Motion control rental: robot, operator and effects rigs
Hire Ernie, our Camerabotics CRX1440, always with an experienced operator, in studio or on location
Most motion control rentals in Europe sit in the London area. That's a lot of logistics for a Belgian, Dutch or French shoot.
Ernie pairs with our full set of special effects rigs like droppers, launchers, liquid drips, conveyors, turntables, launch tables, when the work calls for synchronised motion of products, liquids, powders or ingredients.
Key features
- 1440 mm reach, 11 kg payload, 3 m/s speed, 0.04 mm precision.
- Compact enough to transport and use on location. Fits through standard doors and medium to large elevators.
- Runs on standard 230 V single phase power, or on battery if required.
- Comes with an experienced operator for maximum efficiency on your shoot.
- Can be combined and synchronised with our special effects rigs, like droppers, grippers, liquid drippers and different styles of launchers. For specific requirements we can adapt or custom build rigs for optimal precision and results.
Perfect for
- Complex timed shots like liquid drops, very precise high speed movements, and dynamic, repeatable multipass shots.
Our special effects rigs for rent
You can also rent our standard range of special effects rigs, on their own or in combination with Ernie.
Our collection of special effects rigs suits different applications and is either compressed air or electric powered.
With these rigs you create precise, accurately timed actions and movement for all kinds of elements or products.
Drop, launch, spin, rotate or eject anything from powders and liquids to cans, bottles and any other product.
A selection of our special effects rigs available for rent:
manual control unit, gripping dropper, turntable, tube slot dropper, iris dropper, liquid drip system, product rotator, conveyor belt, launch table
Reach out to discuss our offering and availability for your next project. We can also adapt the rigs or custom build one as required.
Indicative pricing
All rates "from" prices per day, ex. VAT, in EUR.
Each starting figure covers the standard configuration. Most kit can be specced with optional features, modifiers or accessories, those adjust the price up from the starting number. Multi day rentals and bundle packages (robot + camera + lenses + lighting) come with discounts on top. Send us the brief and we'll quote.
Ernie always ships with one of our motion control operators, we don't offer dry hire. The reason is practical: running this motion control robot well, particularly synced with effects rigs and high speed capture, takes more setup judgement than a rental sheet can cover.
| The robotThe motion control robot system is what you're really booking, everything else is built around it. | |
Bert & Ernie (operator & robot) + studio | Camerabotics CRX1440 + operator + our 180 m² Welle studio. Setup, programming and operation included. | From 2.500€ / day |
Prep / pre-vis day | Separate prep day for rig setup, move programming, pre-vis and rehearsal. Useful for complex choreography. | From 1.250€ / day |
| CamerasAvailable either as part of the bundle with Ernie or on their own. | |
RED V-Raptor X | 8K cinema capture, deep dynamic range. Default for hero shots. | From 650€ / day |
Freefly Ember S5K high speed camera | 5K high speed for splashes, pours, bursts and reveals. Synced to the rig. | From 650€ / day |
| LightingLED only since we don't use flash with the motion control robot system. Two kit sizes to match the project. | |
LED lighting pack, base kit | 3× Aputure 600D + 1× Aputure 600C full colour, with basic modifiers and stands. | From 400€ / day |
LED lighting pack, extended kit | Base kit + 2× Aputure 1200x. Sized for high speed Ember capture. Depending on the actual use case and lenses used more lights will be required. | From 700€ / day |
| LensesThree lens lines covering everyday cinema work, tabletop macros and probe lens specialism. | |
DZOFilm Vespid and XEEN CF primes | Everyday cinema primes. Full frame, consistent character across the range. | From 40€ per lens / day |
DZOFilm Gnosis macro primes | Macro primes for tabletop and product detail. Close focus, edge to edge sharp. | From 120€ per lens / day |
DZOFilm X TRACT probe lenses | Probe lenses for product internals and tight space immersive shots. | From 120€ per lens / day |
| Effects rigsThe pieces that move the thing in front of the camera, synced to the move. | |
Standard effects rigs | Droppers, liquid drip system, turntable, rotator, conveyor and launch table. Combine to match the shot. | From 50€ / day to 500€ / day depending on rig combination |
Custom rig builds | We modify or build custom rigs for shots the standard kit can't deliver. | Quoted per project |
| TransportErnie and his control flight cases travel by van across Europe when needed. | |
Within ~200 km of Welle | Most of Belgium and nearby border areas (Lille, Maastricht, Aachen). | From 150€ / transport |
Within ~400 km of Welle | Benelux, Northern France through Paris, Western Germany through Frankfurt. | From 250€ / transport |
Beyond 400 km | Overnight stays, distance and setup complexity factor into the quote. | Quoted per project |
Extras
If your production needs more than just the robot and operator like set design, food styling, post, casting, we can arrange most of it in-house through our full service production track. Tell us what you're missing and we'll let you know.
Questions about motion control rental
Does the motion control robot come with an operator?
Yes, always. Ernie ships with one of our trained motion control operators, we don't offer dry hire. Setup, programming and operation are part of the booking.
Can the robot work on location?
Yes. Ernie travels by van across Europe, fits through standard doors and most elevators, and runs on standard 230 V power or on battery.
Can the robot be synced with effects rigs and high speed cameras?
Yes. Droppers, turntables, launchers and the liquid drip system can be timed to the camera move, and the Freefly Ember S5K is synced to the rig.
Do we need a prep day?
For complex choreography, a separate prep day for rig setup, move programming, pre-vis and rehearsal saves time on the shoot day.
Plan a shoot with Bert & Ernie
Tell us the shoot dates, the brief and what you're trying to capture. We'll come back with availability, a quote and answers to any technical questions worth resolving before the shoot day.
REQUEST QUOTE OR TECHNICAL MEETING