LoPresti Newsletter March 2007

What a day! Blue, BLUE skies, mid 70’s and you can see 100 miles. Today I played and experimented with things I love: cameras, designing camera mounts, aerobatics and the Fury - what a combo for fun. I have been trying to supply RJ with a good film library to draw from for various DVDs and clips we want to produce. I must admit, based on my film experience with some of the world’s best directors and DPs (director of photography) that he does have a very unique knack and ability.

So, with the Fury pre-flighted, I played with the small remote camera and the items I brought with me to make these simple camera mounts. Now you would be surprised at what I had: small clamps, sections of regular plastic pants hangers, clothes pins, tie wraps, wooden dowels, a small sand bag and got to have my duct tape. Several people looked on and couldn’t believe that I had used such simple things in some of my past films to make camera mounts. However I got an idea that, well to me, was genius; the LoPresti lighted Hat Cam. LoPresti sells these trick hats that have two led lights built into the brim with the light switch, a push button under the brim. I happen to have two of these; one I use all the time and one clean one for the show events. I used the worn one to mount the small camera (about the size of two sugar cubes) to the right side of the hatband and mounted the 9V battery to the rear hat strap. I thought with the battery so close to my brain it might give me X-ray vision, it didn’t, perhaps my head is too hard! Anyway it worked great. Now all I had to do during filming was remember to pan the camera and not make sudden head moves and WALLA, some unique footage. During filming at certain sun angles the panel was dark, hahahaha so I just turned on the LED lights and had my own lighting. Yes, I know it’s scary hahahaha thoughts like this pop into my head all the time. Hummm say RJ, Curt, maybe we should market the LoPresti hat cam!
I do have a few mods in mind. Oh I love working with prototypes.

After 45 minutes of aerobatic flying I headed back to McKinney, TX. I couldn’t believe this day. The Big Man was smiling on me for sure. As I watched some of the footage I realized that it was so clear that Dallas, 30 miles away is clearly seen in the footage rotating around. Now Einstein’s questioning hit me. Was I rolling or was Dallas rolling around me – Oh this is too heavy to think about. I’m going to watch the NASCAR race.

Check 6

“Corkey”