Australia’s aerial specialists, XM2, get our immersive exploration off the ground

Case Study: ecosphere

Problem

In mid-2019, PHORIA decided to take a leap. We took on ‘ecosphere’, an ambitious project to redefine the standard of VR180 content available on the Oculus platform. Needless to say, we set the bar pretty high for ourselves. We would require a lot of determination and some pretty awesome tech to turn ‘ecosphere’ from an idea into a reality.

We were really fortunate to work with pre-production cameras produced by Z-CAM. This Shenzhen-based powerhouse develops tiny and affordable cameras to rival their industry piers.

Keeping the size and weight of our camera heads small would be essential in achieving the high quality aerial shots we wanted. These Z-CAM cameras suited us, as we didn’t have the budget for extensive frame by frame painting and patching to remove drones from shot. We also wanted to set a new standard of workflow, to maximize usable frames, while providing smooth motion and longer flight times.

Solution

Melbourne never ceases to amaze us with the incredible talent and capability that emerges in so many industries. And aerial motion picture capture is one of those industries, thanks to XM2.

XM2 is one of the world’s most capable and talented drone development and cinematography specialists. When I met the founder and director Aidan Kelly years ago for my DJI manufacturer training, I knew XM2 would make global waves. Flash forward a few years and they are a Hollywood staple, working with HBO and ILM among others. They shoot and provide VFX plates for some of the world’s biggest productions. Think James Bond, Fast and the Furious, Westworld, Star Wars. Okay I’ll stop, but you get the idea.

When we first contacted XM2 they were open, helpful and excited to do something new. This didn’t come as a surprise to me. Curiosity, and the drive to be different, always seemed integral to XM2’s success and capability. It’s this drive that has allowed them to produce drones that can carry two super 35mm film cameras (a feat few have mastered).

For all these reasons and more, XM2 was the perfect fit for ‘ecosphere’.

As we worked together to spec out the production needs, it was clear that ground station monitoring for both cameras was essential. Camera control over custom LANC protocol was also another necessity. And the final part of the brief? We needed to put the camera in front of the props. This would provide a clear 180 degree field of view, allowing us to use the full frame without painful frame by frame painting, masking or roto work. Oh, and we wanted to be able to hot swap the camera from the aerial platform to our EasyRig for ground work. So XM2 jumped to the tools.

They fabricated custom USB-C powered LANC control units, a mounting system for their Echo drone platform, as well as custom power management for the camera and gimbal. Then there were the peripherals. They created a video downlink that converged our two stereo camera feeds into one 16 x 9 HDMI link. This made footage easy viewing on our Sumo 19 field monitor.

Challenge

The project was not without its complications, and Kenya especially proved challenging. It was impossible to import a drone into Kenya, so XM2 jumped to work again. They 3D printed an adapted system that flew on the DJI M600 platform. With this testbed, and an awesome local Kenyan pilot Barny Trevelyan-Johnson (who had his own M600 setup) we made it work. While the M600 was at its limits with this payload, the shots felt great.

It was a smooth operation, barre one slight hiccup. When one of your core electronic components issues a puff of smoke, it’s never a good sign. As you would expect, the component gave up early in the piece. But no production seems to be without at least one failure, and we couldn’t be happier with how the Kenya episode turned out.

For the Bornean and Indonesian productions, Daniel Thomas was the lucky soul to join our motley crew. More than an incredible pilot, Dan went above and beyond. He became part of the essential glue holding shoots together. You want something rigged, mounted, attached, fixed? Dan had a smile and a solution. Worth his weight in gold and we hope he can join us for future projects!

Tech Development

XM2 had a lot on their hands with ‘ecosphere’, as a project with some pretty complex production demands. They relied on their aluminium CNC and 3D printing skills to create strong, lightweight and functional solutions. They implemented sophisticated vibration monitoring procedures to ensure the footage would be clean. Plus, they worked to ensure the air frame was collapsable and easy to transport. All this technical development, and they still needed to work within our luggage limits. Turns out, flying 250kg of equipment to remote corners of the world isn’t cheap!

A Word from XM2

“Having the opportunity to design something that no-one has done before is what XM2 thrives on. When PHORIA asked if we could shoot stabilised aerial stereo 180 degree footage with no drone or propellers in shot we took it as a challenge. Stretching an airframe to that extent with the lift capacity required meant designing an airframe specifically to fit the spec. We did some calculations, lots of modelling, and made major modifications to one of our developmental airframes to create the first airborne stabilised VR 180 Stealth Rig as used in this ecosphere project. You can do all the math in the world, but until it flies it’s just a fancy tripod. Fortunately the math added up, and the footage that was shot helped create this unique feeling of flight and freedom that ecosphere provides.

XM2 also helped with a custom remote control for the dual Z-Cam system used, providing full camera control at the km range, allowing the camera operator more freedom in shot selection with the changing conditions in the jungles, savanna or reef, wherever the project was needed to go.” — Daniel Thomas, XM2

Results

From the beginning it was important to give viewers an aerial perspective over stunning natural landscapes. So the butter smooth aerial shots from XM2 were an invaluable addition to ‘ecosphere’. Not only did they boost the production value of the series, but the dynamics of the experience in general. Jonty, Lewis, James, Dan, Luke and Aidan all truly over-delivered, bringing that true XM2 flavour and making our dream a reality.