In 2008 BBC producers Vanessa Berlowitz and Mark Linfield asked Kontrol Freax for help in achieving ambitious visual effects on the ground breaking Frozen Planet production. Their creative vision was to use time lapse and time lapse studies as the centrepiece techniques for bringing dramatic images of climate change and polar wildlife to a worldwide audience in an original and compelling manner.
"Kontrol Freax worked tirelessly with us to create a solution that enabled us to shoot amazing footage. They were a fantastic partner who always found a way to deliver."
- Vanessa Berlowitz BBC Series Producer.
Kontrol Freax provided motion control on the award-winning BBC series Planet Earth in 2006 and were delighted to be invited by the BBC Natural History Unit to collaborate on its forthcoming sequel Frozen Planet.
The BBC team required a revolutionary Moco system capable of working in extreme polar conditions to deliver on their creative vision. Such equipment did not exist anywhere in the world. So Kontrol Freax developed the innovative KFX Aurora Extreme to meet their demanding needs.
Our brief was to create a system weighing less than 60kg in total, transportable via backpack and skidoo. Engineered to operate at -40C and in winds of 60mph the Aurora takes system reliability to a whole new level. Immensely strong and light Aurora heralds a new dawn in simplicity and portability for motion control technology.
The Aurora control software has been developed with an open modular architecture with a rich feature set. Very accurate and flexible programming is designed for easy operation and with the end user in mind. The system has a five minute setup time and a highly intuitive user interface requiring only an hour’s training to master. Since early 2009 KFX Aurora Extreme units have been on location with BBC cameramen in the harsh conditions of the Artic and the vast wilderness of Antarctica.
"The KFX Aurora Motion Control system is bullet proof and has allowed us to achieve some breathtaking visual effects. It was incredibly easy to learn and we are already looking at using it on future productions."
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Warwick Sloss BBC Cameraman.
Check out the remarkable footage that is starting to emerge from the BBC Frozen Planet team who are using the KFX Aurora system at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mfl7n
Now this innovative technology is available from Kontrol Freax. To find out how this unique system can help you contact: info@kontrolfreax.com or call us on +44 (0) 208 992 8222.