35mm Konvas Motion Picture Sound Blimp

How-To Build a Sound Blimp for your Konvas

This How-to isn't so much a how-to, as much as a way to get some ideas on how-to build a Sound Blimp for your Konvas (or other Motion Picture camera). You can find more ideas by looking at the Barney's and Blimps FAQ and Pierre Sam's Konvas 2M with a Sound Barney FAQ.

On February 11th, 2005, in a post titled, "Blimp Update with Pics", Brad Leong wrote the following paragraph, "It's a thick layer of fiberglass with 2 in buffer of foam another layer of fiberglass and then a bunch of bondo to smooth it out. I still need to paint it and make a nifty base plate. It isn't that heavy yet. Adds some weight, but still lighter than a professional 35mm, some of those Arris get massive. So far it brings my Konvas (with a magnetic drive thing) down to about an Arri SR3 which is pretty good. Should be able to do some really nice sync when I get it all finished up. If I still want to quiet it down, I'm going to add a thin layer of lead. That stuff is supposed to be amazing for sound reduction, but soooooo heavy."

35mm Konvas Sound Blimp Front Open
35mm Konvas Motion Picture Sound Blimp Front Open

This Sound Blimp for the Konvas 2M was built by Brad Leong and Anchange Productions.

35mm Konvas Motion Picture Sound Blimp Front Closed
35mm Konvas Motion Picture Sound Blimp Front Closed

35mm Konvas Sound Blimp Front Painting
35mm Konvas Sound Blimp Front Painting

35mm Konvas Sound Blimp Front Painted
35mm Konvas Sound Blimp Front Painted

35mm Konvas Motion Picture Sound Blimp back Open
35mm Konvas Motion Picture Sound Blimp with Open Back (Konvas inside)

Konvas 2M with home-made follow focus
Konvas 2M with home-made follow focus

The rest of the pics are of the sound blimp on location (i.e., in production use):

35mm Konvas Sound Blimp Finished
35mm Konvas Sound Blimp Finished

35mm Konvas Sound Blimp Finished (in use)
35mm Konvas Sound Blimp Finished (in use)

35mm Konvas Sound Blimp on a dolly
35mm Konvas Sound Blimp on a dolly

35mm Konvas Sound Blimp in use on set
35mm Konvas Sound Blimp in use on set

35mm Konvas Sound Blimp (front)
35mm Konvas Sound Blimp (front)

35mm Konvas Sound Blimp (back)
35mm Konvas Sound Blimp (back)

Brad also had this to say, "In the end, you don't just have a camera; you have something that you made yourself, which is a cool feeling."