The most versatile rig there is, with a studio setup time from as little as 45 minutes. It is equally at home with small pack shots and miniatures as it is running full speed live action shots. Floor level to 14' / 4.1m.

Camera Height Min Max
-0.8m (-2 8") 4.1m (13' 6")

Arm Lengths Extended Retracted
1.7m (5' 7") 0.8m (2' 8")

Camera Head
3 Axis Slimline Head inc. Mitchell S35R (PV or BNC Mount)

Clearance for ampbox from dolly base
0.7m (2' 4")

Outer Arm Axis Motorized operation

Back To Top

Mobile large scale motion control rig using our carbon fibre arm on a Milo base with a maximum reach of 30'. We have been operating this rig for 9 years and it is a proven performer from scale models to live action.

The Wotan comes in 3 arm lengths (Long, Medium, Short):

Camera Height Min Max
Long
-3.5m (-11' 6") 8.3m (27' 2")
Medium
-2.3m (-7' 7") 6.7m (21' 11")
Short
-1.1m (-3' 8") 5.1m (16' 9")

Arm Lengths
Long
8.5m (27' 9")
Medium
6.0m (19' 6")
Short
3.5m (11' 6")

Camera Head
3 Axis Slimline Head inc. Mitchell S35R (PV or BNC Mount)

Clearance for ampbox from dolly base
1.5m (4' 11")

Outer Arm Axis Motorized operation

Capable of moving loads of up to 1.5 tonnes. We have owned and operated this for 8 years, providing accurate and believable motion simulation for a wide range of applications, from creatures to boats. Possibilities to mount onto high speed turntable and tracking system.

Used on:

Golden Compass - Polar Bear
Dinotopia - dinosaur saddles
Ella Enchanted - Person being carried
Hitch Hikers - Planet factory cage

Click above to View A short Clip About Motion Control Motion Base.

Back To Top

Studio rig which benefits from ultimate rigidity and speed. It has a max height of 18' / 5.5m and a reach of 14' / 4.1m. We have found it to be especially effective when used in conjunction with our motion base to create shots where humans are interacting with CG creatures or craft. We have over 100' of track at our disposal.

We can deliver anywhere in Europe.

Camera Height Min Max
-1.0m (-3' 3") 5.5m (18' 1")

Arm Lengths Extended Retracted
3.9m (12'10") 1.8m (5' 11")

Camera Head
3 Axis Slimline Head inc. Mitchell S35R (PV or BNC Mount)

Clearance for ampbox from dolly base
0.7m (2' 4")

Outer Arm Axis Motorized operation

Compact location rig with FULL range of movement in any environment. A fully field tested, reliable bit of kit which is suitable for most camera shots.

Pan 360 deg continous

Tilt Standard Built in Wedge Plate
+/- 30 deg +/- 60 deg

Track 1 m/s velocity (shot dependent)

Rotate 20 deg/s velocity (shot dependent)

Camera Height
(no Jib Arm) Min Max
Low
1.19m (3' 11") 2.47m (8' 2")
High
1.41m (4' 8") 2.69m (8' 10")

Camera Height
(with Jib Arm) Min Max
Low Mode - Low
0.89m (2' 11") 2.17m (7' 2")
Low Mode - High
1.11m (3' 8 ") 2.39m (7' 10")

Normal Mode - Low
1.19m (3' 11") 2.47m (8' 2")
Normal Mode - High
1.41m (4' 8 ") 2.69m (8' 10")

High Mode - Low
1.54m (5' 1") 2.82m (9' 3")
High Mode - High
1.75m (5' 9 ") 3.05m (10' 0 ")

Need a unique solution?

We will manufacture ourselves or work closely with your SFX department to create the necessary rigs for the motion required. Our specialist designers have the experience and expertise to rise to whatever challenges are faced. We have always delivered.

High speed mini track: Da Vinci Code

Aeroplanes: Bond - Die Another Day, Band of Brothers

Vertical Tracks: Tomb Raider II, Hitch Hikers' Guide to the Galaxy

Save time & money

Accurately simulate Motion Control shots before passing to mechanical rigs.

Design set and rail placements for multiple camera shots.

Maximise time on set.

Directors and DPs can see shots through the lens of a truly simulated MoCo rig.

Eliminate guesswork.

Director's Viewfinder and Wand optional extras.
Real-time on-set 3D virtual studio - 3D and live action simultaneously

CG 3D animation applications have always allowed complete freedom of virtual camera and model movements. There have been very few ways to check if real mechanical rigs are physically capable of achieving previsualised shots. Until now.

Take4D, the latest in the Performance Environment Control System product series, is a stand alone 3D hardware accelerated Motion Control simulator and data generator. It will check and conform 3D camera moves from any professional animation application into Axis data to drive a physical motion control rig and visa versa.

A Real Time inverse kinematics solver sits at the heart of the system, fully loaded with the real rig kinematics, positional, velocity, acceleration, and ramp limits. These can be pulled directly from control software such as Flair or entered manually into Take4D.

Designed in conjunction with the leading UK's feature film Motion Control VFX Camera Effects companies and MoCo supervisors, it can simulate any type of linear hierarchical chain rig, from Mark Roberts Motion Control's Cyclops and Milo, to Technocranes, General Lift's Genuflex, Zebra, and Graphlite, or any custom built Kuper Control or proprietary system.

Real Time 3D OpenGL rendering lets you previs the shots before sending them to the rig. Dedicated on-set rig placement and calibration tools align your real and virtual worlds so that previs camera moves to match up with your real models and sets.

Video or pre-rendered image planes can be projected from the virtual cameras into the 3D workspace to guarantee set and model alignments. Built in and pass through Chroma-keying enables blue/green screen replacement in real time.

Take4D uses the FBX file format to exchange data between pro 3D applications, including Maya, 3D Studio Max, MotionBuilder, SXI, and Lightwave. Multiple cameras with different lens information, camera head and target paths can be loaded into Take4D scene manger that will assist you in finding the optimal on set position and rig configuration for as many shots as possible in one setup. This dramatically saves time and money enabling you to place the rig once to shoot multiple angles within real rig limits.

Diet Coke (Click Above to View)

Sony Bravia (Click Above to View)

Virgin Airlines (Click Above to View)

Feature films:     

Angels & Demons, Wolfman, Jackboots on Whitehall, Harry Potter VII, Quantum of Solace, Harry Potter VI, Golden Compass, Prince Caspian, Hellboy II, Penelope, Stardust, Casino Royale, Amazing Grace, Harry Potter VSunshine, Blood & Chocolate (Romania), Roseline (Da Vinci Code), Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter 4, Sahara(Titles), Batman Begins, Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Harry Potter 1 2 3, Bridget Jones II, The Life Aquatic(Italy), Brothers Grimm, Alexander(Morocco),  Five Children & It, Wimbledon, Die Another Day (Bond), Neverland, Ella Enchanted, Tomb Raider I & II, Below, The Importance of Being Ernest, The Others, Pianist on the Ocean (Italy), Ninth Gate (Paris) , Enemy at the Gate, 102 Dalmations, Peut-Etre (France), The Visitors, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (Morocco), Vajont (Italy), Lost in Space,  The Borrowers, Little Bhudda.

TV Films & Series

Band of Brothers, Dinotopia, Alice in Wonderland, Scrooge, Merlin, Wild West (BBC), White Teeth, The Alchemist, Q.E.D, Rory Bremner,Vanishing man, Viaggio nel Cosmo (Italy)

BBC, RAI, SKY, CANAL+, MTV

Selected Commercials:    

    
Virgin Atlantic, Dir: Traktor, Diet Coke Maniac, Rip it up, Dir: Traktor EBay Shoes, Dir: Michael Gracey, Sony Bravia (Daniel Craig), Dir: Baillie Walsh
Nokia Maps, Dir: Antoine Bardou-Jacquet, Audi R8, The slowest car we ever built, Dir: Olivier Gondry, John Lewis Sale, Dir: Michael Gracey, Homebase, Time lapse to live action, Dir: Chris Cairns, Audi Q7 Unbox the box, Dir: Aaron Duffy, Russell Brooke, Alfa Romeo Frozen Venice Dir: Dario Piana, UCI Cinemas, Vodafone, Motorola (SA), Yop, Ford (Pinball), Nationwide, Jaguar, Ford, Levis, , Saab, Toyota, BMW, Nissan, Lexus, Rover, Smirnoff, Rover, Alfa Romeo,VW, Fiat, Asda, Visa,  PPP, Bupa, Castrol GTX, Lennox (U.S.), Hagen Dazs, Caffreys, Warsteiner, Siemens Westinghouse, Nescafe, Burger King, McDonalds, KFC, Mulino Bianco, Pepsi (David Beckham), Andrex.

Selected Music Films:

Gabrielle, Liberty X, Busted, Kylie Minogue (2002), B*witched, Tina Turner, Phil Collins, Mike & the Mechanics, Suede, Jamiroquai, George Michael, Smashing Pumpkins, Celine Dion, Radiohead, Another Level,  East 17, Heather Nova, Tori Amos.

"I would never use anyone else"
Peter Chiang - VFX Supervisor Double Negative

"Motion Control Cameras always seem to make the whole photographic process with Motion Control effortless whilst displaying utmost professionalism. They have never let me down "
Anthony Hunt - Cinesite

"All of the moves were executed to perfection by the Motion Control Camera team led by Ben Goldschmied finishing ahead of the shooting schedule. "
Double Negative release

"I would vouch for Motion Control Cameras simply based on their ingenious rigs, and bespoke engineering experience. The fact that they are straight forward to deal with on a purely budgetary basis as well means I cannot recommend them highly enough."
Barrie Hemsley - VFX Producer Da Vinci Code, Ella Enchanted

"From a budgeting point of view, I like to work with Motion Control Cameras because I can always agree costs upfront and know that I can plan accordingly."
Tim Field - VFX Producer Batman Begins, Stardust

Take 4D | Electric3D | StopTrick | no9FIlm | Arri Digital | PalmaPictures | ConnectCairo | MFX | MFXDigital | A2Z (EGYPT)

Motion Control FAQ

Can you do me a deal?
YES. Usually for a swift or even upfront payment.
How long does it take to set up?
In a studio on a section of rail:
MILO - we expect to be ready to start programming moves in 45 mins.
WOTAN (long mode) - 3 hrs.
CYCLOPS" 1 day : On Location:
Totally dependent on access, we will provide an estimation after a technical recce.

Do you have a studio?
Pack shot deal arranged with Island studios facilities. Can be booked through them or us.
How quickly can you get a MILO to Prague?
New transport for basic package. 24hrs.
The director hasn't worked with Motion Control before, will it be OK?
Yes, we make motion control an easy experience for everyone.

3D Intergration FAQ

In Computer Graphics anything is possible; unfortunately the same cannot be said about the real world. This presents some considerations that need to be planned for when developing camera moves that are to be used on motion control rigs or visa versa.

Firstly, the world co-ordinate system must be accounted for such that forward is forward, up is up, etc. 3D CG applications often have different ways to describe the "world space", some have the Z axis up, some the Y, some have the X axis to the left, some to the right. It is necessary to match (or convert) between the 3D application and the motion control system.

Flair software, used to operate the motion control rigs, has the following "world space" co-ordinate system:

X axis is positive forwards along the track

Y axis is horizontal at 90 degrees to the track and is positive going to the left when viewed from behind the rig

Z axis is vertical and positive is upwards

Pan positive rotation is to the left

Tilt positive rotation is up

Roll positive rotation rolls the camera anti clockwise so that the image turns clockwise
All this is NEARLY the same a what can be called a Right Handed X forward Z up co-ordinate system, EXCEPT for the Tilt and Roll which rotate in the opposite directions.

Flair "world space" is relative to the camera track with the origin being directly in line with the centre of rotation of the swing turret of the rigs when the rig is resting at "zero". The Z height (the camera height above the ground) is variable and needs to be measured on-set to accommodate for the camera and mounting head. A value can be entered into Flair to adjust for this.

The scale needs also to match between 3D and the motion control system. CG applications can be set to many different units such as feet and inches, or centimetres, yards etc. We work in millimetres but can convert to and from anything.

Lenses

CG applications represent perfect lenses, however real lenses are not so perfect. The main differences know as "aberrations" are:

Chromatic aberrations
Spherical aberration
Lateral colour
Coma
Distortion
Astigmatism
Curvature of field
Rather than going through these all here, we'll just say that image distortion occurs with real lenses, and you'll find plenty of information about these aberrations if you type them into an internet search engine.

One of the main things of importance in motion control is the Nodal Point of the lens. This can be described as the pivot point of the lens, the point at which no arcing of the image occurs under rotation, and it is this point that is measured accurately in relation to the motion control rig. This Nodal Point is comparable to the exact position of the 3D camera in the CG application. It is the Nodal Point and not the Image Plane that is the equivalent of the 3D camera in a CG application.

The Field Of View (FOV) is a measurement either horizontally or vertically describing what the camera sees. Although these are marked on the real lenses, they are not accurate enough to rely on and we measure the lenses ourselves. Calibration between the 3D and real value needs to be done.

Zoom Lenses can cause problems since there is more than one Nodal Point, and they move as you change zoom. We create lookup tables to assist when using zoom lenses.

Real Mechanical Rigs

Motion Control Camera rigs have physical limitations including:

Maximum +/- range of movement
Maximum velocity, acceleration, jerk
Sticktion and friction
Mechanical noise (chatter)
Play (bounce)
No system can be 100% rigid and free from these issues, however the manufacturers have done an excellent job over the years in minimising them.

There are an infinite number of ways that you could pose a Motion Control Rig to have the camera in a certain position, and we use tools such as Take4D to find the best possible solution in conjunction with our years of experience. For example,in a simple scenario such as a camera moving in a straight line facing forward, it is possible to do that motion with either the Track, the Extend, or a combination of the two. Each shot requires examination and experience to optimise the mechanical properties of the rig and avoid the issues mentioned above.