interesting topic to explore, which is more efficient? Because we have all seen great examples of extremely planned out films. I think also the level of production plays a factor.

[@davidvandermeijde4884]

@@anzhonnycastillo1731 I think this all depends if you have time to do extensive rehearsals. a lot of time you don't have that time and you need to figure out the blocking before you go to set.

[@anzhonnycastillo1731]

@@davidvandermeijde4884 So you're saying the prep work need to happen regardless, it's only a question about when? That's an interesting take. I assume that when you have a team where every department head is a master at their job, you can venture into more "freestyle" territory and still come out with something amazing.

[@davidvandermeijde4884]

@@anzhonnycastillo1731 there is almost no time, to figure out shots on the day of the shoot is self. I find ik very strange that he says this. but maybe he meant it in the rehearsel phase.

[@michelangelotorres_filmmaker]

Another high quality and informative content: no yelling, no cabaret just something you can learn from. Thanks you! It's incredible how a master like Dan Kneece is so down to earth compared to some addicted-to-retiming youtubers who act like a cinematography Gods

[@DavidHLee]

gold! not every shot needs to have that "cinematic" movement. feel like its the norm nowadays and what ppl identify as that 'cinematic' look to have constant moving motion in a film. he just knew where to point the camera and how much to move it. true words from someone who understood what a scene really needs.

[@djorig]

Seems like that cool and interesting uncle that every family needs.

[@KapoGearKapogear]

This is some premium type of tutorial yet we getting it for free..

[@nnnnnn496]

@johnny walker Still it is very informative.

[@islandsmedia7171]

exactly, more to learn on this channel than the MASTERCLASS

[@tosyo680]

I learned a lot from this, please keep posting more insightful content😍❤️ Thank You

[@indymogul]

thanks for tuning in!

[@mikedmalott]

I haven't had a need for my Steadicam for about a year and had considered selling it off. But, because of this video and Dan's arguments for what differentiates between them and a gimal, I'm gonna hold onto it.

[@Alinakasha]

I had a workshop with Garrett Brown and got to hang out with him and his wonderful wife a lot. They are the most amazing people and Garrett’s attitude is so positive 🙌🏼

[@1031ProductionsLLC]

Dude, this channel is GOLD!!! Thank you so much for your time and effort in creating these videos!!!!

[@indymogul]

thanks for tuning in!

[@dandalee]

This was worth watching just to hear "actors before shots". And story above all else.

[@CineMilledUSA]

RIP DAN!!!!! I just can’t believe it! A master, a friend to many a a kind soul in this world is gone. Gone too soon…

[@Leo_Perf]

The humour and knowledge that makes this interview interesting and keep going... 👌

[@michaelfrymus]

I started using gimbals but ended up selling it and got a glidecam. I like it, but it's not that easy to use.. also, you really need a heavy rig. It's even harder with a light setup. Which is why I prefer to use heavier cameras on a glidecam/steadicam

[@lionel.mukendi]

We live in a society that is in love with microwave results. We all want results as in yesterday. You look at this guy, and there's absolutely no way on earth he could have acquired such knowledge of the craft over a three-hour webinar. It's all about being dedicated to the craft, putting in the hours year after year, and before you know it, you start seeing and understanding things that were once completely foreign. This was gold!

[@SNKFA]

Great episode. I really like the analogy of pacing camera movement like a music composition.

[@jonathanehair88]

Man, when he mentioned the shot list, that hit home. I was asked to do a shot list for a school assignment and I felt so limited. Great advice.

[@BlackPartyFilms]

This man said the chicken is gonna go union 🤣🤣 I’m dead!!!

[@kameramanhv]

Watching this again after dan kneece demise. Man what an amazing person and attitude. 💚

[@nourfilm.]

Quote “I treat every movie like an Oscar winner, you gotta kiss a lot of frogs before you meet a prince” Quote “ they want you to create a shot list before you’ve meet the actors or scene the set or feel the performance “. Love it Ironically my documentary instructors were pushing me to script my documentary as best I can.

[@markkut]

I'm such a believer of steadicams over gimbals. The realistic feel they have is so natural and intriguing.

[@LordArioh]

same here. I'll never trade my Glidecam for any electronic toy. Tho operating it is an art.

[@BenJordan]

La La Land opening was a blend of 3 shots, using a crane for the first 2 shots, then partially steadicam for the 3rd. They blended the first two crane shots during that whip pan. The 3rd shot (starting at 4:45) is steadicam at first (for about 1 min) then the camerman hopped into a special crane to finish. You can read more about on TheWrap.

[@zakkforchilli]

Love it!! However you can get whip pans down with the Ronin S and Sport mode!

[@JameyStevenson]

Let's be real, Indy Mogul should have at least 3 million subs. Just saying, thank you for all your work!

[@indymogul]

Slowly but surely!!

[@JackSassyPants]

What a delightful and informative interview, Dan is a class act.

[@AnthonySherritt]

The technical supporting the performance. Wish they would teach that in film schools.

[@markp2811]

Addicted to watching you Matti, Pete, and Caleb! Anyone I should being tuned into in Vancouver? You guys rock!

[@kyrellbailey]

Nice to see what kind of artistry, is implemented behind the scenes. Many great minds, create a masterpiece... bless up!!!

[@ginatinyverge9661]

Moving the camera with meaning. ❤️👍🤯

[@Kakmentation]

I've now gotten interested in steady cam and will be looking for videos on Indy Mogul on steady cams and how to shoot it. Thank you sirs 👌🏽

[@Subparanon]

That is a really good idea about motion VS stillness in your shots. It's like in music if you play a melody constantly, it just fades into the background but if you only play the melody when it counts the most, it becomes this uplifting thing.

[@barbarapatino5458]

WOW! WOW WOW WOW! I just recently discovered you and you quickly became one of my favorites in KZbin!!! Your content is really full of quality AND YOU HAVE VIDEOS ON MUSIC VIDEOS! Thank you so much!

[@LuckeGabriel]

The content you've been putting out talking to the experts has been invaluable, loving it, thank you so much!

[@m2odmdlh]

Ted, I love what y’all are doing with the channel. The early days of DIY were great, but these interviews with the pros are just awesome!!! Thank you so much for what you are doing to lift up our community to a higher level!! God Bless!!!

[@edgarolvera4458]

You should do more interviews like this one. Thank you!

[@coucamaya]

Loved this video. I have not given up my glidecam for a gimbal for all those reasons he said. Its like he was reading my mind. Lol

[@xdisciple2776x]

Dan is one of the all time best, such a great guy.

[@Filmmaker809]

Amazing advice from a master steadicam operator - Dan Kneece.

[@troyphillips1077]

I put a Moza Air 2 gimbal my SteadyCam arm last winter. I use it for live music shows. Works great when the electronics are working. But my Moza Air 2 is messing up . It starts shaking. So bottom line is electronics are great until they fail on you . The SteadyCam without electronics has never stopped working and ruined a shoot . And the flow of the SteadyCam makes me feel like the scene is natural the way my eyes see it as the scene takes place .

[@onlysublime]

this was a super informative video. growing up in the budget/gimbal era, I didn't really get to see a behind-the-scenes use of a steadicam. they were doing things that no gimbal can replicate.

[@Corona40z]

You guys are on fire lately!!! Bringing on incredible people!

[@ScottBalkum]

Man, that was a delight to watch. Awesome.

[@venzikalbanov1795]

i feel like being the guy that points out the fact the in 9:25 "the Matrix 1990" is wrong.... its 1999 but we all knew that.

[@profundus8946]

What a chill dude. Thanks for the video!

[@krishartsphotography5643]

We would love another episode with Sir Dan Kneece :) Awesome video :)

[@ShazammtheProducer]

My god this was one of the greatest tid bits I could have expected today damn a gimbal its a vest and terminator arm for me

[@BestYouTubeVids123]

Awesome! This is the bad axx I want on my film team! 😀👍

[@vinkarume6205]

I appreciate those subtle grids overlaid on the video examples! Nice work

[@jamestaylor8905]

Way cool... been working on putting a steady-cam rig under my dji gimbal. Not only does that compensate for my wimpy biceps it does put the steady back in the control seat.

[@CafeCreativeYT]

What a pleasure to have him on. Very sound advice.

[@maatheusmaia]

This is the best video you guys ever posted. Thank you for that.

[@dogedimmadome1895]

Great timing, I have an assignment on camera movement this week!

[@rehman24fps]

Some one please tag Parker Walbeck: the person who introduced (virtually) steadycam to me and helps me understand the true nature of gimbal and steadycam. I always prefer mechanism over electronics, if there are alternatives available. PS: I absolutely love these episodes, talking with real life cinematic legends instead of popular KZbinrs. The inventor of steady Cam, the man behind the famous uninterrupted long take from Goodfellas: the guest talk about them with profound passion- that's what I want to watch. Passion and respect, wisdom and skill : delivering all these with the reference of the films I am obsessed with.

[@york824]

Love these content. I know I can't really make good videos just by watching this and it takes countless practice but it's just so good to listen from the best in industry.

[@andresparrow2971]

Really beneficial vid. Im working on a music project and know videos are more important than ever to market music...but doing it independently I have to learn how to do certain things myself and on a budget. You have a new subscriber.

[@xxiamxx5535]

Omfg by far one of the best videos since you took over ted.

[@studiojeka9274]

Amazing episode, 11 minutes flew by so quick 😊

[@theamericanaromantic]

Absolute LEGEND.

[@DodaGarcia]

He’s such a delight!

[@DaveSy]

This is a great perspective from Dan Kneece -- it's so crazy they're putting gimbals ON steadicams now!

[@southernversus5753]

one of my favorite interviews so far

[@HitechProductions]

Outstanding! That guy is a genius!

[@thetravisgreene]

Great guest, nice booking!

[@franklinmichael671]

How does one long take compare to several shots from different angles when it comes to pulling you into the story? Do one take shots feel more natural?

[@Seph_vision]

It depends on what the scene calls for. The opening to scream wouldn't be the same with multiple shots. Keeping it one shot helped build the tension as we lived with her in that scene.

[@mayyursudarsan3274]

so grateful for this channel existence

[@BA-AB]

Aww, great video!! Miss this gentleman...

[@Omanjisinkala]

Yeah, this channel is always giving me the info I need without having to ask, you rock indie mogul

[@mattlaw1350]

Actors before the shot! THAT is expert knowledge. I was always under the impression that you should block out every shot. Thank you!

[@paulydavison1515]

Loved hearing this discussion! Can you pleasseee have someone talk about the Cinematography in the film, Inside Llewyn Davis! Or have you and another filmmaker guess how they achieved certain looks?

[@SweetSourTravel]

What a nice piece of information

[@krukerproductions]

Amazing the kind of people you get on here, never expected for indy mogul to come back this great

[@ShotBySolo]

This was awesome. Dan is THE MAN!!

[@facu_eze_peralta]

Wow love it! I use Steadycam and i used to feel kind a idiot beacuse everyone is using gimbal! But now i feel proud of myself! Sorry about my bad english i speak spanish! When is up de podcast?

[@AnandaGarden]

Way beyond wonderful.

[@BillZebubproductions]

This was a great interview.

[@JustDavidMinistries]

Best of video on the channel

[@JayneNicoletti]

This was excellent. I think the takeaway is do not overthink; tell a good story!

[@zZFuRiouSZz]

Absolutely love your channel and your engagement with the comment section! Please never change

[@3BMEP]

Great!

[@joentell]

Dan was super cool and I learned a lot! Thank you for this.

[@Gr3kiZon3]

Respect the best out there!

[@NickWichman]

what a dope interview chat!

[@mmdoom]

This was a great episode, learned so much !

[@VivekKumar-op7sc]

What a lovely video a lot to learn

[@lipardfilm]

Really interesting! Great idea to put grid on movie examples to make movement and composition more visible.

[@TheArtOfB]

Really loved this episode!

[@iwillnever4getu]

damn never knew why i liked the opening to scream so much until now.. legend thank uu

[@Maros_Mari]

Wow, again great stuff, lots of very useful helpful and inspiring info for me, thanks and please keep up this kind of work. I encourage you to try to reach out to DP like Rachel Morrison or Roger Deakins, who knows, perhaps they would show up here some time, would be great to hear them talk.

[@indymogul]

Yes! Talking to Deakins about 1917 would be a dream come true

[@Playavisuals]

Cómo se pronuncia Greetings to Dan from Cuba, I worked with him and Bob Prime here. Super Dan !!

[@SantiFox]

Great episode, thank you for doing this. I'm happy and excited for you that you get to chat with these amazing creatives and visionaries!

[@AllThingsFilm1]

Great video. Talking with the pros is an invaluable source of information and inspiration.

[@patrickmartucci5569]

Thank you, Ted, and thank you, Dan! I got a lot of inspiration from this video

[@jackbynum]

He's so southern I love it

[@TheEEgo]

Ari is using trinity on the LaLaLand if im not mistaken(?) so actually its a gimbal/steadicam...