Motion Control Services

Here is how this works in practice. We supply motion control camera kits and the technicians who program them, delivering camera moves repeatable to the frame for multi-pass compositing, VFX plates, product work and motion time-lapse. Our crews rig and program track-and-arm systems, calibrate moves against shot lists, and capture the precise camera and lens metadata that VFX and compositing pipelines need. Motion control is exacting work.

Here is the short of it. On Icelandic locations our crews plan around the country's conditions: a rig set up outdoors has to be levelled and secured on uneven ground and braced against wind. Motion time-lapse over a landscape such as Vatnajökull or the rift valley at Þingvellir means an extended, weather-stable capture our teams plan around forecasts. Cold-weather discipline applies to the mechanics, the camera payload and the battery and power supply. We run motion control on Reykjavík stages for controlled studio work and on location where the repeatable move suits the landscape. We staff from the skilled the capital crew base and bring in extra motion control hardware and pros from the UK and mainland Europe under ATA carnet.

Here is the breakdown. Iceland's appeal for motion control work spans both studio and location. Reykjavík, the world's northernmost capital, anchors the studio base, with the RVK Studios tricky in Gufunes ready for controlled stage work, while the country's landscapes — a subarctic island on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge of glaciers, lava and geothermal fields — suit the precise, repeatable passes that motion control and motion time-lapse deliver. The fast-changing subarctic weather is the central scheduling factor for any outdoor motion control set-up, since a repeatable sequence needs stable conditions.

Here is what that looks like on the ground. The country runs on close to 100 per cent renewable electricity, English is near-universally spoken, and ATA carnets cover short-term gear import. Filming in covered areas is set up with the Environment Agency of the country. Eligible crew and gear spend can count toward the country's production reimbursement of 25 per cent, rising to 35 per cent for qualifying projects, administered by Film in the country.