Zack Snyder and The Slow Mo Guys capture 300-inspired shot with Bolt Cinebot
Zack Snyder teamed up with The Slow Mo Guys to capture a dynamic slow-motion shot inspired by 300. Snyder goes over the challenges he faced filming slow motion for 300 with multiple cameras and a beam splitter, while today, The Bolt Cinebot streamlines the process using high-speed precision for smooth, real-time shots.
Zack Snyder teamed up with The Slow Mo Guys to capture a dynamic slow-motion shot inspired by 300. Snyder goes over the challenges he faced filming slow motion for 300 with multiple cameras and a beam splitter, while today, The Bolt Cinebot streamlines the process using high-speed precision for smooth, real-time shots.
Slow-Mo Titans Collide
Esteemed director Zack Snyder collaborated with YouTube sensations — The Slow Mo Guys, to capture a dynamic shot inspired by his critically acclaimed movie 300. Together, they set up an experiment involving hitting an apple with a cricket bat while using the Bolt Cinebot to capture the shot in one smooth take, dynamically and in slow motion.
Before the shoot, the team discussed the setup, where The Slow Mo Guys had already programmed a camera movement off-screen, saving them time on the day with Snyder. The Bolt would then swing into action as the camera performed a smooth zoom and focus pull halfway through the shot, mimicking Snyder’s signature style from 300.
Snyder shared his past experiences with slow-motion filming, recalling the challenges he faced in shooting commercials and films. To achieve the desired effect in 300, he used multiple cameras and a beam splitter to achieve zoom effects in post-production. However, today, using the Bolt Cinebot, the process is much more straightforward.
The Bolt can be pre-programmed for precise zooms and focus pulls while moving at high speed, offering smooth camera movements without the need for manual adjustments. This allows the DP to capture complex shots in real-time, meaning that fine-tuning the camera movements to achieve the desired visual effect can be done on the spot, streamlining the production process.
During the shoot, Snyder and The Slow Mo Guys practiced the shot using the cricket bat to hit a tennis ball, adjusting the camera angle and focal length to perfect the mid-air impact. After a few practice runs, Snyder threw the apple as Dan from The Slow Mo Guys jumped and smashed it mid-air, all captured in glorious slow motion by Bolt Cinebot.
Check out the awesome 300-inspired shot and enjoy an exclusive in-depth discussion on slow-motion techniques between the group of experts in the full-video below.