Despite phased re-openings across the United States, COVID-19 health and safety concerns still remain at the forefront for every industry. The film industry in particular has been grappling with how to capture cinema-quality content while keeping their talent and crews socially-distanced. Traveling to shoot locations and being on-set together has proven more difficult in the COVID era.
That’s why two L.A.-based film industry veterans have teamed up to launch SOLO Cinebot, a robotic, fully-remote camera that is helping production crews work safely and effectively during the pandemic by integrating new technologies into existing methodologies in order to create new tools for filmmakers around the world.
The brainchild of Aaron Grasso, award-winning cinematographer and CEO of boutique camera rental house Antagonist Camera, and Josh Shadid, executive producer and CEO at production studio Lord Danger, SOLO Cinebot moves the entire film production process into the virtual realm. A fully-built production studio, complete with 4K cinema cameras, lighting, and professional audio, is sent directly to talent, who simply need to “plug it in.” SOLO’s remote technicians along with creatives can then take full control of all functionalities and operations — while communicating with talent and collaborators over a secure live video chat.
“With SOLO, we’re able to offer uncompromising cinema-quality audio and video capture in a way that prioritizes the health, wellness, and privacy of high-profile talent — all while providing jobs to trained professionals anywhere in the world,” says Shadid.
While remote video capture and streaming aren’t new, most socially-distanced video content is being recorded on laptop webcams and smartphones. As the only robotic camera approved by Netflix for use in its original content, SOLO brings back the high-resolution film quality that the industry and viewers have come to expect.
But SOLO Cinebot isn’t just for filmmakers. It’s also filling a gap in the market for creative agencies, advertisers, and production companies that need to create top-notch video content for their clients. SOLO’s plug and play activation means there’s no setup or technical experience required for on-screen talent, so anyone from celebrities to CEOs can easily be recorded by creatives from anywhere in the world.
Added Grasso: “SOLO is the only no-setup remote production solution on the market, designed to provide on-screen talent with a simple, straightforward experience while giving professional filmmakers the ability to work with the precision and control we are used to having on set.”
With its ease of use and accessibility, SOLO is poised to change the way the film industry and creative talent think about virtual content creation, both during quarantine and beyond.
About SOLO Cinebot
SOLO Cinebot is a fully-remote production solution from film industry veterans Josh Shadid of Lord Danger and Aaron Grasso of Antagonist Camera. For more information, visit www.solocinebot.com or check us out on Instagram.
