The Opti-Glide Compact and the Cinétique were both nominated in separate categories
After a four-year (pandemic-induced) hiatus, two of our newest creations have once again received nominations for Product of the Year at the centennial NAB Convention in Las Vegas.
The last time we came to NAB was in 2019, where we won Product of the Year for the Opti-Glide camera checkout system. It was, quite literally, a different time.
Fittingly, we returned to Las Vegas to showcase the new Opti-Glide Compact, which was likewise nominated for this year’s Product of the Year Award.
In short, the Opti-Glide Compact is aptly named. It’s essentially the same as our original Opti-Glide, except more…well, compact. We like to lovingly refer to it as the “bouncing baby brother” to the Opti-Glide.
While the Opti-Glide Compact doesn’t bounce, it is the first ever portable camera checkout system. It maintains the stability of a permanent installation (like the Opti-Glide) yet can be moved about with ease.
The Opti-Glide Compact can also perform lens calibration, as it is designed to support both a camera and/or lens projector setup, making this a 2-in-1 system for both lens calibration & camera checkout needs. With every OG Compact, we include a reversible focus/projector chart as a MYT Works exclusive. This special chart features a standard Siemens focus chart on one side and a white projector board on the other. Simply latch the hi-hat with the camera off the carriage, latch on the lens projector, flip the chart around, dim the lights, and voila! Your portable camera checkout system is now a portable lens calibration system.
Our second nomination was for the Cinétique multi-axis camera motion control system, our newest innovation that translates our unsurpassed motion control technology into the VFX realm.
The Cinétique takes a unique approach to camera motion control. The robotic arm, which is the current standard in the field of motion control, has certain limits that the gantry-based approach of the Cinétique is able to bypass. For example, since the Cinétique is ceiling mounted, it can do scalable, full-360° moves that’ll never catch the structure in the shot. The Cinétique’s Cartesian structure allows for an intuitive generation of moves. Even a basic, straight-line move requires complex computations of inverse kinematics for a robotic arm to accomplish. For the Cinétique, it could not be simpler. It only requires the movement of a single axis.
On top of the standard methods of control, including game controller and computer interface, the Cinétique also allows the user to manually move the camera into position to select keyframes (and thus generate motion paths). This enables the user to utilize their intuition to choose shots exactly as desired.
The Cinétique can be operated by a single user. One can easily control every movement variable through the same system by integrating the focus and zoom control of the camera into our newly developed motion control interface. Using this platform is designed to be extremely intuitive while also being incredibly powerful.
The Cinétique’s operation is surprisingly quiet, which presents the ability to record film & audio simultaneously. Its structure is primarily made of aluminum, making it incredibly lightweight for a machine of its caliber. The electrical demand for the Cinétique is extremely light; it can be plugged into a standard wall outlet and operate without a hitch.
Further implementations of the Cinétique’s technology are constantly presenting themselves. For example, we are in the process of integrating the Cinétique to be compatible with Dragon Frame for the animation sector.
We’re proud to announce that the Cinétique took home the centennial NAB Product of the Year Award in the Graphics, Editing, VFX and Switchers Category! It is an honor to be recognized for the work our team has put into this innovation.
“As a small company, we’re honored to have received such recognition for all our hard work. The owner of our company, Etienne Sauret, saw the vision for a gantry-based motion control system, and he put his faith in me to make it a reality. However, that would never have been possible without such a great team by my side. Ryan Zhang’s practical knowledge saved us more times than I can count. Ray Zeune and Angela Yuan made our motorized, programmable system possible. […] Finally, our machinists Al Jones and Gareth Fitzgerald were able to crank out every part we needed to get the job done. There is much left to do, however, so we will keep pushing the envelope until we have created a perfect product.”
– Chad Kagan, Head of Engineering
We are showing the Cinétique and Opti-Glide Compact at the CineGear Expo in Los Angeles in early June. Stop by our booth to see both creations in action and follow us on social media for news & developments.
