Almost a year ago, at NAB 2013, I saw a slider that Red Rock Micro was offering that offered unattended operation. Basically it is a 3′ slider with a motor, but after closer inspection, you realize there is more to it.
The name “onemancrew” has a bit of a negative connotation to it and put me off a bit at first. I strongly believe in using the right tool for the job, period.
For me, the main attraction to this slider is it’s ability to run seamlessly back and forth without compromise. I love a floating camera in an interview, but there is always a point that the move has to top or reset. For me, that time always seems to come at an important sound bite. With the OMC, I do not have to worry about that, since the dolly will move back and forth seamlessly.
The slider itself is very simple to use, although it does not ship with much documentation. That you will need to download from the Red Rock Micro web site. There are several modes that it will run, like left and stop or right and stop, or left and right with limits. There is also a time lapse mode that I have not tried yet, but it will move one inch over a period of time from 1 minute to 8 hours.
The unit comes with AC power via a transformer plug, and you can buy a cable to run it from a Dionic or other DC power source.
I also recommend purchasing a road case if you plan to fly with it. I bought a Pelican 1750 case, which protects the unit inside with the soft bag on.
The only thing I find frustrating is that there is no go to “center” button for the head. In order to ship it, there is a set screw that needs to be in at the top dead center position. Since you cannot free slide the head, it can be difficult to get the pin set.
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