Arri Trinity | Meet The Worlds Most Advanced Camera Stabilizer

What's happening? Today we are here at Airy here in Burbank and they are going to show me the Airy Trinity system, which is their next generation stabilization system, it's like a Steadicam plus a gimbal, everything that is stable is There and to show us how it's done, we have A legendary

camera

operator and Steadicam operator, Robbins Ori was one of the first to get his hands on the

trinity

. He has already used it to film several projects, one of which is the upcoming Spike Lee movie. the five Bloods it's pretty funny that you have uneri Trinity and you film with Ares all the time it's perfect the first time I saw you I was doing this right here oh yeah I mean that was one of those movies where there's a movement and a such fascinating movements.

I think a lot of people didn't realize that it was a practical thing that we did well, so when I released them and you know, they were like oh, wait, wait, then they realized that a lot of people were so impressed I think. it kind of helped promote the movie yeah my favorite part of all of this is with one hand I noticed that why are you just one? If you're holding both pieces of equipment, now you're using the rest of your body to stabilize yourself on the platform I'm notifying the movement that the crane is doing to my body and that for me limited the amount of physical air it just looks so effortless because you're just because you're doing this was another one that I remember seeing that there was actually a slight incline going up to find Ryan and that was the hardest part.

All I had to do was get it right, but the incline was like you had to measure your body and it had to be perfect. amount of leverage to lift it up enough and then vice versa on the way down. I could see how that could get really tricky because you also have to land it right there, you can land it properly and then hold on just a little bit and you want it to do it. Be consistent, which I imagine may have helped a little tax, of course, but it rises at one point, so the slope of it becomes higher through one of them.

The first time I filmed an action sequence that was all choreographed, I was a little unprepared. I al

most

did it. I don't realize how much choreography there is for me as a

camera

operator and I think why Lala Land was so extraordinary is because it took the approach of realizing that the camera was another character in the scene and that's how Damien introduced me to it. when I met Eman Ryan, he said, this is Ari, he's going to be the other actor in these things, oh, not really, and thinking as a cameraman is that yes, you're part of it, you need to know when the character is going to look askance. when they're going to say that line, when that character, I mean every part, you're just as involved in that process, except you're the one who's completely invisible.

Have you ever seen the video of Justin Timberlake saying something? We did seven takes. but we had all these people working together and it's a fantastic wonder, so we get to 300, there he comes in, I go down the stairs at 300 and then I have to go down another stairs at 300 as we walk away, so we found that right there. come on down the stairs why are we leaning so now I'm doing that staircase back half a runway as we land you activate the zoom you start zooming in to get to a zombie where we land and we find them oh my god the

most

important.

The question is Justin Timberlake oh no, not at all, it was super sweet. My girlfriend is going to see this and it's very nice if she will be more in love with him later. I don't know, look at the camera guys, say, ah, he's the worst, no, no. no, no, censor, you want to show me your Trinity area, yes, come on, so this is your personal Trinity, this is a lot, it's like a gimbal plus a Steadicam, yes, this is like its evolution, someone told me it was a Steadicam . 2.0 is the basic principle of balancing him similar to us, that he can do pretty much the same thing for the most part, except now you have a few more additions for Steadicam that you're balancing to be up here, for this one you have to balance it to be up here and down here at the same time this is what happens when you play pranks on your friends and they accept you yes this is the vest of the era it is a very light vest this feels like nothing on my body and I like that quite a bit, so it's a universal fit socket that locks down where the arm connects the ER device almost 100% consistently, but it gives you a lot of room, I feel like I have as much room as I would on any other vest. being able to adjust and move is very nice it is efficient it also looks great because everything matches and combines is important lutely I like standing here it's like all this and just jumping doesn't hold up I wish my other everything I have gears you're the only one who can pull this off, you know I'm the best key grabber I've ever met, that older guy, with blonde hair and sandals, really tough guy, cool and all his gear was pink, so I guess it's like he takes it borrowed, but this is a Tiffin arm, so it's a little bit wider in diameter, aha, so I'm using this adapter to create that divine look of your pin for sure.

The first time I put on a vest like that, I got a Bloody Lip as soon as I put my arm in, yeah, I learned my lesson real quick, don't always put it aside. You know, they used to say there are a lot of guys who thought they were missing their front teeth or something. like that bag like the LG operators, aha, they've hidden without thinking, you don't know, without learning, like, oh, that could happen. I was just playing with someone on set and I've become very aware of where this is, now what we're doing. I was like touching the arm in certain places I'll close my eyes I can tell you where you're touching it because eventually this becomes as sensitive to you as if it were your own arm, it's almost like, yeah, you're knocking on the side of your hip. and then once you've said, I mean, it's all pretty easy once you get started, if I'm done over time, I've realized that Steadicam is a two-handed tool unless you get bored and then it's a hand, yes you should. being able to understand the sensitivity of everything you need to know what this arm is going to be able to do to propel you forward as much as you need to know that this hand is going to do it and the reality is none of those are important it's all how you move learn this so you can use it the way you want.

It really strikes me now how much more flexibility this gives you and now I just see how easy it is to go from, you know, starting under the table and then we've been here and then I've worked my way up. I could see how many directors would see what you like. Well, now I have a million ideas. Yes, now I can go where I want and I don't have to be limited. I follow. Hearing that Steadicam operators have a lot of back pain, it's preventative and a lot of that is stretching, yoga, massage, you know, let's say we're in a limited physical space and that's where we need to push ourselves, aha, I can understand. from there, so I don't need to be in the lowest mode.

I'm just in javelin mode, as I like to call it, because now that's my thing or I could be higher up looking down, maybe I'm a. a director and he's a kid and he's in trouble. I should be higher or maybe I pushed him and he's about to have a big moment, okay I may be lower but javelin mode is what makes this very very special and here's the fun part. we haven't we're not even exploring how big we could make this if we wanted right now we could make this thing eight feet long we could do a crane shot like it could start this low and go over that wall, no problem Well my friends did a shot where he started standing up and climbed into a dog basket, what can I say with one of these?

But this also comes with another invention. Many of us will get caught up in this movement or you will. They are running this way and because I have comfort and confidence in these tools in my pieces, I don't have to think about anything behind me. I can look forward and operate backwards with the same ease as I normally walk. I noticed the monitors of our steadicam cameras down here, yes, but now it's right here next to the hano, which is something to get used to because you look at it closer and you'll have to deal with the fact that these things move , but not that.

It doesn't mean that the picture is like that, sometimes it's just lucky, wait, everything shakes, oh wait, no, that's the real monitor, right, and in many positions you'll see the Steadicam guys, there's a lot of this, like Stretch your neck to see your monitors, yes, those. The days are not fun and that is why it is great to have wheels as an option. I don't have to look at the monitor anymore, so the nice thing about this is that you have your DP operating your tilt, so when I'm coming in and doing a shot, if you just want a little bit more headroom, you just get a little bit, huh.

I know I have to put that lens right between those two thumbs. I know that's where you need to go and I know someone. back there you can make sure it's adjusted perfectly. Wow, this gives both you and your cinematographer, you and your director the opportunity to work together and because eternities have some pretty complex stuff, there are times where it would be nice to have that adjustment just a little bit. of help and I know it sounds crazy, but I did a shot where I ran into the car window and I had fifty pieces of windows that big and we measured them to be an inch and a half, so I had about 3% of inch. on this side and 3/4 inch on this side, just glue it down.

I didn't look at the monitor once. I didn't look at the monitor again until I was about to hit the actor in the face. all I had to do is know that if I pass it through that window it's okay. I love that there are so many interesting things you can do. I do this when I'm playing. I try to think of similar places I can go. you have to learn this space and that's part of the practice, it's starting to dodge things because before you never had to worry about this thing hitting someone in the back of the head when you're running, now you do, it's one of those things It's so crazy and complex until you start to break it down and say, "Wait a minute, this is just another tool and how I use it.

In fact, I'm shocked at how simplified it actually is. I thought there would be many, many pieces." , especially with my past." experiences just gimbals in general ok it could be a bit complicated this is a bit complicated with another complicated thing yes I actually feel it has been simplified very well and comes from understanding the areas of how tools should work that should not come set up with a million pieces in a million parts in a big like good luck and the system they have set up is so quick and easy if I were to change a lens right now for a small fixed lens, this thing has like an I I think they say which is like an 8 to 12 pound adjustment range, which means once you've calibrated this and set it up, you'll basically never have to do it again.

I mean, unless you change everything, it's already done, so you can go from one lens to another. another added a matte box that I didn't have and all you have to do is adjust this front and back only. They have understood what we go through, they understand what we have to deal with on set and so they have discovered what this can bring. come to life and make it do what it's supposed to do, but not drive people crazy and get there now when you're operating this, what exactly are you controlling? Panning is locked on this right, so when you're operating you're panning. as you go along you are making all the adjustments, the only variation from a standard camera

stabilizer

is that the tilt is now operated by a motor, so you have a little thumb here, which I have made a small modification to if you think the knob is off. a Playstation, but it's still there, so I actually had to make two because I broke the first one, so I took one out, cut it up, shaved it, said it enough so it wouldn't be minimized like where you like your top speed when you were making the transition from a traditional Steadicam to this there was a big learning curve there was a lot to readjust yes there is definitely an adjustment time big differences it's your body I've spent so many years offering the same way this is how you do it physically this is how it works and then This thing comes and goes, you don't have to think that way anymore and you're like a girl, you look great, you like the third arm of a superhero and what I learned is that you like it show respect, so once you you're there, your right hand will go here, your left hand will grab the handlebars if you want and it's just without bending your knees, just take one step, you'll feel more, yeah. see what that's like and then this can be moved so you know if you're worried that just these steps go up okay, oh, my personal, I immediately say, oh, this shot is totally unusable because I feel like, oh, it's not straight, but the gimbal yes. do all that work, so it's like a mental shift a little bit.

I've never actually used a Steadicam that doesn't have a lot of bottom, yes this thing likes to drift a little but it's okay to let it do that becauseIs this would have been seeing that you're still level, you're still, yeah, so you have that control because mentally I'm like, oh, this shot won't work because it's the whole role, but this you have a lot more room for error, huh? what I found is here: here you have a slide motion of about two and a half 3 feet before you have to move your body, so I would be in low mode and I lean up with this thumb to the right, yes, you can move it . hard as you can click on it you can go soft you just have to get used to do it at home so you walk while you were doing this like you start walking with Steadicam don't think you are walking with Steadicam everything walks it's normal and natural and place that thing wherever the hole is, uh-huh and you hold it like this and now you just walk forward.

I mean, it's like your computer is doing a lot more than I'm used to, so it makes it a little easier in a way that makes it easier to focus on what's important here. pen for me or what pen for them and answer you don't even have to use your body oh well that was awesome now I posted on Instagram and just asked for some questions I'll have for you another question just tell him that's really cool well the earth is super cool thanks buddy how often do you focus in the wrong direction? How often do you mess up a tic?

Yeah, I mean, my mentor once told me he said you get two tapes, if you have more than two they'll probably replace you, what should an air twice be like if you hit your like, hit a wall or something or something like that? ? after that don't do it again, that's kind of a rule of thumb, you have two takes before they get nervous and when it comes to focusing in the wrong direction, that's the first thing, yeah, that's how often that you focus in the wrong direction I never focus in the wrong direction, but maybe in the beginning it happened from time to time, but that's one of those things that the first day you see, that's your most important job and you know you have to find out what it is. actually you go before you press roll you have a diploma for this no, I mean, I guess technically I have a little piece of paper that makes me feel better, but no, you take a workshop and they give you a certificate, the only satisfaction, hopefully, It's your mom's.

What is the level of collaboration between the cinematographer and the cameraman? I feel like collaboration has to come from a point of what are you trying to do, are you trying to help and create something for speed, appearance, efficiency, security, there are a lot of different things, so I would say I feel like I collaborate but I never make the decision because for me the decision is to do what is best for everyone and that is for them to tell me what they need since you are a bit of a lens in this. It would be a good one, what is your favorite lens?

Do you prefer vintage or modern lenses? Brilliant. That sounds like a big it depends, but you have something that's been particularly on the top of your brain lately. What I will say is that in order. To have a favorite lens you have to know what each lens does and one of the very powerful things that a Steadicam or a camera operator can do is know the expression of the lens that you are using, how do you become a camera operator? In Hollywood this is a pretty popular question because there are a lot of people. Do you see that b

arri

er of how to enter the industry?

If I had to start over I would say Search Search Search Search now we live in a time where there are so many media outlets and channels don't go to the guys this for $100 I'll buy it for you kid don't listen to that what I think is use your resources, you don't have to live in Los Angeles, you can live anywhere in the world and This is what I always think: if you put in the time and energy, if you really want to be a camera operator in Hollywood, you will, if you choose After that, nothing is too big or small to accomplish any job.

One last question, sure, what is that? How many cameras did you burn when you were 24? I was operating for about three years, yeah, so this is at a time when you had your cinematographer, you were trained, you had been doing it for a long time. I was going to work with people. that he had children my age and that three years old was not very good. I didn't quite know what I was doing, but I knew I belonged there. I knew I was going to come to work for $200 with my old beat up equipment and I could do what they needed and I wasn't going to accept it.

I got this from the idea of ​​responsibility and honesty because I thought as soon as we shook hands, here is proof that I have had problems that I faced that month, I fixed them and I know it. The difference and what I discovered is that everyone who didn't like this, we never worked together again and they never really worked together again. All the people who love them tend to stay attached and we tend to stay up, so it was just responsibility. We're just taking it seriously and this is a homeless girl who was caught hurt and she never knew what happened because she was acting and I was doing the camera stuff, but it was a choice that I had to make, which was to take the four thirty-five until I face it and crumble or fall before it and maybe paralyze myself and that's what I mean is responsibility and seriousness.

I brought it home communication and safety is all you know. I told the director in the ad and the director of photography that everything should be fun as long as we don't do this we'll be safe if we do this it's not safe it's okay no problem the first thing they did was go up to the actors and tell them They said to do exactly what I said which would have been unsafe and I didn't do it. I don't know because I'm going to get ready to start the first tape, so sure enough, he takes one and we start going full speed with a huge camera.

We got to that point and what did they do? They stopped and I thought that's the one. place if you stop, I can't control it, so once they stopped I had a nanosecond, that is, a moment to go, oh my God, and the moment I realized that they stopped, I literally went almost in the air and I went straight to the ground and I took the camera like that and it hit me right in the head I was all bruised we're not talking about hitting like a football player we're talking about my finger to a young actress in the center of her spine it was so close So that's why I got reminders from him.

See, if I did that, my arm would be like people. I see myself as domination. That would be good, then you guys, except every time you see me, you'll be like some more that way. Then they'll say: Okay, wait a second. It was amazing to chat.