On-Ride Videos: The Great Debate

[ScReAMmachine!]

Thats fair enough mate but after looking at your movie world video... its quite clear you didnt think about the risks taken by you taking that camera on the ride. Its not damaging your camera thats important... but what could happen if your camera hits and injures another person on the ride. Ever thought of that? Parks dont have a 'No Camera' policy for nothing you know... is the danger worth a couple of minutes of live footage from the ride?

[Richard]

Why didn't you post this in the relevant thread, i.e. here. You've just posted about his Movie World video in his Wonderland video thread, when there's a thread right there for the Movie World one. Now, Warner Bros. Movie World enforces a policy where guests must take all their belongings on all rides but Lethal Weapon (for obvious reasons). He had on-ride footage of Wild West Falls, Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster and Road Runner Roller Coaster. Upon entry of all of these rides, you are instructed to put all loose items on the floor below you. Where's a video camera more safe, on the floor, where it's liable to get tossed around, ejected or wet, or in your hands? It's amazing how one incident, completely unrelated in any way to ride videos, has caused this amazing backlash and witch-hunt. It all gets a bit absurd, particularly in cases like this where if anything all park rules were followed correctly.

[Flea]

Thank you for that Richard. I've had past experiences where my camera would get stepped on by ride operators and guests. I feel much safer to have the camera in my hands than to have it on the platform. I'm not that stupid to let go of the camera midcourse the ride. It's actually quite easy to hold onto the camera on a ride - you just have to get used to the ride first. Recently at Wonderland I have been asking the ride operators to place the camera in the operating booth to avoid it being stepped on (which has happened a few times). I'm sure if you had a camera which you saved up for six months (putting a dollar in the box everyday), you'd want to take special care of it. ~Liam

[ScReAMmachine!]

It's amazing how one incident, completely unrelated in any way to ride videos, has caused this amazing backlash and witch-hunt

so are movie world staff allowed to let the public use their video camera on the ride?? In that instance, I am sorry as I did not know that nor did i intend to discredit flea's work. I guess its a concern... Whenever I have been to dream world I have always been refused because loose objects and cameras may become a safety issue. What do the parks state about using videocameras

[Richard]

Put it this way. At Movie World I have never once seen anyone told to put away a camera on an "allowed" ride. Considering they get a lot of tourists, namely Japanese (stereotype but spot on with Movie World), I'd say they allow the use of cameras on the rides. The whole park has a "no flash" policy, and a no commercial photography/filming policy (which is why permission was granted for the calendars), but other than that, with the exception of Lethal Weapon, cameras can go anywhere you do. Heck, down the road at Sea World (you know, owned by the same company as Movie World, same basic policies), they freely allow riders to take cameras onto even Corkscrew. I've seen ride operators giving people tips on the best ways to hold the camera for a steadier shot. As most of Dreamworld's rides are in some way incapable of taking riders items (Cyclone is a looper, Tower of Terror has a habit of letting things go while in freefall, Runaway Reptar and Giant Drop have no floor and don't bother with Wipeout - it does a good job of cleaning people of secured items in people's pockets), they don't allow any objects on the ride. However, you take everything with you, and consequently are free to restrain your devices in whatever safe way possible (on the floor, in your hands...) on Thunder River Rapids, Rocky Hollow Log Ride and Eureka Mountain Mine Ride. They're very strict with cameras and other loose objects on the disallowed rides, believe me.

[joz]

That reminds me Richard, what happened to that extreme on-ride footage you were going to post on coasterbuzz?

[Richard]

The precise answer to that is nothing - I'm so clogged up with other stuff to do that I've virtually done nothing I've wanted to. I still owe a Sea World gallery and a longer video and I think it's safe to say that probably neither of these will happen within the next week, let alone any novelty things like extreme on-ride footage. Onto an entirely non-related issue. Reminder to everyone: Payment is needed for calendars by Wednesday, and at this stage we're still no less than six short of the minimum. If we don't reach that minimum, no calendars will be printed and all orders will be refunded. You're not just disappointing myself - you're also letting down those who have ordered calendars. I'd appreciate it if you got orders in as soon as possible. If you need to borrow your parents' credit card or whatever, then do it over the weekend and leave yourself plenty of time. Aim to have orders in by Sunday night, leaving the next three days as backup.

[Scared of Jack]

roll One question must be asked! If you snuck your camera on a ride and whilst filming dropped the camera and smashed everywhere, even though the operator warned you not to take it on, Who would you mostly blame? Honest answers here |

[joz]

It would be your own stupid fault. If anyone blames the park then they have serious issues.

[Daniel]

The operator would no doubt be given some curry by superiors also if a guest was found to have taken a camera on a ride. However, there's only so much the op can do to stop them getting them on. It's not something you really look for as an operator. You're more worried about checking heights, looking for busted arms and checking for shoes etc. If a camera is spotted a guest will be told to leave it. Not always possible though. You see them on Bush Beast all the time, as they leave the station they pull it out from their pockets or something, too late by then. I agree a camera can be turned into a missile in an instant and can be very dangerous hence Wally World having a no camera policy on ALL rides. I can't believe some parks allow it. If however you are sneaky enough to get it past the operator good luck to you. Someone will get in trouble though. Nasty complications if it does become a missile.

[Bussy]

When camera crews come the Wonderland to film on the rides ie Demon/Probe the camera that is taken on the ride is gaffer taped to the persons hand and the harness. Now tell me if there is no danger to people on or off the ride why do they do this? As for NW/DW/SW and WS having on ride film this is done by professionals with the camera properly mounted to the ride. If you think it is safe to take any sort of camera or object on the ride without some risk to yourself, other riders or observers then you are sadly mistaken. All it takes is one accident to stuff it up for everyone. "The Bus is now leaving for Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu Hill, New Zealand"

[Daniel]

Agreed 100%. On Demon, there's a special camera mount that is secured to the train. Like Bussy said, cameras are taped around hands, several hundred thousand times I might add. They aren't going anywhere. It wouldn't take much to lose your grip on your camera. Everyone knows that. It's common sense basically. I'm with the against party on this one. It's friggin dangerass!!

[Richard]

I'm not sure where the talk of sneaking cameras onto rides came from. It's largely irrelevant as no cameras have been snuck on for any of the videos in question as far as I know. I'll follow the park's rules (written, spoken, implied or otherwise). Nothing more and nothing less. If no one's getting in trouble, and no one's in danger, how can you say I'm anything less than a law-abiding guest. Hey, if I'm riding something and manage to drop a $1,000 piece of equipment ($6,000+ if you're talking about my video camera) despite having a wrist strap around my wrist and whatnot, then I not only deserve to loose my equipment but also I should be sued out of everything I own to pay for the poor bloke's medical treatment and locked in jail. That's how confident I am in my own ability to hold onto something. And this is on a ride that freely allows cameras etc. - strictly speaking, in putting a dent in some poor fella's face and loosing an expensive camera, I'm not breaking any rules.

[Daniel]

Richie, it has been implied that the camera was 'snuck on' because Wonderland has a no camera policy and any operator in their right mind wouldn't allow someone to take a camera on a ride such as Demon or Probe. Therefore it has been presumed by the general community here it has been snuck on, unless operators are breaking rules, but none that I know (employment longer than 6 months) would allow a camera on Demon or Probe. Fact. If I was a guest on the same ride I'd have a blow up.

[Bussy]

It has been brought up before here, not by me, about taking cameras on I think it says it all and proves that not everyone is a "law-abiding guest" and that cameras are "snuck" onto rides. "The Bus is now leaving for Bob, Canada"

[ScReAMmachine!]

That's how confident I am in my own ability to hold onto something

Rich as im sure you know, rides are unpredictable and may stop or face mechanical problems at any time... its not just about your ability to 'hold on to the camera', but moreso due to the nature of the rides themselves. But hey, lets do it anyway! I can't believe the extremities people go through to take footage on a ride... if i worked at a theme park, whosoever purposely took their camera onto the ride (after being warned) would be personally escorted out of the park. Prevention is better than cure. Its better not to allow people on rides like Probe with cameras than to wait and see the consequences of a staff/guest injury.

[Richard]

Drop me off a cliff. I guarantee you that the strap still ain't coming off my wrist. If I'm at Wonderland, or any park with a no-camera policy, then I'm not going to take one on. If it's a ride where they allow cameras, or you have to take all belongings with you, I'll choose (considering I've taken on-ride footage on only three or four rides ever, it doesn't happen too often).

[Daniel]

Richie Rich, you're not being singled out here. The people with the brains here have said common sense tells you, don't take loose items of any kind on an attraction. I'm glad you could hang onto your camera, what about the manky bastard that tries after seeing you do it? You of anyone should know how unpredictable rides are- "Riders will be subject sudden changes of movement and direction"- I've heard that somewhere before... Lets just say Bush Beast jumped the tracks- you'd break your camera... :twisted: What if you didn't have a strap? Would you still try?

[Richard]

What about the guy who does as I did? What he does is entirely up to him, and he is responsible for what he does, not me. Because I visit a few more parks each year than the average guest, or because I happen to have an annual pass to this particular park, does this somehow make me a role model or something? I'll be a role model by following the rules. If it says no loose objects on the ride, then I'll follow it. If it says all items must be taken with riders, and may not be left in the station (as is the case on all but one ride at Movie World), that's what I'll do. Okay, to take my footage of Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster, at the time I had ridden it over 30 times. Wild West Falls, it would have been much the same. For some photos I took on Sea World's Corkscrew a few years ago, I had ridden it at least 100 times. See where I'm going. As unpredictable as these rides are, I'm more than confident in my ability to "ride" them and to know what's coming up. I'd never take a camera on my first ride because I actually want to experience it. Once again, I am not breaking park policies. If the parks - the ones who are ultimately responsible - allow it, who are you to say that I shouldn't? In case you're interested, there's over 400 photographs on this website. I can find two photographs that are "on-ride". One of them may have broken that particular ride's policy.

[Daniel]

In the litigious society that we live in, how many people would turn around and expect the theme park to be responsible for any damage to their camera caused by the wanker taking it on in the first place? Bloody lots. To stop any troubles, Wonderland has a no camera policy to prevent any of this kind of crap. It is a common sense rule that I can't believe is not enforced by every single theme park. Anyone with half a brain would leave their camera behind. e.g. Your so called $6000 camera's strap breaks, smashes someone on the boof and knocks them out cold. How would you react to this? The ramifications for all involved would be on the large side of the scale. Have you never dropped anything? Once again, Richard you seem to think all this is directed at you. The topic being spoken about more is people 'sneaking' a camera onto a ride and disobeying park policy which you agree you will adhere to upon entry of the theme park. Even if it's not park policy common sense tells you, you don't take loose items on a ride where you will reach some pretty slick speeds. It is being stated in general that it is dangerass to take any items, especially a camera on a ride with you when you will be 'subject to sudden changes of movement and direction', especially when the park has a no camera policy, clearly posted at every attraction. No one has suggested once you'd try it at Wonderland. It doesn't mean people don't, obviously, and that's what these comments are getting at. Just because you believe you could hang onto your camera, it doesn't mean the next boofhead can. You can't say for sure that you can hang on to it. How many things do you drop everyday? How's ur mobile phone in the scratches department. Good on you Super Glue Man. If you choose to take a camera on a ride good luck to you.

[joz]

I'm against people breaking rules at parks. That's all there is too it. In no way should people sneak cameras onto rides. Having said that, if your allowed to take cameras on the rides, then why not? Every time I've seen someone take a camera on a ride, the operator has made a point of saying "Your responsible for your camera". For me, if your stupid enough to drop it and it hits someone, then you should still be responsible. Like Richard says, anyone stupid enough to drop a camera on a ride deserves everything they get. I also believe that most people are smart enough to ride a ride first before trying to get on-ride footage. I've only done on-rides on Corkscrew, and after a few 1000 rides, I dare say I know what to expect on the ride. Also, for the record, my phone has scratches on it since it keeps falling out of my pocket.

[Daniel]

Joz, you know what I was getting at with the phones ya knucklehead :twisted: The point is, at Wonderland you can't! Simple as that. You might deserve what you get if you drop your camera, but does the poor bastard sitting 3 rows back?

[Jaggie]

Ok guys heres my view Well i rekon that it is dangerous as much as i wood like to take cameras on rides But if you get permission of the ride op (make sure who it is first) well its ok. Though sneaking the cameras on is wrong, no matter how secure it is.

[Richard]

so called $6000 camera

Yep, I'm lying. You've caught me out here. I get satisfaction out of making up things to make me sound better than I am. For the record, that camera has never gone onto any ride/coaster and it never will. It's an overkill for anything but documentary work or short films, which is what it why it was purchased (it may puzzle some to know I have a life outside of theme parks ), and also because enough G's or a bump in the wrong was and it's out of action for four weeks and there's a hefty repair bill to face. Now, I'm not making this out to be all directed at me. Until just now, the issue of sneaking cameras on was barely touched on. Let's keep an eye on the language, thanks. Censorship blows, but just because something's not replaced by asterisks, doesn't make it acceptable.

[Daniel]

Easy mate I'm just winding you up. You have no reason to lie about a camera and I understand you are pretty big on photography hence the big bickys camera. I wish I had a $6000 camera too mate. I'm just taking the p*ss. I don't doubt you for a second. Any opportunity given to take the p*ss, I snap up. I like it when people "bite", come on, keep biting. At least tell me to get stuffed or something. Take the gravel out of your mouth old son, and join in :twisted: I'm sorry about the language if you're offended. Can't help myself sometimes. I'll work on that.