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Blog VR/Mixed Reality

Mixed Reality Automatic Camera Tracker with SUTU

It’s been a little over a week since I launched my Automatic Camera Tracker project. It’s still a work in progress, but as SUTU is monopolising my Vive and nerd-basement at the moment, it felt like a good time to check in on its progress.

The current version is working alongside other VR apps, and can track a controller or VR headset at realtime or timelapse speeds as the user moves around the VR and IRL space. A little like this:

I wrote some more technical details about the system in a Reddit post on /r/Vive, and the tweet announcing the video received quite a bit of attention…

… which is exciting, because it’s a project I’ve had in my mind since I first used the Vive over a year ago, at PAX Prime in Seattle. As soon as I waved the controller in front of my face and noticed the tracking speed and accuracy I started mentally designing camera tracking systems. I wanted a VR system in my life because I love games, but I needed a Vive for filmmaking science experiments.

I’ve spent today with SUTU filming with my most recent version of the system, using it for both timelapse and realtime, handheld shooting while he worked on a Tilt Brush version of a piece from Nawlz.

 

Categories
Corporate Projects

Brisbane Powerhouse – Comedy Festival 2016: Promo

The Powerhouse have grown their wonderful Brisbane Comedy Festival exponentially over the past few years. For 2016 we reused some of last year’s footage to showcase the superb lineup the team has brought to Brisbane.

Categories
Corporate Projects

Airbus Helicopters EC135 – Sydney Harbour: Corporate Video

I’ve been collaborating with Industrial Arc Photography for a number of years, and one of our favourite clients to work with is Airbus Australia. Perhaps it’s because they’re super lovely, professional people. Maybe it’s the incredible toys.

Airbus brought their updated EC145 helicopter for a tour around Australia, and wanted some “Australian” looking footage to show the world. Enter the Sydney Harbour, Opera House, and a little Surf Life Saving for good measure.

I shot aerial footage from another helicopter, hanging out the passenger door with my DJI Ronin gimbal, while 2nd shooter Liam spent the afternoon on a super-yacht sailing around Sydney Harbour. Tough gig.

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Advertising Motion Control Projects

Subway BBQ Bacon Subs – Flavour vs Flavour: Advertisement

Making sandwiches look like they’re epic opponents in a boxing ring requires some ridiculous camera moves.

A T-Rex Superscope lens mounted on Red Epic, mounted on the camBLOCK I modified to work as a 5-axis crane rig. Looked messy, worked a treat!

t-rex-lens-epic

You can see it in action (and some other nerdy Graetzmedia shoots I was involved with) in this little BTS promo:

Categories
Music Video Projects

Ben Stewart – Violet the Killjoy: Music Video

This is one of those videos which should be watched first, then explained:

This was one of the most fun videos I’ve ever been involved in. Well and truly nestled in the “fast, cheap, effective” philosophy, we went from concept to completed shoot in under 24 hours.

Ben Stewart approached me with a small budget and a catchy song. On Saturday night, while waiting for Rachgirl to get off the phone with her mum, I did a little experiment with party poppers and the 200FPS slow motion mode on my camera.

I called Rowley Cowper up on Sunday morning with “bring your tools over, you need to make me a device to set off 200 party poppers at once”. Ben and I bought the local shopping centres out of poppers, Billy Hyde’s out of ukuleles, and we made it to The Edge in time for nightfall.

As it took almost two hours to load the launcher, and as we were shooting in The Edge auditorium after closing, we only had one chance to get the shot, so we did about a dozen rehearsals before the “live fire” exercise.

Categories
Animation/Post-Production Music Video Projects

Edward Guglielmino – Fail With Me: Music Video

Long-time collaborator Edward Guglielmino. Failing over and over. A beautiful desaturated mandala of fail.