In Broadcast - December 2011/January 2012 - 66

InFOCUS

Polecam Copes In Arctic Extremes
IT doesn’t get much more extreme for a cameraman than filming orca whales in the icy waters off the coast of Antarctica, according to Steffan Hewitt, specialist camera firm Polecam’s owner – and he should know. In 2007 he worked in freezing conditions on Arctic Tale for Paramount Classics and National Geographic films. The series followed a walrus and a polar bear in the frozen continent, so the kit had been tested in extreme conditions – one of the reasons the BBC used the Polecam system as part of its kit for the Frozen Planet series recently shown on BBC1 which attracted eight million viewers. “We met the series producers at the Wildscreen Festival in Bristol two years ago and talked about the kit they would need,” says

FishFace in action

Steffan. “They went for the full-size Polecam kit with a six-metre crane with Toshiba IK-HD1 and dry head, as well as the FishFace (Polecam’s underwater head).” The FishFace was used to shoot some stunning underwater shots of beluga whales in programme four of the series. As well as the Polecam portable crane system – which helps you reach the shots that other systems can’t get close to – the company offers a wide range of HD minicams and specialist 3D equipment as well as lenses, recorders and remote-control panels. And they’ve recently launched a new ‘Polecam starter pack’ (PSP) aimed at the digital SLR market. The starter pack is Polecam’s response to the growing demand for DSLR filming. It

is compatible with the latest DSLR and lightweight video cameras. “Whether you’re shooting a high-end wedding or filming Frozen Planet, a corporate film about fork-lift trucks or winter sports, the starter pack will give you professional quality footage at an affordable price,” says Steffan. Narrow and wide-size heads are available which enable a range of cameras to fit straight onto a standard Polecam. 3D is another area where Polecam orders are taking off. Experienced Polecam owner/ operator Chris Taber, of Pedestal TV, has been in demand for 3D work as programme-makers are becoming aware of the benefits of Polecam’s 3D system. Chris says, “The small-size cameras are mounted side-by-side on a bespoke mounting plate – so I can offer 3D without needing a bulky mirror rig. “The simplicity of the 3D system means it’s just as portable as my 2D system. Basically, you can put a crane where other 3D cranes are unable to go.”

Polecam gets among a herd of walrus

XD Motion’s XFly Marries Royal Angles
Used during the coverage of the Monaco Royal wedding, the business-like XFly cable cam’s skate (the support dolly for the camera) and the electronic controls were created entirely in-house by XD Motion, only the gyrostabilised head – a 5-axis Cine G – was bought in. All of the XD Motion team’s work was checked and validated by Bureau Veritas. Covering the three primary axes of rotation pan, tilt and roll, two additional axes are utilised by the system to improve the management of vibration. The camera head can rotated on its main axis as all the connections (fibre HD, data and power supply) are carried through a rotating joint – no cable winding issues. Alternatively, the camera may be linked by HF transmission to the base station. It is also possible to install a 3D camera, by using an open platform that can accommodate two camera heads. The skate holding the camera head is supported by two load bearing cables called highlines. An endless cable system engine means that the skate can move back and forth to the full extent of the highlines. In Monaco the length of the shot was 160 metres. A miniaturised base installed on the terrace of a building used eight attachment points in a wall to secure the lightweight base (160kg instead of a typical 320kg for other similar models). This lightweight and compact aspect can be crucial especially in high and tight places. In all just eight rods were placed in the wall and at the end of the shoot, these were removed and the holes filled. On the palace side, the XD Motion’s XFly provided a high overhead angle highlines were soon be able to reach speeds of up attached to to 100 km/h. belts strapped around a small The engines used are developed tower. completely in-house by XD Motion XD Motion claim that the XFly and the computerised control can be rigged on highlines of up to system allows users to prea kilometre long and then travel at programme the movements of the around 60km/h. skate. A version in development should

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In Broadcast - December 2011/January 2012

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