*** Dulux Let's Colour Project ***

Working with Stink UK and Director Adam Berg (well known in the moco world as the Director of "Carousel" for Phillips, shot using the Milo by the VFX Co.) Let's Colour was shot over five weeks and took us to four continents. The shoot started in Lapa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and ended in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India with a couple of days in Paris and London in between.

  
Ulti-Head on track in Rio (left) and in Jodphur (right)

 In Rio and Jodhpur Stink UK required a light weight system with pan tilt and tracking of up to 30m that could be checked in as luggage and flown to these locations with the crew. We customed a rig with the Ulti-Head on track with a belt system that would allow the rig to run on standard dolly rail. In Paris and London the Talos was used with 21m of track. For fill in and multiple viewpoints we used the SFH-30 with DSLR cameras.

 Most of the shooting was done using ten or twenty second exposures shooting preplanned moves, with the Arri 435. For the variable speed moves we ramped the camera using the features in Flair from these low frame rates up to 25 fps as part of the move.

See links below to watch the Director's Cut and the making of.  

     
Talos in Paris (left) and in London school yard with the SFH-30 (right)

 Click here to watch the Director's Cut               Click here to watch the making of

*** S3 3D Stereoscopic Animation Unit ***

 It is now 12 months since the S3 3D Stereoscopic Stepper/Slider unit was released and in that time it has gone from strength to strength being used in everything from commercials, to feature films and TV series and in all corners of the globe. Being compatible with MACs and PCs and all major animation and motion control systems, as well as all standard DSLRs has made it very popular and its affordability has meant anyone can get their hands on one. 

 Since its first release there have been numerous software upgrades which have added new features and given performance improvements. The unit itself has been upgraded mechanically since its first release with a stronger motor and strengthened chassis and is capable of carrying large weights even at an angle (for example 4kg at 30 degrees inclined or 3kg at 45 degrees). It can even lift almost 2kg at a degree incline all from the humble USB port. It has been tested with MAC OS, Windows XP/Vista/Win 7 32-bit & 64-bit.

 Soon the release of the new S4 unit will offer customers the ability to have a 3D Stereoscopic unit capable of having a convergence option (more info to follow in later updates).

 Aardman Animations, currently working on their next feature film had this to say: “At Aardman Animations we have been using the S3 stereoscopic stepper unit for 3D animation on our latest feature film, currently still in production. MRMC have been very helpful adapting the unit to suit our needs, such as adding a step and direction output so we can utilise different motion control equipment and 3D trackers with the units. We have been using up to 30 units in our studios on different shots, controlling them via the USB serial communications by Stop Motion Pro 7 creating a complete stereo solution taking both frames and moving the camera with a single button push. So far the S3 has greatly increased the speed of shooting and helped create accurate 3D images adequate for theatre projection.” - Morgan Roe Production Technical Engineer

Bjoern Gottwald used his S3 to create his Bachelor thesis at the University of Applied Science in Augsburg, Germany. We were really impressed when he proudly sent us footage of his “trailer” called Embers set in a post-apocalyptical world, where humans are outnumbered by machines.... Well worth seeing, click here.

For more information on the 3D Stereoscopic Unit click here.

*** Talos at Vis a Vis Film Germany ***

 The below commercial for the VW Golf was shot in Berlin, Germany with the Talos motion control rig based at Vis a Vis Film. For the interiors the Vis a Vis Film crew used the SFH-30 pan tilt head with the RED One on it. The SFH-30 was choosen due to its compact size to get close ups of the car's interior features.  

Click here to see the making of this commercial by Vis a Vis Film

 *** Upcoming Shows: BIRTV, IBC, Cinec ***

 MRMC will be exhibiting at the following shows with the Modula Rig, the Talos, S3  3D Stereoscopic Stepper, Animoko Rig and for the first time the SFH-50 Pan Tilt Head with Roll axis. Please let us know if you will be attending. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Note: Today is the final day for free registration to IBC 2010. Save £50 by registering now. Click here

August 23rd-26th, Beijing, China

September 10th-14th, Amsterdam, Netherlands

  September 18th-20th, Munich, Germany