Red 1 Wiped Out

Kevin Lang · 02-28-2008, 05:44 AM

I have been hearing reports of a Red camera here in Charlotte being wiped out by Dale Jr.:angry03: From what I understand they mounted the camera to the outside of the car and he took a turn to close to the wall and killed the camera. I was just curious if this is just folklore or this indeed happened.

Stuart English · 02-28-2008, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLang

I have been hearing reports of a Red camera here in Charlotte being wiped out by Dale Jr.:angry03: From what I understand they mounted the camera to the outside of the car and he took a turn to close to the wall and killed the camera. I was just curious if this is just folklore or this indeed happened.

If Dale Jr's car is a write off and the camera fired right back up again when they re-attached the battery then its true.

Otherwise it is certainly just folklore...:red_bandana:

WesVasher · 02-28-2008, 06:35 AM

Junior loves the high line.

Bret Weeks · 03-01-2008, 12:34 AM

Nope. Not Folklore.

Well, not completely anyway- I can tell you firsthand.

We had #97 mounted on a hostess tray to #88 at Concord, "wall side" of course... tried to explain it to the client we were shooting for, but they insisted on the angle.

He made it through 1,2 & 3, and when I heard the "Ohhhhhh" from about 25 people standing off track, I turned and saw a bunch of lithium ion cells flying about 12 feet in the air, at about 60mph.

We thought the worst had happened. Mind you, it was early. I don't even think Red had shipped #101 yet.

He went around once more allowing our anxiety and doubt to grow for another 30 seconds or so, but after he stopped, we saw that he'd just rubbed the wall with the battery first and then the cradle. Twisted it a little bit, just enough to break it. Didn't bend the 19mm Rods though...

For the first time in 20 years, I asked for autographs. He was nice enough to sign the battery cover and the cradle for our newest paperweights.

Weird sound, when a group of people make that "Ohhhhh" in unison.

Can you say pucker?

Just out of curiosity, how'd you hear about it?

James T Mather · 03-01-2008, 12:39 AM

I hope the client stumped up the cash.

Bret Weeks · 03-01-2008, 01:05 AM

I ate the battery- it was an old Sony from the betacam days... I'd have felt guilty charging... the autograph was enough payment, but I'm pretty sure Dorf billed for the cradle....

Brent J. Craig · 03-01-2008, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bret Weeks

Just out of chears about curiosity, how'd you hear about it?

I don't know about this incident, but when anyone wrecks a camera here in Toronto everyone in the industry hears about it surprisingly quickly.

Jaime Vallés · 03-01-2008, 07:38 AM

Wow. Did the footage survive? I'd love to see that angle...

Bret Weeks · 03-01-2008, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrewPix.com

I...when anyone wrecks a camera here in Toronto ....

I like to think we didn't wreck it.
We shot with it the day after :)

The shot acutally ends up being rather boring. It wasn't the best angle for the car, and when he rubbed the battery off, it just stops, like we shut it off...

Some of the stuff shot that day with the Apache is available on redrelay, look under Glory Cubed... the early 75 frame stuff is pretty sweet.

We'll be throwing up a new demo reel shortly with a ton of really cool stuff.

Clearances are a bitch.

Brian Reisdorf · 03-01-2008, 05:03 PM

Somewhere there's actually Varicam footage of the battery flying all over the track. I'll have to get ahold of it this week and see if it's worth posting. You can immediately ID those of us there with the camera (Bret, Pywl, and myself) by the expressions on our faces compared to everyone else. Thank god for the empty reddrive cradle though, it acted as a kind of "crumple-zone" that probably saved the universal mount, rods, and who knows what else when it flexed on impact.

Being the owner of #97, Pucker-factor was an understatement.

We didn't bill for it for a few reasons, mainly because things were done through the National Guard, meaning way more paperwork that it was worth. Honestly I was happy enough that the camera survived at all, let alone was in perfect condition. On the upside, we'd wanted a quickplate anyways. :-D

03-01-2008, 12:34 AM	#4
Bret Weeks Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 55	well.... Nope. Not Folklore. Well, not completely anyway- I can tell you firsthand. We had #97 mounted on a hostess tray to #88 at Concord, "wall side" of course... tried to explain it to the client we were shooting for, but they insisted on the angle. He made it through 1,2 & 3, and when I heard the "Ohhhhhh" from about 25 people standing off track, I turned and saw a bunch of lithium ion cells flying about 12 feet in the air, at about 60mph. We thought the worst had happened. Mind you, it was early. I don't even think Red had shipped #101 yet. He went around once more allowing our anxiety and doubt to grow for another 30 seconds or so, but after he stopped, we saw that he'd just rubbed the wall with the battery first and then the cradle. Twisted it a little bit, just enough to break it. Didn't bend the 19mm Rods though... For the first time in 20 years, I asked for autographs. He was nice enough to sign the battery cover and the cradle for our newest paperweights. Weird sound, when a group of people make that "Ohhhhh" in unison. Can you say pucker? Just out of curiosity, how'd you hear about it? __________________ 971 & 972

03-01-2008, 12:39 AM	#5
James T Mather Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 935	I hope the client stumped up the cash. __________________ www.jamestmather.com

03-01-2008, 01:05 AM	#6
Bret Weeks Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 55	I ate the battery- it was an old Sony from the betacam days... I'd have felt guilty charging... the autograph was enough payment, but I'm pretty sure Dorf billed for the cradle.... __________________ 971 & 972

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02-28-2008, 05:44 AM	#1
Kevin Lang Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 268	Red 1 Wiped Out I have been hearing reports of a Red camera here in Charlotte being wiped out by Dale Jr.:angry03: From what I understand they mounted the camera to the outside of the car and he took a turn to close to the wall and killed the camera. I was just curious if this is just folklore or this indeed happened. __________________ _____________________________________________ If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either shoot things worth seeing or do things worth shooting. Benjamin Franklin.....sort of Kevin Lang DP/Camera Op www.bestfriendfilms.com

02-28-2008, 06:35 AM	#3
WesVasher Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 99	Junior loves the high line.

03-01-2008, 07:38 AM	#8
Jaime Vallés Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 1,311	Wow. Did the footage survive? I'd love to see that angle... __________________ Jaime Vallés CASI CASI - A new DVX100 feature film! - www.CASICASI.com

03-01-2008, 05:03 PM	#10
Brian Reisdorf Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 135	Somewhere there's actually Varicam footage of the battery flying all over the track. I'll have to get ahold of it this week and see if it's worth posting. You can immediately ID those of us there with the camera (Bret, Pywl, and myself) by the expressions on our faces compared to everyone else. Thank god for the empty reddrive cradle though, it acted as a kind of "crumple-zone" that probably saved the universal mount, rods, and who knows what else when it flexed on impact. Being the owner of #97, Pucker-factor was an understatement. We didn't bill for it for a few reasons, mainly because things were done through the National Guard, meaning way more paperwork that it was worth. Honestly I was happy enough that the camera survived at all, let alone was in perfect condition. On the upside, we'd wanted a quickplate anyways. :-D