Return | Newsletter Back Issues | Previous | Next Chapman Exclusive:  An interview with General Hospital's Camera Operator, Dale Walsh. With 35 years of experience, 32 of which have been spent on the set of General Hospital, one of Los Angeles's popular daytime soap operas.   General Hospital is broadcast nationally daily. Above: General Hospital's Camera Operator, Dale Walsh Hollywood, CA--Fresh out of the Marine Corp, Dale Walsh decided in no time that he wanted to work in television.  We are here to interview Dale, "Bad Dale", as he has been nicknamed by his colleagues, a veteran television camera operator.  We come onto the set of General Hospital's stage to find the crew filming a winter scene.   Four state-of-the-art Sony cameras are being used, one of these three cameras are filming atop one of Chapman's new Pedolly® Pedestals.  Dale now uses Chapman's Pedolly Pedestal to film the daily segments of General Hospital's ongoing saga.   Today, Dale works with six other camera operators, Dale Carlson, Harlie Outler, Ron Brooks, Ralph Alcocer, D.J. Diomedes, and Blair White. Chapman: Are there any unusual or difficult shots that you have obtained using the Pedolly®? Dale:  One of our Directors, Bill Ludell, asked if we could get a Pedolly in the elevator on set and would we be able to get a smooth shot coming in and out of the elevator.  We tried it and it worked pretty good.  I'd like to try the Isovib and see how it works over the rough threshold of the elevator. Chapman: How do you feel about the four cornered base versus the three cornered base?  Are there certain advantages? Dale: I think the Pedolly is a wonderful piece of gear.  One of the reasons is because it allows you to sit down.  You can't do that on the conventional three cornered pedestal.  By sitting behind the camera lens, you are giving yourself an extra tool to work with.  This allows you to concentrate on your shot instead of being down on your knees worrying about adjusting your weight. Plus, when you are down on your knees for such a long period of time, they begin to hurt.  Additionally, if you are sitting behind the camera lens, you can keep your hands on that focus knob, and if you're on a tight shot, that's a very critical thing.  All this cannot be done with the conventional three cornered pedestal.  I love this piece of equipment.  I wish it would have been invented 35 years ago. Chapman: Thank you.  So you can get more into the shot by simply moving with the camera. Dale: Yes.  It helps you to make small moves easier.  By adjusting the seat properly, so your feet touch the ground, you can move the whole pedestal with your feet.  By simply shifting your weight, you can get a low angle shot, while rocking with the camera comfortably.  With the conventional pedestal, you would have to be on your knees and move the unit, thus taking your hands off that focus knob.  With the Pedolly, I don't have to do that. I can just rock that camera back and forth, trimming up that shot any way I want.  That, to me, is a tremendous advantage. I can move all over the stage if I want. I think more and more of the directors are realizing the capabilities of the Pedolly and the shots that they can achieve with this pedestal. Chapman: Today you are shooting as a close-up camera and are using a long lens. Do you find the Pedolly Base to be very steady during moving shots? Dale:  It's extremely steady and very easy to operate.  The ease of operation over other conventional pedestals that I have used is like movement on glass, it just floats...the Pedolly is a very balanced piece of gear.   And that is what you need when you are shooting a close-up shot. Chapman: You mentioned that the directors are realizing the advantages of the Pedolly.   What are some of these advantages? Dale:  Time is money.  Where it's paid off greatly for us is being able to get into very tight spaces, through doors, and down narrow hallways.   I know you can't do that with the conventional pedestal.  It's really easy with the Pedolly.  All you have to do is move those legs even with the chassis and away you go. Chapman: Have you ever utilized the electronic shifter on the Pedolly? Dale:  Yes, I love it!  Again, it's a big advantage by being able to shift the steering without any noise.  If I were to shift with my foot, it will make noise.  And when you are shooting a very quiet scene for a soap opera, where there is dead silence, and you have to change your tracking, with the electronic shifter, it is almost dead silent.  I also like how you can place the electronic shifter conveniently where you want.  I have placed it with Velcro on my pan handles of my camera. Chapman: Have you ever used the removeable column?  Do you like this feature? Dale:  One of the beautiful aspects of this unit is the ability to remove the column.  You don't have that advantage with the conventional pedestal.   We have used the column alone in cramped quarters to film a scene. Chapman: Did you have a large camera on it and did you use the lateral movement? Dale:  Yes.  The removeable column is also great for transporting the Pedolly.  I wish they would have thought of this years ago. Chapman: Are there any other aspects of the Pedolly that you find useful? Dale:  The director is always saying, "Dale, can you get your camera and come up on the set." Many times, there will be carpet on the floor and with the Pedolly I can do this easily.  By simply flipping up the cable guards with my foot, I can get the ped up where the director wants.  With the conventional pedestal, I cannot do this as easily and quickly.  The Pedolly is lighter and moves easier on carpet.  This tool I use all the time. Chapman: How do you feel about the tracking of the Pedolly? Dale:  The tracking of this pedestal is fantastic.  One thing I like is the ease of trimming up the wheels.  If my wheels get out of alignment, I can quickly and simply realign the wheels.  It gives me more control over the pedestal than I've had in the past. Chapman: Any final comments? Dale:  All I can say is that I love this piece of gear.  It is the most professional piece of gear that I have used besides the Titan Crane.  It makes my job just that much easier. Above: The Pedolly's ability to let you sit behind the camera with your hands continually on that focus knob gives you "another tool to work with."

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