Here at No Film School, we talk quite a bit about the dizzying array of technical methods for creating camera movement (and even the reasons for moving your camera in the first place). In the past year alone, a seemingly absurd amount of camera movement products have hit the market, everything from brushless gimbal stabilizers to updated versions of sliders, shoulder rigs, and beyond. Sometimes these new products are unique tools that enhance our storytelling potential, and sometimes they're just more of the same. However, every now and again a product comes along that seems destined to change the way we move our cameras. The Axis360 Modular Motion Control System might just be one of those rare products.
Ever since the timelapse explosion of the late 2000's, motion control rigs have become the cream of the crop for "low-budget" camera movement. However, the best of these rigs have traditionally been prohibitively expensive, and the lower-end products are usually lacking in versatility, ease of use, and quality. The fine folks over at Cinetics (the company that brought us CineSkates) are looking to change all of that with their extremely versatile and affordable motion control system, Axis360.
As Kickstarter campaigns go, the Axis360 has received an incredible outpouring of support, raising more than its goal of $75,000 in its first day of funding alone. So without any further ado, here's the campaign video for the Axis360 from Cinetics.
The potential uses for the Axis360 are as varied as the amount of ways that the product can be set up. Obviously, one of the things that these products excel at is adding dynamic incremental camera movements to timelapse pieces, but the Axis360 seems to have an equally impressive adaptability to real-time video applications.
Need a perfect 360 degree pan with subtle ramping at the beginning and end of the move? No problem. Want to add a tilt into that move to create a dizzying POV shot of some sort (maybe your character is drunk)? Axis360 can handle it. You can even throw it onto a slider and combine all three of axes of movement to create seamless moves that would take a skilled operator and a good dolly grip to complete in a more traditional setting.
Another big selling point of the Axis360 is that it is just about as easy and intuitive to use as your could possibly want from a product with such a wide flexibility of movement. Here's a basic rundown of the menu system.
Perhaps the best feature of the Axis360 is that it's completely modular. You can start yourself off with a basic kit (a very affordable $395 through Kickstarter) and piece together a fully functioning 3-axis system over time. Here's a breakdown of the various components of the Axis360 system and how they can be combined:
For more information on the Axis360 Motion Control System, and to get in line to own your very own Axis360, head on over to the Kickstarter campaign.
What do you guys think of the Axis360? How do you think this product compares to the other motion control rigs on the market, both in terms of functionality and overall value? Let us know down in the comments!
Link: Axis360: Modular Motion Control For Cameras -- Kickstarter
