The Cinebot Mini Goes Back To School

The continuous shot presented a series of technical and logistical challenges. One major issue was ensuring seamless transitions between on-location shots and scenes filmed in a virtual production environment using an LED volume wall. Maintaining consistent motion and fluidity across both practical and virtual elements was crucial, as the project involved multiple environments and required smooth integration of all shots during post-production.

Additionally, Best Buy required the content to be shot in three distinct aspect ratios—16:9, 9:16, and 1:1—simultaneously. This added complexity to the camera setups, necessitating precise framing for all formats in a single configuration without frequent adjustments. The need for continuous, uninterrupted motion across these different formats demanded frame-accurate precision to avoid misalignment that could compromise the final footage.

Another significant challenge was integrating the Cinebot Mini with the LED studio’s existing virtual production tracking system, which required the addition of certain advanced capabilities for such intricate and continuous motion control. This posed a risk of inaccuracies in tracking movements between the camera and the LED wall, potentially causing issues with parallax and synchronisation during camera transitions.

On top of this, specific product features being filmed in different environments posed additional hurdles. For instance, a sequence involving a reflective table caused an undesirable glare that altered the appearance of a silver laptop, creating an orange tint. This highlighted the need for precise control over camera movements to ensure visual accuracy for the VFX plate shots used throughout the shoot.

To seamlessly transition between on-location and virtual production shots, the Cinebot Mini’s lightweight design and ease of transport were indispensable. It allowed the team to move quickly between the LED volume stage and various locations, especially in tight spaces where larger systems would have struggled. The Cinebot Mini’s capability to run on battery power for up to 10 hours was a significant advantage during location shoots, eliminating the need for complex power setups and enabling the crew to simply use standard 20-amp house power on set.

The Cinebot Mini, paired with the Sony Venice 2 camera and Rialto, effectively met the requirement to shoot in multiple aspect ratios (16:9, 9:16, and 1:1) simultaneously. The precise motion control of the Cinebot Mini, combined with the camera’s open gate capability, allowed the team to capture all three aspect ratios in a single setup. This approach saved significant time and ensured that the client’s multi-format deliverables were consistent across every frame.

A critical solution involved integrating MRMC’s Advanced Virtual Production Sync Box to overcome the issues faced with the LED studio’s existing virtual production tracking system. The Sync Box facilitated a seamless connection between the Cinebot Mini, the LED wall, and the MRMC turntable, streaming FreeD data between these elements. This integration ensured perfect synchronisation between all variables, enabling smooth parallax effects and accurate camera movements, even during complex sequences involving multipass compositing.

The Cinebot Mini’s precision was also instrumental during the challenging shot with the reflective table and rotating laptop. When the initial shot resulted in unwanted orange reflections, the team did a VFX plate shot pass with a white card covering the reflective surface to remove the unwanted reflections in post-production. Thanks to the Cinebot Mini’s ability to repeat frame-accurate movements, the plate shot was seamlessly integrated with the original footage.

Flair 7 also played a crucial role throughout the project. Key features such as move scaling, SFX exports, and shot speed adjustments proved indispensable. Flair’s move simulation capabilities allowed the team to test and refine each camera move in a 3D environment before execution, ensuring flawless performance of complex shots involving multiple passes and effects.

Overall, the Cinebot Mini enabled CineMechanics to offer the right high-end motion control tools to Drive-Thru to achieve the seamless “continuous” shot required by Best Buy, effectively delivering all requested assets on time and within budget. Its precision and versatility were key in managing transitions between varied environments and aspect ratios, while its lightweight design and battery power capability allowed for smooth on-location shoots. The Mini’s ability to handle complex camera moves and integrate with virtual production setups ensured that each frame was perfectly aligned, exceeding the high standards of the client.

Director
Patrick Pierson

DP
Alex Horner

CineBot Operator
Jacob Watson

Production Company
Drive Thru

Client
Best Buy

Camera House
CineMechanics

CineBot Service
CineMechanics

Producers
Beth Wilson, Mark Setterholm, Tom Lynch