MRMC to Show Automated Studio with Presenter Tracking at BVE2015

Mark Roberts Motion Control automated studio system installed at London Live - See MRMC on the Nikon stand J06

Mark Roberts Motion Control will show an example of its automated studio system with live presenter tracking at BVE2015. A collaboration with Nikon, it will be located on the Nikon stand J06, and will consist of a StudioBot running on rails and three automated remote heads all mounted with Nikon DSLR cameras with teleprompters and other studio equipment in an automated studio setup.

As a further enhancement to the system live presenter tracking will be demonstrated where the cameras will automatically track multiple presenters walking around the studio area. This could apply particularly in the case of the studio being used for low cost productions. This would allow, for example, a presenter or a couple of presenters sitting in front of cameras, to select for themselves who the cameras should follow, or they could press a button for the cameras to go to a preset position. The presenters could be standing or walking.

The system offers several control options using touch screens including simple iPhone or iPad apps, as well as full joystick panels. This type of operation also offers additional creativity again on lower budget productions of bringing additional cameras into use not normally within that budget level.

Mark Roberts Motion Control has supplied robotics for a number of Nikon projects including the studio automation at London Live.

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Bryn Balcombe, Technology Director at London Live said "We wanted to design a studio utilising advances in technology now available to allow high quality programme production at a lower cost and overhead than ever before. The automated camera systems from Mark Roberts Motion Control have been integral in this. The system has been in use 24/7 now for a year and is a key element of our success. We have laid the foundations today for a fully autonomous and reactive studio environment of the future.”

“Our motion control software is tracking agnostic, so it can be interfaced to many tracking systems” said Assaff Rawner, managing director of Mark Roberts Motion Control. “ For example we have interfaced with various sports tracking systems including football, horse racing and tennis, as well as studio based tracking systems like the one shown at BVE.

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The Nikons used at London Live are D4S DSLRs. These are large format sensor cameras that produce a shallow depth of field to give a more cinematic look. Zoom and focus are all computer controlled and fully integrated with the rest of the robotic system.

Here is a link to a London Live promotional video which includes shots of the studio and equipment: http://youtu.be/Ztr_l9IjQqY

Don’t miss the live demonstrations of Mark Roberts Motion Control on the Nikon stand J06 at BVE Expo 2015, London Excel, 24th – 26th February.

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Mark Roberts Motion Control is an award-winning UK company, well established in the design and manufacture of robotic systems, supplying products all over the world from their HQ in Sussex. Most of the design and production team have been with the company for years and are experts in their fields. Their motion control rigs have become the established standard for the Motion Picture industry worldwide. The credits list includes just about every blockbuster to come out of Hollywood, and just about every other major film studio. The Motion Picture industry accepts nothing less than total reliability, and their rigs keep on performing perfectly, day, after day, after day.In 1999 the Academy for Motion Pictures made a special award to Mark Roberts Motion Control recognising that their rigs have become the de facto standard for film production.