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How Filmmaker Joshua Yeo Built a Michael Bay Machine in His Backyard

4/08/2023 ISO 1200 Magazine 0 Comments

 

 If you’re a fan of over-the-top cinematic shots, you might have heard of Joshua Yeo. He’s the digital creator behind the YouTube channel Make.Art.Now, where he shares his passion for filmmaking and visual effects. He’s also the inventor of Orbit, a motorized device that allows you to create stunning circular shots with your camera.

But Joshua is not satisfied with just making circles. He wanted to take his Orbit to the next level and create something that would make even Michael Bay proud. So he came up with the Cinema Arm Kit, an attachment that lets you slide any length speed rail through the bottom of Orbit and create epic parallax shots.

In this post, we’re going to show you how Joshua built a Michael Bay machine in his backyard using Orbit, the Cinema Arm Kit, and a slack line. We’ll also share some of the amazing footage he captured with this setup and some tips on how you can replicate it.
 


What You’ll Need


To build your own Michael Bay machine, you’ll need the following items:

  • Orbit: This is the core of the setup. It’s a motorized device that rotates your camera 360 degrees around any point. You can mount it to your ceiling, a light stand, or even a tree. You can control it with a remote or an app and adjust the speed, direction, and acceleration of your camera movement.
  • Cinema Arm Kit: This is the attachment that allows you to slide any length speed rail through the bottom of Orbit. It consists of two brackets that clamp onto the speed rail and connect to Orbit with screws. The speed rail acts as a track for your camera to move along, creating dynamic parallax shots.
  • Speed Rail: This is the metal pipe that you slide through the Cinema Arm Kit. You can use any length or diameter you want, depending on how long or wide you want your shots to be. You can find speed rail at any hardware store or online.
  • Slack Line: This is what you use to suspend your speed rail between two trees or poles. It’s a flexible webbing that can hold up to 45 pounds of camera and lens payload. You can tighten it with a ratchet system and adjust the tension as needed.
  • Camera and Lens: This is what you attach to Orbit and slide along the speed rail. You can use any camera and lens combination you want, but keep in mind that longer lenses will create more parallax effect than wider lenses. You’ll also need a ball head or a quick release plate to mount your camera to Orbit.


How to Set It Up


To set up your Michael Bay machine, follow these steps:

  1. Find two solid trees or poles that are about 100 feet apart and have enough space around them for your camera movement.
  2. Set up your slack line between the two trees or poles at about 13 feet off the ground. Make sure it’s tight and secure.
  3. Slide your speed rail through the Cinema Arm Kit brackets and tighten them with screws.
  4. Attach Orbit to one end of the speed rail using the outdoor bracket that comes with the Pro Kit.
  5. Attach your camera and lens to Orbit using a ball head or a quick release plate.
  6. Connect Orbit to your remote or app and test your camera movement.
  7. Enjoy your Michael Bay machine!

How to Use It


To use your Michael Bay machine, you can experiment with different angles, speeds, and directions of your camera movement. You can also try different camera settings, such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, to achieve different effects.

Some tips on how to use your Michael Bay machine are:

  1. Use longer lenses for more parallax effect and shorter lenses for less parallax effect.
  2. Use faster speeds for more dramatic shots and slower speeds for more subtle shots.
  3. Use different directions for different moods. For example, clockwise movement can create tension while counterclockwise movement can create relief.
  4. Use different angles for different perspectives. For example, horizontal movement can create depth while vertical movement can create height.

As you can see, he was able to create some stunning shots that look like they came out of a Hollywood blockbuster.
 
 
Image and video via MAKE. ART. NOW. | Website and Luts: makeartnow.com
 
 

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