M�VI set to revolutionise filmmaking - Vincent LaForet shows gyro stabiliser by Freefly Systems (with footage from GH3 and 1D C)

[Axel]

May I suggest, now that we've all mostly voiced our complete disappointment about this new "game changer" news, we now turn the conversation towards the actual product and what we actually would do with this thing (once it hits $1,000 of course).

 

Since I occasionally film weddings, I guess it won't be long until the bride's pov hovering towards the altar (and her fate) is an expected standard. Also, when the couple kisses for the photographer (on a green meadow), the camera will orbit them, creating a vertigo of happyness. The veil dance (in some cultures) will be a threesome, the MoVI participating and getting the steps right. We can't refuse to use it, we are whores who must obey the client's wishes.

 

Talking about POV, as a compensation for the serbian movie, I choose this edit from a masterpiece (put your best headphones on, get into a relaxed mood, enjoy):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VivvaYLpqfE

[P337]

I think it would totally change the thousands of DSLR short films you see on vimeo these days. Instead of being shot wide open, with shallow depth of field and most of the important subjects out of focus, they would be shot wide open, with shallow depth of field, most subjects out of focus and badly framed and feature loads of smooth flying shots.

 

Just joking here! Kind of...

Lol, well you have diffraction to fear at smaller apertures you know!!! lol

 

Anyway, another thing that I am seeing from the footage from these stabilizers is how precise and smooth you can move through the scene, very much reminds me of the way the camera moves in digitally simulated environments like in CGI movies, my brain kept telling my I was watching CGI but I knew better!  So I just realized, this could really help when mixing in CGI elements with real life footage.

 

https://vimeo.com/63260643

[JLM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHDi_AnqwN4

Another masterpiece. All the shots used in this trailer have no camera movement.

[Andrew Reid]

Informative...

 

http://timurcivan.blogspot.de/2013/04/liberation-something-wicked-this-was.html

 

The MoVI comes with the wireless video monitoring system and control unit. Timur was the DP and explains how they operated.

 

Sounds like really good fun to shoot with it.

 

For people concerned about the price - I am sure there's a lot of potential sub $3000 ones in the pipeline as it is based on existing copter tech.

[jessekorgemaa]

$8K on a stabilizer, and $1K on a camera? :blink:

That really doesn't sound that ridiculous. How often do you swap out cameras? Every year or two? How often do you swap out support gear? If your smart very rarely. 

You didn't care that the lens cost more than the camera, same idea just exaggerated. 

[baltic]

Informative...

 

http://timurcivan.blogspot.de/2013/04/liberation-something-wicked-this-was.html

 

The MoVI comes with the wireless video monitoring system and control unit. Timur was the DP and explains how they operated.

 

Sounds like really good fun to shoot with it.

 

For people concerned about the price - I am sure there's a lot of potential sub $3000 ones in the pipeline as it is based on existing copter tech.

Are you sure about hd monitoring?

 

Tim wrote:

We used a Paralinx Arrow HD video transmitter. 

 

as for control unit, on bts i saw that they where using rc station, as you only need 4 chanels for pan/tilt, those kind of transmiters that will work with 3axis gimbals are priced $100...

[HurtinMinorKey]

That really doesn't sound that ridiculous. How often do you swap out cameras? Every year or two? How often do you swap out support gear? If your smart very rarely. 

You didn't care that the lens cost more than the camera, same idea just exaggerated. 

 

Except that a better lens pretty much strictly dominates an inferior lens. Whereas for 95% of shots, a $300 tripod will look as good or better than the results i get from using this.  And in 80% the 5% of cases where it doesn't, my $500 glidecam will look just as good.

 

It's a gadget. It isn't even new tech.  Furthermore, this whole thing has been a publicity stunt, so I'm inclined to shit-talk it until further notice.

[tomekk]

Since I occasionally film weddings, I guess it won't be long until the bride's pov hovering towards the altar (and her fate) is an expected standard. Also, when the couple kisses for the photographer (on a green meadow), the camera will orbit them, creating a vertigo of happyness. The veil dance (in some cultures) will be a threesome, the MoVI participating and getting the steps right. We can't refuse to use it, we are whores who must obey the client's wishes.

 

Talking about POV, as a compensation for the serbian movie, I choose this edit from a masterpiece (put your best headphones on, get into a relaxed mood, enjoy):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VivvaYLpqfE

 

off topic, but this would be a photographer nightmare :D. It must be pretty hard to do solid photos with someone running around the bride all the time lol ;). Wedding photos are still superior to wedding videos as well.

[Sean Cunningham]

Informative...

 

http://timurcivan.blogspot.de/2013/04/liberation-something-wicked-this-was.html

 

The MoVI comes with the wireless video monitoring system and control unit. Timur was the DP and explains how they operated.

 

Sounds like really good fun to shoot with it.

 

For people concerned about the price - I am sure there's a lot of potential sub $3000 ones in the pipeline as it is based on existing copter tech.

 

I know of all sorts of groups of two or more shooters who pooled their money to buy a RED.  They'll do that here too.  What's quite significant here as well is this rig is something like 3.5lbs and those CNC machined setups are not.  Operator fatigue is going to set in much quicker adapting other copter gimbals for use handheld...perhaps that's why we don't see copter gimbal rigs doing a lot of handheld work out there, like, has anyone really done that besides the MySpace mirror guy showing it is indeed possible?

 

Sub $1000 for something like this, as some have said here, is a pipe dream when non-powered, non-remote, nothing-but-some-metal-pipe-some-weights-and-a-cheese-plate can run you half this or even more than this.  You people make me laugh sometimes.  I really didn't expect this sort of reaction to your article man.  Oh well.

[Axel]

off topic, but this would be a photographer nightmare :D. It must be pretty hard to do solid photos with someone running around the bride all the time lol ;).

 

Unlike the photographer, who takes 1000 photos to get 30 that are at least technically okay, the wedding videographer knows what he needs. Of the described shot, he knows he will use only a few seconds (brevity is the soul of wit), so he asks the photographer to have a smoke and advises the bridal pair to kiss chastely, as if pretending for the photos, then more passionately. He takes his MoVI, climbs into the waiting helicopter, ignites the heli's speedbooster and spins around the couple in 5-second rounds, using the longest lens he has (watch Roam, no problem). That done, he signals the photographer to carry on with his work and proceeds to the buffet.

 

Wedding photos are still superior to wedding videos as well.

 

All those kitschy highkey-shots. You don't need to be a miserable photographer to produce for the drawer. Granted, there are abysmal wedding videographers, but if you have empathy, know the tricks and all, you can stir emotions. You entertain a small audience, you make them laugh and cry. Nothing to be particularly proud of, but imho much more rewarding than presenting some dusty photos.

[mtheory]

They should do a Movi Lite with 2-axis stabilization and no remote controls, this would significantly affect DSLR productions and cut down on image stabilization in post. Not having to use AE's warp stabilizer ever again and not being locked into IS lenses would be great.

 

One a completely unrelated note, I just saw "The Place Beyond The Pines", I think it had a bunch of long steady-cam shots but I am not sure because I was too engrossed in the story, I love when films do this. The movie is a massive slow burn though, so head into the theatre with a good dose of patience, which will be rewarded.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G07pSbHLXgg

[Chris Santucci]

Well - my thinking is... They're a small company, small team of 5 people. To do the kind of quantities a low price point would have necessitated wouldn't be possible. Sorry but that is the way it is. Better to provide it first of all in small quantities to pros - and they are certainly willing to pay for such a thing.

 

I hope - really hope - they will grow significantly and in a year to 2 years be offering price competitive devices, as the market is sure to flood with similar things for cheaper very soon.

 

In a related note - How did the steadicam builders miss this? Have they been ignoring the quadrocopter scene altogether? Strange.

 

 

What does the size of the company have to do with anything? Are they manufacturing and assembling the things themselves?

 

At the $7.5 and $15K prices, this is a rental item for most people. As mentioned, those who could afford to buy this, could afford to hire Steadicam or Technocrane, and this then becomes a specialty item for use in creating only select shots (and hence - rental item).

 

The big issue is, this thing is only really functional with a lightweight camera and lens which rules out digital cinema camera.

 

And what of remote follow focus? Video transmitter? Cine lens? All adding weight which then makes any form of long term operation difficult.

[JLM]

Except that a better lens pretty much strictly dominates an inferior lens. Whereas for 95% of shots, a $300 tripod will look as good or better than the results i get from using this.  And in 80% the 5% of cases where it doesn't, my $500 glidecam will look just as good.

 

It's a gadget. It isn't even new tech.  Furthermore, this whole thing has been a publicity stunt, so I'm inclined to shit-talk it until further notice.

I wouldn't call it a publicity stunt, it's advertising. There is nothing wrong with advertising, that's what I do for a living. The only difference with Vincent's Video is that it comes wrapped as an editorial which may be confusing to some.

[HurtinMinorKey]

I wouldn't call it a publicity stunt, it's advertising. There is nothing wrong with advertising, that's what I do for a living. The only difference with Vincent's Video is that it comes wrapped as an editorial which may be confusing to some.

 

 

I have nothing wrong with advertising per se, but I do have a problem with false advertising.  Hyping it as a game changer on par with the 5D2 is false advertising. 

[Andrew Reid]

The cynicism is not very appealing guys.

 

Regardless of what you think of the price, this idea didn't exist in the community before.

 

Sometimes it takes 'advertising' to get the word out. I think Vincent is someone who shot with it and thought it worth shouting about.

 

That is very different to advertising where someone is paid to shout about something usually mundane.

 

If you heard of the MoVI style use of copter gyro gimbal tech before now, why aren't YOU shouting about it?

[Caleb Genheimer]

Overall, glad this is out there. Coming from the perspective of a younger filmmaker, this thing is a huge tool in the belt for us. A lot of us like to work faster, without too much bulky equipment. I can see it being extremely handy in that way. Regardless of the new fancy shots it can pull off, it makes the very basic stuff go quicker too. You don't need to mess around with sticks in a small room. By nature of the beast, there are separate operators for movement, framing and focus. What is more, all of those are electronically operated, not just the movement stabilization, but pan/tilt and focus pulls too. All of this speeds up the process of bagging your shots, while also improving the success rate of takes, because you've got three different people aided by electronic stabilization, attending to different aspects of capture.

 

All that being said, $15,000 is a big price tag. I'm not saying it is an inappropriate price. But to call anything at this price point a major game-changer is to speak too soon, I think. Sure, it is in a "rentable" price range for many people, and purchasable for some. 

 

I hope the price on this tech goes down, I really do. But there's definitely something to be said for a "complete package" (ready to use). with something this complex, I'd rather pay a bit more for a stabilizer, controllers (pan/tilt/focus) and remote monitoring system all from the same company. It just doesn't seem like something you'd want to be frankensteining together. Plus, all of those pieces are necessary in order to use it anyway, so why wouldn't they offer a complete package to keep the total cost down?

 

Just my 2c ;)

 

Also, it's about time someone did some coding for a second focus motor for these electronic focus setups. Dual-focus anamorphic users are in eager anticipation!

[P337]

Thanks Caleb, well said.  I think this wouldn't have contracted any of its negative reception if it wasn't for the overzealousness of others.  If Vincent had just shot with it and gave a shout out of how great he thought it was would have been a lot better, unfortunately he decided to make a big spectacle of himself and the product for its announcement.  

 

Comparing it to the 5D2 announcement was like he went around saying he had found the Holy Grail to us paper cup users, but then it turned out to just be a $100 plastic thermos.  Sure it's an improvement and would be great to have but we've seen something similar to it before and doesn't change the way I drink everything.

 

Anyway something a stabilizer like this can do that would be hard or impossible with anything else is a steady straight down tracking shot, like following someone down a hole.

[Axel]

Andrew wrote:

The cynicism is not very appealing guys.

 

European mindset. Tired of having every new piece of adapter boodle inaugurated like Pharao. Sounding the fanfares, the priest (Vincent) shouts 'awesome, this changes everything, the next big thing hath arrived, worship the eternal sunbird of Freefly', asf.

 

Not only am I not cynical, I am a believer, and the sureness that I can't live without the MoVI deepens by the minute. Just allow me (and the other cynics) to save us a hint of dignity  :mellow:

 

Caleb wrote:

It just doesn't seem like something you'd want to be frankensteining together.

 

It could take another year or two before the Chinese discover the market potential and frankenstein it together. I don't think I could DIY (can I use 'DIY' like 'frankenstein'?) it, but I would like to understand the principle. Can there be a smaller (or an even smaller and lighter) version? Could pan and tilt somehow be locked to the operator's head (every frigging iPhone seems to have gyro technology, how hard can it be to let the MoVI follow the angle of the head?)? So that he just needed to control the focus? 

 

EDIT: Focus as well could be controlled by the operator simply through looking at a certain motif (if he wears special goggles). As soon as this technique is sold to the masses at a reasonable price, there seemingly will be very little to separate the boys from the men. 

 

But the other side of the truism it's not the camera is, that all that hightech won't give us better films. There is a benefit in barriers. If something gets too easy, many might get careless. And care is the factor that really matters.

[wondo]

nice toy... but not really new...

 

gamechanger? 

for 15000$ + remote focus / iris / zoom system $$ + wireless video $$ + remote operator + focus puller + arnold schwarzenegger to carry this around.... well...

 

all quadcopter gimbals are "inspired" by the flight head.

and their own small version is available for some years now.

 

http://www.portocam.com

 

it`s just not small enough to carry it around by hand, but it takes on decent cameras.. and comes at a price...

 

BUT, quadcopter gimbals are available from dozens of sources, the electronics became smaller etc..

i think this is a good "inspiration" for something you can build on your own for a fraction of the price!

[baltic]

The cynicism is not very appealing guys.

 

Regardless of what you think of the price, this idea didn't exist in the community before.

 

Sometimes it takes 'advertising' to get the word out. I think Vincent is someone who shot with it and thought it worth shouting about.

 

That is very different to advertising where someone is paid to shout about something usually mundane.

 

If you heard of the MoVI style use of copter gyro gimbal tech before now, why aren't YOU shouting about it?

Just because you didn't hear about it, it doesn't mean it wasn't out there...

Idea is old and there's a couple of other solutions just around the corner... FreeFly just have the resources for better marketing..

Guys from RC hobby where using this approach almost a couple years now ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=591357797560512&set=pb.571638259532466.-2207520000.1365189740&type=3&theater )

but you gotta understand that brushless controllers and gimbal motors are right now in biggest development, becoming better, cheaper and easier to use...