Working in our small market, many commercials and marketing videos end up with the same results when everything is shot from a static tripod. A dolly would seem like a great way to add a dynamic look to the production. In the thirty years that I've been in the business our dollies were always built from plywood with pvc pipe for the rails. The problems were the same in any variation we made; heavy, awkward for one person; too big to move easily either in a vehicle or on set.
This year while looking at alternatives I came across an interesting setup from Embrace Video. They have manufactured a unit they call the Trifecta Dolly. It improved upon every one of the problems that I previously outlined; it's light, perfect for one person to carry, setup and operate, fits in a small carrying bag and stows perfectly in a minivan.
The pleasant surprise was the price! Very affordable and easy on the budget. The only downside is I have to ensure I get enough static tripod shots for a production because I enjoy using the dolly on all my shots.
"The microphone is a very high quality uni-directional microphone. I have used it for shooting two documentaries and I have been very satisfied by the quality of the sound it records. Initially I was reluctant to use it but once I started using it, I did not miss a 416. I think it is a great buy and it is great value for money."
Anirban Datta, Filmmaker, Producer, Photographer; New Delhi, India
Products - Plate Array Microphone, TPB 18 with the Zoom H4,
Embrace 3, Boom and Shock mounts
“I have recently used the Plate-Array microphone from Embrace Video to record a play from the back of a theater. At a distance of 80 feet the microphone perfectly captured all the dialog from the stage with the illusion of proximity. I found this microphone to be sonically superior to any shotgun mic that I have ever used. Our DVD of this show now has superior high quality sound thanks to this most unusual and innovative microphone solution.”
Don Slepian, Composer, Performer, Keyboardist; Stroudsburg, PA USA
Products - Plate Array Microphone, 2 Shock Mounts
http://DonSlepian.com
"I felt like I was in expert hands when shopping for my microphone. The team did a great job of listening carefully to my requirements and then suggesting and customizing the perfect microphone and phantom box for my recording needs. The mic itself is of superb quality, and I really enjoy recording with it."
Piya Kochhar, Producer/Audio Recordist working in Independent Radio, New Delhi, India
Products - Plate Array Microphone,
The Phantom Box 18 for use with the Sony PCM-D50,
2 Shock Mounts, XLR Cables and Boom
"This is a sturdy and useful piece of kit which I'm now using on a daily basis. It's very well made despite its low price and able to adjust to a variety of lengths. The only real criticism I have is that you can't run cables inside the pole, they have to be outside. Overall I'm happy to recommend this over products costing several times the price. The postage was also surprisingly quick taking just over a week (to UK)."
Dr. Alan Stones, Composer + Sound Designer, London, UK.
Product - Boom
http://www.alanstones.net
"Intelligent, hard working, imaginative team! I think they have all kinds of add-ons for your basic equipment and its all up to your imagination to actually use them on the ground. I have seen and tested many of their devices and bought a plate-array mic from them. It is good thing if you want to do record distant sounds especially. I used it in both indoor and outdoor locations and it works fine. The clarity of sound is amazing! Though I didn't like how much of the low frequencies it catches. I have asked them to fix it."
Nitin K., Independent Documentary Filmmaker, New Delhi
Products - Plate Array Microphone, 2 Shock Mounts, Boom
"This is a neat little brace meant for light cameras. Smooth enough to shoot for documentaries while moving around or getting follow shots. When used right it cuts out most shakes. Rather easy to set-up, it's good to go within 5 minutes. Not too heavy, so unless you need the absolute smoothness of a steadicam, this is the tool I would suggest."
Sahir Raza, Videographer, Cinematographer, Mumbai, India
Product - Embrace5 used with the Sony PMW EX3
"I used the Embrace 3 quite a few times while filming rehearsals and theatrical productions. It has given me smooth, steady shots while moving with actors and also while doing long, static hand-helds. What it needs is some amount of practice. . . you can't simply buy it and start using it immediately. You need to play with it for some time, check out what terrain it works best on, how much of telephoto lens it can handle without shakes. . . all in all I am very satisfied with this piece of equipment and recommend it to all those who shoot hand-held. A good value for money."
Sanjay Maharishi, Videographer and Filmmaker, New Delhi
Product - Embrace3
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