Jacking castor supports Oscar winning production company

Mark Roberts Motion Control develop camera robotic solutions for the film industry, predominantly used in special effects and high-speed motion control. 

Their advanced camera work has seen the company awarded a number of accolades, including an Academy Award for technical excellence and engineering innovation.

he Bolt cinebot is the go-to solution for shooting in super-slow motion and provides the precision, stability and accuracy needed to capture awe inspiring footage such as a bullet piercing an apple or hero escaping an explosion. 

Each high-tech Bolt robot weighs in at roughly 800kg, which in the motion picture industry still classifies as ‘mobile recording equipment’ and so means the ability to be agile and nimble on set is crucial. With strict deadlines and potentially tight budgets, the Surrey-based manufacturer needed a simple way to move the Bolt cinebot on set, and that’s when they discovered the jacking castors solution from Ross Handling.

Mark Roberts’ chief production officer, James Biggs, said: “Initially we considered getting a forklift or crane to move the robot, but realised this would prove too time consuming and not cost-efficient.”

The jacking castor is a lift-and-move solution enabling the user to raise and lower equipment, machinery and theatre staging vertically, as well as manoeuvre over a variety of floor surfaces horizontally.

James Biggs added: “The joy of the jacking castors is you can put them on quickly, jack the robot up and then wheel it onto a track or rail ready to start filming."