Last week’s announcement of Microsoft’s Surface Studio computer blew us all away away and sadly made Apple’s newest MacBook Pro offering feel practically quaint by comparison. What’s more, we thought that the exquisite launch video for the Surface Studio, (complete with a haunting cover version of “Pure Imagination” as its soundtrack) just couldn’t get only cooler.
/Microsoft
Well we were wrong, as we’ve since discovered that the launch video was shot by an honest to goodness robot! Our inner five year olds just went squee.
The robot in question was KIRA, a specialised camera arm from Portland, Oregon company, Motorized Precision. KIRA can get up to nine feet tall and weighs 570 lbs. It’s also both strong and fast, able to carry 40 lbs of camera kit and able able to move 3. 2 feet in a speedy 0. 5 seconds. For this shoot, KIRA was equipped with a RED EPIC DRAGON camera hooked up with a Canon 15. 5-47 mm lens.
Say hi KIRA! /Motorized Precision /Microsoft
Microsoft specifically requested the camera for the shoot and it was even piloted on location with an Xbox One Elite remote. KIRA was especially useful for such a production as - using the MP Studio app - multiple repeatable moves were able to be pre-programmed into the unit. These keyframe directions were based off pre-visualisations the Microsoft Surface team had created previously in Cinema4D and Maya and were recreated to match. This meant that the camera operator was freed up from concentrating on basic movement and instead could put that focus into lens and angle control. Working in tandem it allowed for all those gorgeous sweeps and pans around Microsoft’s newest toy.
Speaking with PremiumBeat, Sean Brown, President of Motorized Precision had this to say: “The lighting team worked very well with both Motorized Precision and the Microsoft team to make sure we achieved the most clean and sexy look we could for this shoot. Yes, a big screen does present challenges, but we were able to solve them by having KIRA do the same move over and over and see where we might find any problem spots. ”
/Motorized Precision /Microsoft
KIRA’s likely next appearance for many will be when it completes its current assignment in Australia shooting on a “major motion picture” that Motorized Precision won’t give the name out on. We’re taking bets on Thor: Ragnarok though Star Wars: Episode VIII is another possibility.
PremiumBeat did get Brown to give his opinion on the Surface Studio since he’s one of the precious few at this stage who’s been able to get his mitts on it.
Brown told their interviewer: “I was very impressed by the product. The Dial on set was controlling some amazing color wheels inside some of the apps used in the launch video and it was very impressive to see all the different functionality they were able to get from such a simple device. ”
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, “that dial tho”.
/Motorized Precision /Microsoft
. digitalrev.com2016-11-3 03:00