Filmotechnic Canada Ltd. is very proud to bring you the Sci-Tech Academy Award Winning, High Speed Gyro-stabilized Camera Support System: The U-CRANE and Flight Head VII
What is the RoboArm System?
- The U-CRANE System is the unique combination of the gyro-stabilized Flight Head VI on the end of a gyro-stabilized remote controlled crane arm.
- It is safely operated via joystick consoles from within the professionally built Chase Car
- It is a high speed mobile crane arm used for capturing footage of moving vehicles, horses, scenery and actors from just about any & every angle one can imagine and in all weather conditions. Shots are setup on the fly & adjusted instantly. Sequences can be as dynamic as your imagination.
- We now offer the latest version of the U-CRANE System with a Telescopic Capability.
Where is the U-CRANE System based?
- From our home office in Toronto we cover all of Ontario and Manitoba.
- From our office in Vancouver we can cover Calgary, The Prairies and the Northwest USA area.
- From our new office in Chicago we cover the Midwest USA, Detroit & New York.
- From our office in Montreal we cover all of Quebec and Nova Scotia
- Russian Arm is also set up to travel to any country and to be built on a rental vehicle. We have taken our arm to Dubai, Japan, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Malaysia, Bahrain, etc.
What Can You Mount the U-CRANE To?
- Its principle mobile base is the professionally built chase car such as: Mercedes ML55 AMG (Toronto), Tesla P90D (Toronto), BMW X5M(Vancouver), Toyota Tundra (Vancouver/Calgary), Porsche Cayene Hybrid S (Montreal), Ford Raptor (Montreal)
- The RA can also be mounted to any picture vehicle that can support its 300kg weight: Boats, Trains, Trucks, Buses, Camera Cars, Picture Vehicles
- When Travelling to places where a specialy prepped car is not available we can put the arm on a rental vehicle. Best suited vehicles are BMW X5 V8 (track work, off road), Range Rover SC (desert, street, offroad), Mercedes ML (desert, street, offroad).
Advantages of RoboArm Mounted To a Specialty Chase Car
- With the RoboArm on the chase car you can shoot another moving vehicle from just about any & every angle.
- Shooting can occur in any weather because technicians are shielded from the elements inside the chase car.
- Shots are setup on the fly and can be adjusted instantly.
- Sequences can be as dynamic as your imagination lets them.
System Features & Specifications - RoboArm Standard Reach is 14 feet (from the center post)
- All our arms carry an extension which increases the reach to 19 feet (from the center post)
- Pan & Tilt axis are gyro-stabilized.
- 360° panning capability around the chase car or picture vehicle.
- Minimum safe operating camera height off the road surface is 12”.
- Fulcrum sits 8’ off the ground.
- Maximum lens height is 14’, armed 90° to either side of the Chase Car’s chassis(standard Length)
- With Extension max Lens Height is 20′ armed 90° to either side of the Chase Car’s chassis
- With an 18 mm lens a full frame top shot can be achieved.
- Stabilization tail fin allows the Russian Arm to pan side to side, back and forth at high speeds.
- Operating Tilt angle ±45°.
- Speed 6 sec / 360°.
- Max camera payload capacity 68 kg/150lbs (tested with 3d rigs and Array systems)
- Weight 300 kg (Arm, FH, Single Camera(non 3d or array), Counter Weights).
- Set-up Time on ML55 Chase Car: 1.15 hours (including camera prep).
- The system is fully controlled from within a car and is capable of operating at speeds up to 180 km/hr.
- Brooklyn Bridge Certified. Our Toronto bases System has been specially re-engineered to meet the standards & regulations of the Brooklyn Bridge Engineers (NYC) for weight and height (9′) to enable filming with a camera car system on the bridge.
Flight Head VI & Flight Head XL(3D or Array)
- 3 Axis Gyro-Stabilized Head
- True Gyro Auto Horizon
- Pan axis travels through 360° with back-pan compensation.
- Roll axis travels through 270° with auto horizon.
- Tilt Axis travels through 200°.
- Preston FIZ plugs into head console to give Zoom control on the left joy stick.
- The FHVI is operated via joystick or hand wheels.
History of the U-CRANE
- Designed in Kiev, Ukraine in 1982 by Cinema Engineer Anatoliy Kokush, Yuriy Popovsky and Director of Photography Oleksiy Zolotarov.
- In 1996 Filmotechnic introduced the U-CRANE Arm to Hollywood, CA.
- The official name for the system was Auto-Robot Crane or RoboArm. It soon was nick-named ‘Russian Arm’ when it first appeared in Hollywood in 1996. We have now renamed the system to U-CRANE in honor of country of origin.
- The U-CRANE quickly became a preferred tool for shooting Car Commercials, Feature Films, and Music Videos.
- The system is still built by a factory in Ukraine
- Noteable Jobs: Transformers, War of the Worlds, Suicide Squad, Total Recall, The Boys, Shazam, X-Men
Executing Any Shot Is A Team Effort
- The director gives cues to everyone on the Comm. system.
- Precision driver controls moving vehicle position & speed.
- The crane operator positions the arm.
- The camera operator frames the shot.
- The focus puller keeps it sharp.
NOTE: WITH THE U-CRANE WE RECOMEND JOYSTICK CONTROL FOR PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY REASONS
