Cineflex Ultra Jib - BBC NHU

Cineflex Ultra Jib – BBC NHU – Blue Planet II TX 2017

Tshed was commissioned in 2015 to project manage the design, manufacture and testing of a jib arm for use with the Cineflex 4K Ultra stabilised camera system normally used on helicopters. As the Cineflex itself was brand new and valued at over £500,000 it was important that the arm was designed to withstand rough sea conditions and to satisfy insurers a structural engineer normally used to designing oil rig platforms was brought into the design team.

This epic seven part sequel about the world’s oceans and marine life needed to utilise the stabilising technology in the latest UHD Cineflex camera system, the purpose of which was to allow crews to shoot marine behaviour on longer lenses just above the surface of the water whilst maintaining a stable horizon in sometimes rough seas. Using a regular camera with longer lenses is virtually impossible at sea.

The combination of the engineered jib arm and using boats with a relatively low draft allowed the camera to be lowered over the side to just above the water surface shooting on lenses up to a 1000mm in length. Polar bears hunting Walrus & Trevallies catching terns were two notable sequences that relied on the system to capture the key shots.