From the July/December 1998 issue of the Operating Cameraman

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The term "operating cameraman" can have many definitions to describe someone who operates a camera, but in the case of operating aerial cameras the term epitomizes the blend of a camera operator and a director of photography.

This is particularly true when shooting with the Vectorvision system, where there is literally room in the Learjet for only one extra crew member and that's almost always the director.

The operator has to be competent in selecting T-stops and choosing headings for the aircraft in order to optimize the lighting qualities and compositions. This "operating cinematographer" (a more gender correct term) also needs to be able to communicate his or her vast knowledge to the director as it relates to creating and executing shots that are exclusive to working in a jet aircraft environment.

Quite often it will be the director's first experience in using the Vectorvision system and he or she will always rely heavily on the operator's expertise.

There's no other experience that can be compared to being in an executive jet aircraft as it roars down a runway at what feels like lightning speed.

As the jet climbs up into the sky at a 45° angle at 200 knots for starters, the exhilaration is incomparable and all you can do is sit back and enjoy the ride. I hope that this article will convey these experiences as I review a common Vectorvision shoot.

Bob Nettmann, who is known for his Nettmann Cam-Remote systems designed and built the Vectorvision system in 1986 based on its earlier prototype called Astrovision, which he built in 1974.

The system boasts a 30-105mm T3.5 zoom lens, continuous 360° pan and roll, and over 45° of tilt. It can also accommodate formats as large as IMAX™ in addition to its standard 35mm format.

I recently had the opportunity to use Bob's Vectorvision system again on a commercial for United Parcel Service. The company had taken delivery of two new Boeing 767-300ER aircraft that were configured as cargo planes, and one was painted with a scheme that reflects UPS's participation with the U.S. Olympics Team©.

HSI, a well-known commercial production company here in L.A. was commissioned to shoot UPS's new campaign which included aerial footage of their new planes in flight.

Mike Paten of Airpower was hired and given the task of assembling the aerial crew and equipment. We spoke and concurred that Vectorvision was the correct tool for the main flying sequences, and a Tyler Major Mount with gyros used in a LongRanger would yield the best results for the scripted take off and landing shots.

The crew and equipment list were submitted for approval to Jim Sorenzo and Jim Evans of HSI and within a week we reported for work.

CREW

The Vectorvision crew consisted of Director Jim Sonzero, Learjet Captain Jeff Senour, Co-pilot Christian Falco, Vectorvision Technician and SOC member Kent Hughes, the premier aerial Still Photographer Paul Bowen and myself as the operating cinematographer.

PREPPING THE JOB

kent assembled all of the equipment at the new home of Matthews Studio Electronics (now Nettmann Systems International) in Sun Valley. Two Arri III cameras were mounted onto the Vectorvision periscopes.

One system was installed through the aircraft's belly and the other through the ceiling.

In addition the JetStills 88 system, a dedicated lower periscope for stills, was used with a Hasselblad 2000FCW to capture many of the still images to be used for print advertising.

Each camera was checked for flange focal depth, crystal speed, steadiness and cleanliness. Every electrical component and cable was checked for function and then checked again when the equipment was installed into WolfeAir's custom Learjet 25B.

INSTALLATION

WolfeAir's Lear is based at Spirit Aviation at Van Nuys Airport. When the plane is not being used for aerial cinematography, it's used for executive charter and has a beautiful leather interior for seating six passengers comfortably.

When installing Vectorvision, all the seating with the exception of the rear seat is removed. The operator's console is installed on a pedestal in front of the right rear seat and the director sits in the left rear position with a clear view of the operator's monitor.

The lower Vectorvision periscope is installed about two feet in front of the rear seats where it is attached to the seat tracks on the floor. The jet has three openings, one each for the two film systems and one for the still system.

There "ports" are capped when the plane is used in its normal configuration and are sealed tight so that the plane can operate pressurized up to an altitude of 51,000 feet.

When the periscopes are installed the plane's pressurization is unchanged, so it can fly to the location at its regular cruising altitude at speeds up to .82 mach.

The upper periscope is installed another three feet forward of the lower system and the JetStills system is installed through the floor near the upper system.

Once all three systems, the operator's console and the technician's monitor are installed there's room for essential crew only. There's no flight attendant, kitchen, john or entertainment, but with the thrill of these kinds of jobs, the amenities aren't missed.

However, first-time crewmembers are always advised to visit the men's or women's room prior to departure.

Kent installed the Vectorvision system at Van Nuys Airport before the Learjet left the hangar for our location at California International Airport outside Victorville.

In this scenario I was already on location shooting with the Tyler Mount, so I inspected the installation once it arrived onsite.

THE CONTROLS

The console consists of a 14" color monitor, three Microforce™-style joysticks and a camera run button. There are also secondary controls to adjust the overall sensitivity of the pan, tilt, zoom and rolle axes.

The miniature joystick on the right side works by applying forward, backward and lateral motions to control pan and tilt. The other two pots (or joysticks) are used with the left hand; the furthermost left pot controls zoom direction and the speed by applying forward or backward pressure. The other pot controls the roll axis using lateral pressure.

COMMUNICATIONS

The two pilots, still photographer, Vectorvision technician, director and operating cinematographer all have "hot" mics and headsets. With much of the soundproofing removed, the cabin is loud from the wind passing by the fuselage and the jet's turbine engines.

We have a protocol in our communications that is strictly adhered to: don't speak unless it's absolutely necessary. Our pilots not only hear all of us, but they are listening to traffic control, the tower (when entering airspace near airports) and the subject plane's pilots. You can imagine the potential chaos for our pilots if everyone were to speak at once.

Prior to the photo flight, the crew of our plane and the subject plane met and a shot list was reviewed. Jim Sorenzo had several particular shots planned that required precise execution, and everyone being on the same page kept the in-flight dialog to a minimum.

To minimize excessive chatter and as a safety precaution, the Lear pilot was the only person that spoke directly to the UPS pilots.

TAKING TO THE SKIES

Our crew met at California International at 5:15 AM for a 5:45 AM departure. Our plans wer to meet the UPS plane above Filmore at 6:00 AM, rehearse our close formation flying for fifteen minutes and then begin shooting as the dawn sky reflected its glow on the new UPS paint scheme.

All systems were checked and double-checked, the cameras loaded with 400' rolls of 5279k, the door shut and locked. In pitch darkness we taxied to the runway.

As power is applied the engines sound like two blast furnaces, giving a deafening roar as you're pushed back into your seat. The runway lights pass quickly at first and within a few seconds they all blur together in a stroboscopic effect.

One thing all passengers notice is the cadence of the thumps created by the jet's tires as they pass over the joints in the concrete runway. The well-spaced sounds of "thump, thump" quickly build to a drum roll as the plane gains speed.

Your senses take in all the new sensations and as the wheels lift the thumps vanish. In a few seconds the reflective sound where the jet blast meets the pavement fades and the cabin takes on the new ambience of a gentle roar.

Once the plane breaks the Earth's gravity, the sensation of high performance flight becomes evident. It's nearly impossible to lean forward and your eyes become glued to the window in search of anything visual to confirm your body's inner sensations.

But on this flight there's just pitch black with no moon shadows. Within a quick minute the G-forces subside and an occasional light from a home or building in the sparse desert can be seen far below.

ON STATION

Our point of rendevous with the two 767s was above the Fillmore VOR, located about 75 miles away. In less than fifteen minutes we arrived there at an altitude of 5,000 feet and began a visual search for the other planes which had launched simultaneously from their Southern California base, Ontario Airport.

Within the time it took us to orbit the site once, two faint lights could be seen about ten miles away in the east head toward us--Contact!

JOINING UP

The purpose of meeting at 0'dark:30 was so the UPS pilots could join up with us and have some time to get comfortable flying in close proximity to our little '47 speck in the sky.

Jeff Senour received his training in flying camera ships when he flew Learjets for the legendary Clay Lacy back in the late 70s and early 80s.

When Bob Nettmann built this new and improved Vectorvision system, he teamed up with Jeff who still flies the majority of all Vectorvision jobs.

Jeff, who feels more at home in the air than in the comfort of his favorite recliner, sought a flying job that would fill the gaps between the Lear jobs and became a full-time captain for Southwest Airlines. Needless to say, Jeff and the UPS pilots speak a common language.

THE SHOOT

Most of the photo jobs are filmed at lower altitudes in order to take advantage of the background, which usually consists of an assortment of lakes, oceans, shorelines, mountains, cities and countryside.

With the Learjet constantly accelerating and maneuvering around the subject aircraft, the fuel consumption is far greater than if it were just cruising. Thus the average time aloft is usually less than two hours.

With the dawn beginning to gently paint the 767s in "liquid light" it was now time to get to work. We had joined up with the Olympic plane where Jeff got in front of it.

Commercial pilots who fly airliners are almost never used to flying in close formation, so the rehearsal time is essential.

At first the 767 was a mile behind us, and at the long end of our lens--105MM--the plane was just a dot. We needed full fuselage, which required about 150' of separation and our fifteen-minute rehearsal was consumed quickly. It was time to shoot.

The shots were executed in geographical order. That is, Santa Barbara coast first, Big Sur 2nc, Monterey 3rd, etc. Jim would see a background he liked, then call out a shot number and Jeff would take the responsibility of getting both aircraft into shooting position.

Our first setup was just above a cloud deck off the Ventura coast. By the time we were ready with both planes at a number 1 mark, we'd be at Santa Barbara.

At 250 knots, these kinds of jobs chew up a lot of real estate quickly and it's not uncommon to set up thirty to forty miles away from the actual starting point.

With a due West heading, our lower periscope was looking straight back to the East where the dawn's light gave its magical "liquid light" finish to the 767's skin.

With all commercials, it's important to compress as much time into a particular shot as possible and Jim's first shot was no different. It required that we start with a shot of the 767's nose, have it pass on aour right where we could read the words United Parcel Service, reveal the whole plane in profile and then have it peel to the right towards the shoreline. Piece of cake, right?

Actually a shot like this can take an entire 60 seconds from start to finish. Both planes are traveling close to 250 knots, which is a good working speed for both planes. The large plane can fly without its flaps hanging down and it's not so fast that we can't accelerate past the subject plane when needed. But in essence it looks and feels as though all the movements are happening in slow motion.

In our first scenario, Jim--a camera savvy director--called out for 18 fps. You've gotta love it when a director thinks along the same lines as his DP and you know you're going to have a great day. I was impressed that he had actually beat me to the punch at my own game, but I needed that frame rate for another reason, too...the extra 1/4 stop.

We were wide open at T/3.5 and I wanted the top edges of the back-lit clouds below and behind us to reveal their silver linings and give some detail to the 767's nose which was in full shadow of the plane's body.

Once set up and verbally rehearsed, Jim commanded the camera to roll. At the exact same instant Jeff turned ever so slight to the left to let the 767 pass us on our right and he simultaneously pulled back on the power as the 767 accelerated.

These combined actions helped the 767 appear to be closing in and passing us at a faster rate than if we just held our speed and let the 767 do all the work. As the subject plane came along our right side and parallel to us, it was still large enough so "United Parcel Service" was full frame.

It held for a beat, then Jeff radioed to the 767 to "break" and at a much steeper and faster rate than normally used, the plane banked right revealing its entire length and quickly shrank in size as it flew at 250 knots away from us and twoards the coast. Actual screen time: fifteen seconds.

From a camera operator's standpoint, my job was to frame the plane during the camera dolly move. The Microforce™-style joystick made panning a breeze and my camera movements required a gentle left pan with a slight roll correction when Jeff made his shallow left turn at the beginning, then correcting as he rolled level.

Looking into a remote monitor and operating can be confusing at first, but if you've used the Nettmann Cam-Remote® and become proficient with it the transition isn't too difficult.

The main challenge lies in developing an additional sense to constantly keep the horizon level while you're pannin and tilting and the Lear is banking. Keeping control of three joysticks at all times with two hands requires practive to execute well but can be learned on the ground when your employer isn't pating for the cost of keeping a Lear and a jumbo jet or two airborne.

At this point the sun was beginning to break and although the liquid light was gone we still had over an hour's worth of fuel so we could take advantage of the best directional light.

Thirty miles southwest of us lay the Santa Barbara Islands with just the mountaintops revealed above the layer of fog. Jim liked the look and in a few minutes both767s and the Lear were there.

The 2nd 767, in standard livery colors, had been staying about five miles away from us while we shot the Olympic plane and now it was its turn to perform for the cameras.

Again we needed time for the "new" pilot to feel at ease and in twenty minutes we began working together like long-lost old buddies.

Time passed and before we knew it, we had used our allocated fuel and it was time to land at Santa Barbara airport.

Fueling commonly takes close to twenty minutes which gives us time to stretch our legs and on this job we took advantage of the break to sip our first cup of coffee for the day.

Five miles away the 767s circled, patiently awaiting our return. In what seemed like only a five-minute break we boarded our little cigar shaped cabin--less than 5' tall--strapped in and joined up for phase two of our morning mission.

In summary, we worked both planes up and down the coast from Santa Barbara to Monterey twice and along the shore at the Santa Barbara Islands. Jim checked off each shot and at 10 AM we headed back to our desert base for a five-hour break.

STILLS

Paul Bowen, our stills shooter, would work with us, getting shots of opportunity both out the windows and through the JetStills system and we'd also give him dedicated time to set up shots exclusively for his needs.

Paul's work can be seen in corporate brochures for companies like Canadair, Learjet, Gulfstream, Falcon, Lockheed, Boeing and Cessna. There is no dispute that he is the most requested aviation still photographer working today.

Besides using the built-in stills system, Paul works with his Canon EOS-1N with two main lenses: a 28-70 MM, F/2.8 and 70-200 MM, T/2.8.

At 3PM we took back to the skies and headed straight to Monterey airport, refueled and waited for the sun's horizontal rays.

Even though it was overcast with the traditional fog layer, we knew that just 1000' above us clear skies would reveal a beautiful orange ball of radiating light for us to work with.

The second part of the day proved to yield the money shots. With two hours of "on the job training" for the UPS pilots, every shot was refined and executed at a much faster pace. The low-lying fog and the Big Sur mountains rising above made for a breath-taking backdrop.

I called Jim Evans a few days later and he reported that the agency and UPS both exclaimed that our aerial team had collectively "created the most spectacular footage shot to date."

SYNOPSIS

When shooting anything the success equals the sum of all the crew's efforts. In the case of shooting airline commercials there are only a small handful of key players who work together to create the end product and when all of the elements come together a sense of appreciation for each other's contributions is intensified.

The Society of CameraOperators has always focused on the sharing of knowledge with its members and appreciates equipment companies that embrace this most important concept.

In the aerial business, unfortunately there are a few vendors of equipment who have a child's attitude of "It's my ball and you can't play." Bob Nettmann and Dan Wolfe of WolfeAir are not among that group, as they understand the wisdom of fostering relationships with those experts who would like to utilize their equipment.

Several aerial cameramen use Vectorvision for their first choice of jet mounted cameras including David Butler, Bob Mehnert SOC, Frank Holgate and Jon Kranhause.

About the author: Stan McClain, SOC begain assisting aerial cinematographers in 1972, became an operator in 1982 and a DP in 1990. In 1987 he and Wolfe introduced the first Wescam in the U.S. through their company Pasadena Camera Rental. McClain continues his career as a well-respected DP, both in the air and on the ground, and as a mentor to aspiring aerial cinematographers.