This promo for the Google Science Fair, featuring a fantastic Rube Goldberg machine consisting of typical science fair elements, was filmed in a single continuous pass using the Graphlite motion control camera crane.

Motion Control Operator – Paul Maples
Motion Control Tech – Adam Francis

Spec commercial for Ecko Unlimited featuring a ton of motion control by Pacific Motion. Multiple passes were filmed using the Gazelle motion control camera crane. For the first pass, an actor in a Chroma Green suit was filmed as he “painted” the man on the wall. In the second pass, another actor stood with his back to the wall, then “broke away”, wiped himself off, then walked away. A third pass of clean background plates was then shot. This was done over multiple setups, in an actual dirty parking lot and alley in downtown Los Angeles.

Director – Jack Wung
Motion Control Operator – Paul Maples
Motion Control Techs – Craig Shumard, David Mansour, Garritt Hampton
Gazelle motion control camera crane provided by Pacific Motion Control

Produced by Imaginary Forces
Shot with the Gazelle motion control camera crane, outfitted with our Cheetah track drive motor and a Phantom HD high-speed camera.

Pioneer Corn – 2008

This Pioneer Corn commercial used motion control to seamlessly marry live-action and CGI.

Computer Animation is used to show the high-tech side of pioneer corn. These effects are married to a single live-action shot, featuring a slow sweeping camera move. Motion Control move data was provided to the post house to and imported in to MAYA to model the camera move in the virtual realm.

Kuper motion control software is able to export motion control data as an ASCII data file, which can easily be imported into MAYA and other 3D modeling and CG programs.

This commercial is a great example of how motion control photography can be used to seamlessly add CGI elements to live-action while incorporating precision camera movement.

For this shot, we were on a very long track run, and the rig needed to go about 13 feet per second, so we were using our large servo track motor, and a 5/1 gear ratio for the track drive. we also needed to pan very quickly, so we fitted our motion control pan/tilt head with a servo motor for pan, and a large servo amplifier rode on the rig.

At the time of this shoot, this was as fast as we could possibly make the Gazelle go, and it performed flawlessly. Since this time, we built a much faster track drive system. Originally built for the Cheetah dolly, this track drive system can be used on all of our rigs, giving them the fastest tracking speeds of any full motion control systems.

Motion Control Operator – Kevin Fitzgerald
Motion Control Tech – Craig Shumard

Grainger “Conveyor Belt” Commercial

Grainger “Hand Delivered” Commercial

At the end of 2009, we had the chance to work on two commercials that were a great example of how motion control can be used. These Grainger spots were filmed two at locations in the Los Angeles area, using the Zebra Motion Control Camera Dolly. Motion Control was used to give the look of continuous motion, and seamless transitions between widely varied locations and sets.

Produced by Kommitted Films
Agency -  Two By Four
Director – Nathan McGuinness
Executive Producer – Marc Siegel
Producer – Jodi Fisher
D.P. – Amir Mokri
Motion Control Operator – Mike Leben
Motion Control Tech – Craig Shumard
Motion Control Tech – Garritt Hampton

Produced by Motion Theory
Motion Control Operator – Mike Leben
Motion Control Technician – Adam Francis

Zebra Motion Control Camera Dolly

The Zebra Motion control dolly is our smallest, quietest, and most portable full motion control camera rig. It has a maximum lens height of approximately 10′, but can easily pass through most doorways.

Gazelle Motion Control Camera Crane

Our brand new, Gazelle motion control camera crane is our medium motion control rig. It has a maximum lens height of approximately 11.5 feet in its standard configuration, but the rig can be reconfigured to reach as high as 12.5 feet.

Graphlite Motion Control Camera Crane

The Graphlite motion control camera crane is our largest motion control rig. In its normal configuration, it has a maximum lens height of almost 16 feet, but with the addition of an available riser and arm extension it can have a lens height of almost 20 feet. additionally, the Graphite has the longest reach of any of our motion control rigs, with a maximum distance of over 15 feet from pivot point to lens nodal.

Gantrylite Portable Gantry Motion Control Camera Rig

UPDATE!!! – The Graphlite is now available as a mobile gantry motion control camera rig! Call Pacific Motion Control at 818-768-1573 for more details. Pictures and video coming soon.

Cheetah Dolly – The Fastest Motion Control Camera Dolly Around!

Dollies, Turntables and Accessories

In addition to our extensive line of full motion control rigs, we also offer several other products to suit your needs. With a top speed of 18 feet per second, the Cheetah Dolly, is the fastest motion control camera dolly around, and is perfect for ultra high-speed motion control moves. Our Bogey Dollies feature precision stepper and servo track motors for reliable repeatability, and can be configured with either a motion control Pan/Tilt or Pan/Tilt/Roll camera head. We also have a number of motion control turntables, model movers, variacs (for precision control of lights and other electrical equipment), and accessories. Additionally, we can provide custom or modified equipment to suit your needs.