FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS—There is a big difference between the types of shots news, sports and entertainment shows do in the studio and those they take in the field, and Redrock Micro in collaboration with Disney|ABC Television and Disney Research is out to do something about it.
At last month’s NAB Show in Las Vegas, Redrock unveiled DigiBoom, an affordable gimbal-stabilized camera rig that makes it simple for a single camera operator in the field to execute smooth camera moves with controls that make sense to an ENG camera operator.
What Disney | ABC Television noticed was that news and sports organizations were successfully integrating cinematic camera moves into their studio shots, but that most everything they shot in the field looked the same –mostly shoulder-mounted ENG shots.
About six years ago, former Disney| ABC Television Group EVP and CTO Vince Roberts tasked Anthony Accardo, the organization’s director R&D, with developing a low-cost alternative to expensive products beyond the reach of most broadcasters.
Years of development, field testing and iterative improvements resulted in DigiBoom.
Disney approached Redrock Micro with a prototype, and the company continued its development, incorporating suggestions from operators who have used the prototype for everything from red carpet celebrity coverage at the Oscars to the Rose Bowl.
“We took the notion of it, and built the product ourselves,” said James Hurd, president of Redrock Microsystems.
Core DigiBoom technology and associated patents were developed by Disney|ABC Television and Disney Research, and licensed to Redrock Micro to bring DigiBoom to market.
DigiBoom is a highly mobile rig capable of shots from extremely low to high that gives operators control over both the camera and the gimbal.
[Read: Redrock Micro Announces New Mini Rigs]
The product offers a dual gimbal mode for fully automated, fully manual or hybrid control of camera aim and angle.
A single power source can power the camera, DigiBoom and accessories, and an external power hookup is available for unlimited runtime. A bright, high-res display is conveniently located for the operator. To get the most from DigiBoom, the preferred recorder and camera are the Blackmagic Video Assist and Micro Studio Camera 4K, says Redrock Micro.
Many different setups are supported, including jib, drone-like, Steadicam and handheld. With DigiBoom, the camera can be placed from ground level to more than 8-feet in the air –up to 12-feet with an optional extension.
Redrock Micro plans to begin shipping DigiBoom in the summer.
More information is available on the Redrock Micro website.
