Want to see what you can do with the MōVI in Solo mode?

The hardest thing for me over the past two weeks has been to hold back on my enthusiasm regarding the true potential that I believe the MōVI has, and the potential it has to alter the way we shoot video/films.

To that end I’ll share two anecdotes with you that I experienced recently that have helped confirm that this technology might just be worthy of the dreaded term "Game Changer."

1. We had a meeting to demo the MōVI last week. Director/Producer/Writer JJ Abrams came to see the unit and was clearly enthusiastic. The word "Genius" may have been uttered at one point. But there are two specific details from that meeting that I will never forget:

First, when Abrams came to see the MōVI for the second time, he asked his staff to help him execute a shot that had taken him 5 takes to accomplish with what is presumably one of the best crews and gear that one can find in Hollywood… His staff (who had all of 5 minutes of time w/ the MōVI) nailed the shot on the first take. Abrams had them repeat it and possibly perfect it on the second shot.

The second memory I have, began when Abrams picked up his cell phone and called Alfonso Cuarón who was in town, and suggesting that he rush over to see the MōVI. Cuarón is the modern master of the "one shot" – he directed "Children of Men" a modern masterpiece on many levels. Cuarón showed up within the hour, and I have to say that having the two of them there was a special moment to say the least. After all, I had spent the night prior to shooting with the MōVI for the very first time looking through a behind the scenes look (check it out here it’s AWESOME) at his long takes from Children of men.

Having him there in person three weeks later was a bit surreal to say the least. But even better somehow, was his reaction. When he saw the MōVI in action… he was simply: speechless. He literally cupped his hands around his eyes and mouth. Twice. Later he said he’d been waiting for something like this for "20-30 years." It’s a day I’ll never forget – not because of the two key directors who were there and who I admire – but because of their genuine reaction of discovery and excitement that was palpable to all. One, let alone both of those things seldom happen.

2. As you watch the video below, keep in mind it was shot by a Solo operator. The original MōVI film you saw 2 weeks ago was shot with both a person holding the MōVI and a second operator on the remote control Joystick. The video below was shot by one person – all alone. Truth be told, we all deep down want to grab a camera and run out and shoot – unencumbered by anyone else at times…

The MōVI can operate in either dual mode (operator + joystick operator) or "Majestic" or solo mode. The MōVI knows to pan or tilt based on input from the solo operator – and distinguishes that input from a bump or roll as you run down stairs for example. You can also customize the speed of a pan to be slow on a 100mm lens pan, or to do a whip pan … and when you think of that, keep in mind that "Majestic" mode had yet to be fully implemented (the unit was still in the prototype stages) when the video was shot below by Henning Sandström – who also co-edited the MōVI short. So as you watch the video below, consider the following: it was shot with a single operator (no joystick or remote control), with a Panasonic GH3 – in a much more basic configuration than what will be released this fall…

HOOD from Henning Sandström on Vimeo.

Also – for those of you on the East Coast… The MōVI will be use in the Reducation classes May 13th to the 17th at Steiner Studios in New York, and will be available at the Reducation Open House on Wednesday evening May 15, 2013. I plan on being there as well as I have a shoot in NYC during that time. You can go ahead and register for classes or the open house by clicking on the following LINK.

Lastly if you have more questions or want to pre-order a MōVI you can do so here. The deposit is fully refundable (ergo it saves your place in line) and Freefly is aiming to ship the first batch of units in the 3rd Quarter of this year (July/September range) – and yes: orders are already starting to stack up… And there’s still a chance to win the 2nd of the giveaway MōVIs by following both @freeflycinema and @vincentlaforet on twitter – read more here.