For twelve years  the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program,  have cooperated to run a historic train from Binghamton to Rouse’s Point to distribute toys and clothing. We’ve been covering the event with video for 5 years now, and here’s some screen grabs of this year’s train. Kudos to Duncan Donuts and Friehoffer bakeries for their generous support of this wonderful experience and for their great coffee, cocoa, donuts and pastries distributed free of charge to the crowd. Please patronize them if you will. And be sure to drop of a couple of toys for the kids too. You Tube clip will be up in a few days. Please check back. Merry Christmas. – Don Rushmore Click to view slideshow. ‘Twas a few days before Christmas, and all through the valley, The kids were waiting for the train with that Jolly…. Fat man called Santa, he’s scheduled to appear, behind iron horses, (forget about the deer) We gathered in Bainbridge, nearby the track, when the CP policeman said “Stand away…. well back..” Then rumble of Diesels and horns loud and clear — announced that the Fat Man would soon be near Ding Ding Ding the gates came down, And along the track the  train came ’round and rolled to a stop… and who do you think got out? Elves and sailors and Marines tall and proud As Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived in town. With toys in the sack and coats on a rack, and cocoa and donuts for the assembled pack The children all enjoyed  that day when the Toys for Tots Train came their way But now it’s time to go up the line and bring Christmas joy to other girls and boys. Ding! Went the Bell — the diesels hummed as well, and  as the train pulled away, we heard Santa say: “Merry Christmas to all — this train beats a sleigh”

Our first trip to SteamTown, a national Park Service site, that delights the young and old with trains,

trolleys, and more trains.  The highlight was a trip behind an elderly but in perfect working order Mikado steamer, which was authentic including the barrage of tiny cinders from the stack even in the last Pullman.

A 53-mile round trip up steep grades to Tobyhanna, PA and return (behind F- Unit Diesels of the ’50′s) with a  stopover for hotdogs  and a walking tour of Tobyhanna at the depot was an affordable $31. 

A four-star hotel accomodation (Hilton, just a couple of  blocks from the train) at $95 was perfect. The nice folks there will even drop you off and pick you up at the ticket counter (perfect if you have a lot of video gear to tote).  Outstanding service, meals, and cleanliness.  If you stay there, see Rebecca at the Trolley Eatery -=- she’s a real railfan.

We’ll be going back to Scranton soon for more trains, trolleys, haluski, halupki, pierogie and other Polish delights.

Roll ‘em Harvey.

DR

Most people think they have to sign a release (and get money) to be used in a movie, video, blog, website, or magazine.

Nothing could be further from the truth.  If you’re in a public place, and the video/still doesn’t maliciously show you in a negative light, you’re fair game.  I rely on media attorney Bert Krages for my information, and here’s what he says on his site, www.krages.com:

The right to take photographs in the United States is being challenged more than ever. People are being stopped, harassed, and even intimidated into handing over their personal property simply because they were taking photographs of subjects that made other people uncomfortable. Recent examples have included photographing industrial plants, bridges, buildings, trains, and bus stations. For the most part, attempts to restrict photography are based on misguided fears about the supposed dangers that unrestricted photography presents to society.

Ironically, unrestricted photography by private citizens has played an integral role in protecting the freedom, security, and well-being of all Americans. Photography in the United States has an established history of contributing to improvements in civil rights, curbing abusive child labor practices, and providing important information to crime investigators. Photography has not contributed to a decline in public safety or economic vitality in the United States. When people think back on the acts of domestic terrorism that have occurred over the last twenty years, none have depended on or even involved photography. Restrictions on photography would not have prevented any of these acts. Furthermore, the increase in people carrying small digital and cell phone cameras has resulted in the prevention of crimes and the apprehension of criminals.

As the flyer states, there are not very many legal restrictions on what can be photographed when in public view. Most attempts at restricting photography are done by lower-level security and law enforcement officials acting way beyond their authority. Note that neither the Patriot Act nor the Homeland Security Act have any provisions that restrict photography. Similarly, some businesses have a history of abusing the rights of photographers under the guise of protecting their trade secrets. These claims are almost always meritless because entities are required to keep trade secrets from public view if they want to protect them.

Download Mr. Krages’ “Photographer’s Rights Handbook”  (free)

here.

Just consider this:  If every person shown in every documentary had to sign a legal release, documentary production would cease and lawyers would continue to get richer.  You do not need a release, permission, or authority to take any media record in any public place.  Period.

More info in my posting here:

Don Rushmore

Even Teddy Roosevelt was there for the festivities this AM.

We fondly remember our days as a Scout in Middletown, NY 50 years ago. Yes, we did get the Photography Merit Badge.

More stills and U-Tube clips coming early this week.

Click the picture or this link  for 30 more stills from the upcoming movie on DVD.

Roll ‘em Harvey

–DR

Above:  “Teddy Roosevelt” gives words of advice and encouragement to eager Scouts.

Image © 2010 Don Rushmore. License granted to any Boy Scout affiliate for any use thereof.

Jeepers, this thing gives me the Willys..

NOW AVAILABLE HERE ON E-BAY — $6  FREE SHIPPING

Flags, hundreds of them. Memorial wreaths, the Purple Tornado Marching Band (excellent!), Chorale singing, piper’s piping, WW2 jeeps and deuce-and-a-halfs, gun salutes, and veterans… what more could a cinematographer ask for..

The weather was agreeable at 50 degrees, half sun at 11:11 on the 11th day.

The result is a 20-minute film with full Dolby Surround of the bands and singers, a couple of U.S. Marine Band Sousa marches in stereo, and visuals galore.

Copies of the production are available at the Guernsey Library in Norwich, the VFW #2782, the American Legion Post 189.

Or write to me for information on obtaining copies.
seventhfleetfilms@usa.com

Purple Tornado Marching Band

Fire!

"Amazing Grace"

If we do say so ourselves, it turned out wonderfully.  The colors on the crisp bright days was outstanding as the remains of a passing cold front cleared the air (with just a trace of a spritz of a shower) and the humidity was low.

The Canon stereo shotgun mic performed without a flaw, we doubled up on the wind sox as the zephyr’s were blowing a bit, but we didn’t have to add any audio sweetening (low cut filter) to the mix.

We’ll be submitting this production for network approval and we’ll let you know what the outcome is.

Roll ‘em Harvey

Severe clear, CAVU (Clear Air, Visibility Unlimited) trains (lots of them) and pretty girls. What more could a cinematographer ask for.

We were very graciously treated to a great time by Jim LaBarre and Don Bishop of the D and U  RR in Arkville and even got a cab ride in a classic ALCO locomotive, courtesy of Engineer Vic. We’re incorporating B-roll in the segment of Catskill Mountain Showcase that we’re doing highlighting the 3 tourist RR’s in the area. More on this later. In the meantime, enjoy this clip.   2minutes 11 sec. file size: 11 mb.

Microphones –there’s a love-hate thing going in the biz about mic’s.  There are very very expensive ones, and very cheap ones. And yet, for us, the midpriced ones seem to work, technically (and wallet-ly) the best.

STUDIO MIC’S

The studio blowhard Prima Donna type announcer will insist upon ‘his special’ mic, or even bring his own into the studio in it’s own velvet bag.  It’s possibly a high end condenser mic, or, a ribbon-velocity mic, by Neuman, Blue,  Uher, or others costing thousands.

We’ve tried the lot of them, and have chosen for voice-over studio work the MXL 990 ribbon by  Marshall (of the Marshall Amplifier fame).  This world-class company has opened and oversees a huge factory in China where the best affordable mic’s are now made.  This fine ribbon transducer costs under $100 and compares to the ones costing 2 grand from Germany.  This is the mic the famed voice-over artist Don LaFontaine used in the Geico commercial. This is the one you need in the studio –not only for vocals, but instrument and overhead.

SEE MORE ABOUT: INTERVIEW MICS, SHOTGUN MICS, WIRELESS MICS, STUDIO MICS IN THE MIC PAGE…

Having been in the business at the professional network level, we’ve worked with all sorts of pricey and fragile cameras, mic’s, mixers and such.  Some of the lenses alone cost over $100,000.

But that doesn’t mean that independent production companies can’t make excellent shows  with top-notch equipment for far less.

Click on the pages above for detailed discussions, pics, and prices of the gear that we own and how we use the advanced technology of today to make our shows.

For example, the Canon XL1s  is a camera that was designed for and went on Space Shuttle missions. It’s available in used but excellent condition for under $2,000. This camera has shot many feature-length films, SD and 16×9 formats, and its successor, the XL2, is fully HD capable (it’s new for $4,000) .  It’s my favorite so far. See the CAMERA page above for full details and specifications.

We’ll be posting to this category as time allows.

Roll ‘em, Harvey.

Catskill Mountain Showcase DVD art

Here’s the cover art for the DVD of the first “Catskill Mountain Showcase” program. This one’s the “Maple Time” episode. Click pic to enlarge.