A servo-controlled camera, carriage and dolly, model stand, process projector and other ancillary devices which can he moved through a complex continuous or stop-motion shot with exact repeatability
The Automatic Camera Effects System is the Industry’s first truly computeroperated camera system to be applied to film production. It consists of a servo controlled camera, carriage and dolly, model stand, process projector and other ancillary devices which can be moved through a complex continuous or stop-motion shot with exact repeatability.
Utilizing the power of a mini-computer this equipment automatically calculates the required in-between points to smoothly move throughout the TAKE passing through up to twenty key positions at specified frame numbers. This is done for all twelve axes simultaneously, while maintaining auto-follow focus or even automatically positioning the axes to follow a point of interest during the shot. A real-time video rehearsal mode allows instantaneous changes to be made and then a new rehearsal of the altered movement to be made.
The exact repeatability of this equipment has allowed original negative multiple exposure photography by the ACES camera with some shots lasting twelve to fourteen hours over several days – the film being left in the camera overnight and the equipment at turn-on the next day exactly repeating the prescribed move and auxiliary device operation. The result has been breathtaking miniature work of a quality not possible belore using blue screen technique since the total shot was created within the "taking" camera with the movement of the miniatures themselves creating their own exact mattes.
ACES was conceived and designed for Art Cruickshank, Peter Ellenshaw and Eustace Lycett by Don Iwerks, Bob Otto, David Inglish, David Snyder and Steven Crane.
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