Roll on HD and the production companies' budgets to pay for it!
There is an education process as well though - I've listened to production crew recently sneering at video "Its only tape" when they're on a 35mm job. There is still an "us and them" about the whole thing which will take time to sort out.
Of course "real men" still do sidemount stuff - it's character building and it has its place for short dynamic cine shots, preferably done in the summer! But if you're using video get behind a gyro ball of some kind, close the doors and turn the heat on.
As to the Health and Safety issue in UK - what a minefield! Does the CAA not regulate us already? Is a second layer of risk assessment appropriate, or useful, or is it just shoulder-sloping for insurance and liability reasons?
However, if the LTE hooplah alerts production companies to the dangers of wanting to stuff talking ballast into the aircraft that's a good thing. A decent aerial co-ordinator on the ground with a radio, fuel onsite, a storeyboard and a clamshell for the director is the way to go.
Lastly, I see MickJoeBill has been shortened by some of you to MJB - not to be confused with MBJ! ..nothing personal MJB but our views may not always co-incide!
