Some days you just need an extra dose of awesome in your life to give you the boost you need.
Today's awesome boost comes in the form of a BTS video and reel showing off the tremendous creative potential of a new piece of gear, the Mark Roberts Motion Control (aka MrMoco) BOLT High-Speed Cinebot, a robotic motion-control arm, much like that of Bot & Dolly, that can breeze through complex camera moves in just fractions of a second. When paired with a slow motion camera such as the Phantom Flex 4K, which can shoot 1,000 fps at full 4K resolution, the BOLT transforms into one of the most jaw-dropping creative image capture tools known to humankind. Don't believe me? Have a look for yourself.
Here's the finished BOLT demo reel that shows off longer form versions of the shots captured above. Quick warning, there's a brief, but artful NSFW moment near 1:10 in the video.
And just in case you wanted to see the BOLT in action one more time, here it is zooming around on some dolly track like it has a mind of its own. I, for one, welcome our new robotic overlords.
If your day is not significantly more awesome after checking out those videos, then I apologize, but there's nothing more I can do for you.
Your Comment
11 Comments
Who is the Jeanne D´Arc Girl?
February 6, 2015 at 12:44PM
Damnit, Robert, you've done it! You've found the video worthy of the superlative.
February 6, 2015 at 2:36PM
Another cool showreel for those interested in high speed motion control:
https://vimeo.com/39774003
February 6, 2015 at 7:53PM, Edited February 6, 7:53PM
Anyone know of a system like this in Canada or the US?
February 6, 2015 at 8:32PM
For a youth project we did on robotics, where kids learned to program we asked Alex de Heus from Motion Control Europe to come and demonstrate the Bolt to us... It is amazing the see the type of movements this robot can handle in 3D space and replicate them so accurately time and time again...
For all the Dutch speakers, you can see the Bolt in action at 1:04 here (http://vimeo.com/80678161) in this little aftermovie from this educational program we organised. Alex is a very nice and generous guy, we appreciate his work very much.
By the way, did you know that Upside Down (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1374992/) was also filmed in parts with the Bolt... where in two different studios they would replicate the exact same camera movement in order to mix both worlds together?
February 7, 2015 at 2:59AM
Been on a few BOLT shoots - the team operating them have to drill holes into the studio floor to screw it down, because it moves so fast there's a risk of it toppling with some moves.
If you've got a spare £30k or so, you can also build one yourself (!) - I know a French director who bought what was essentially a robotic arm from a car manufacturing plant, and got someone to spend 6 months re-programming it to do highspeed MoCo moves. Works a treat - but could easily become sentient and kill us all.
February 7, 2015 at 3:57AM, Edited February 7, 3:57AM
good luck if you're the 1st AC...
February 8, 2015 at 6:18AM
This is the funniest comment I've seen on NFS.
February 8, 2015 at 8:01PM
GIMME THAT MACHINE!!!!!!1
February 9, 2015 at 9:48AM
I do believe the guys at The Marmalade did it first, and better. http://vimeo.com/channels/343152/33408157
February 9, 2015 at 2:20PM, Edited February 9, 2:20PM
I do agree with you as well. Spike did a better job than Bolt
February 10, 2015 at 4:16PM