Glambot: What's All the Hype About?

In the vast panorama of 21st-century innovations, the GlamBOT has made significant headway in recent years, especially when it comes to red carpet events and celebrities. Its revolutionary approach lies in capturing the essence of glamour on the red carpet through a cutting-edge high-definition camera system. Essentially, it is a “robotic arm” equipped with a video camera, capable of moving at high speeds, alternating between slow motion and rapid movement. Through this equipment, many short moving videos of celebrities are shot on the red carpet, turning the Glambot itself into a celebrity in major events, notably making a splash at the 96th Oscars on March 10th.

The Glambot, a staple at award ceremonies, owes its unmatched power to the sophisticated design of its parts. Every piece of equipment is meticulously chosen and set to make the process as smooth and performing as possible. This technical marvel, managed by its creator Cole Walliser, a renowned filmmaker and music video director, delivers breathtaking slow-motion footage of celebrities, offering viewers a unique glimpse into the glamour of the red carpet.

Walliser, by popular demand, finally decides to share the magic behind the Glambot, detailing the intricate process behind the scenes. Specifically, a Bolt robotic arm equipped with a Phantom 4K Flex camera and Leica Summilux lenses, achieving an incredible result of nearly 1000 frames per second. This footage is then transmitted via a fiber optic connection to a truck, where a dedicated team, including a phantom technician, an ingester, and an editor, work in coordination to edit and distribute the content on E!'s digital platforms and the E! Red Carpet show.

The creation of each Glambot moment is a skillfully synchronized process, requiring not only technical expertise but also a deep understanding of movement and aesthetics. Celebrities are advised to execute wide movements and dramatic poses to maximize the visual impact in slow motion. This advice underscores the unique challenges and excitement of capturing such fleeting, yet memorable moments on the red carpet.

The workflow of the Glambot is a testament to the fusion of live production and artistic direction. With only a brief window of time to engage each celebrity, Walliser and his team must quickly convey the concept and guide subjects to pose effectively, all within the constraints of a live, dynamic environment.

The journey of each Glambot clip, from capturing the pose to dissemination on official channels, is a collaborative effort that highlights the synergy between technology, art, and live entertainment. With about 140 takes recorded at this year's Oscars, the Glambot continues to redefine red carpet coverage, blending cutting-edge technology with the timeless allure of cinema's biggest stars.

The Equipment Used

What is needed to recreate an authentic "GlamBOT shot”? As previously mentioned, creator Cole Walliser has unveiled his secrets, mentioning every piece of equipment he uses.

To achieve a "Glambot shot”, you would need a specific set of high-quality cinematic equipment. Here’s what’s used on the red carpets::

• Bolt High-Speed Cinebot Arm: This is definitely considered the star of the show, the core of the Glambot system. It is a robotic arm that allows for precise and rapid camera movements, essential for capturing those stunning slow-motion shots. The Bolt Cinebot used on red carpets, in particular, stands out as the fastest of its kind, offering the ability to capture images with clarity and focus that would be impossible to achieve manually. Its application spans a variety of contexts, including commercials, detailed tabletop shots, and film and television productions, introducing a revolutionary perspective in cinematography. Capable of transitioning from a complete halt to high-speed action and back to a standstill in moments, the Bolt excels in recording the quickest movements with notable precision. Its robotic arm, designed for agility and accuracy, reaches movement speeds of up to 2 meters per second in both horizontal and vertical directions, and can complete a 180-degree rotation in just one second. In short, the Bolt cinema robot is adept at keeping pace with nearly any scenario it encounters.

• Phantom 4K Flex Camera: The Phantom Flex4K stands out for its ability to offer high-quality 4K shots characterized by low noise levels and high resolution, in a 35mm format. This camera ensures the output of full-size images through an impressive data flow of 9.4 Gpx, using the Cine Raw format. With the capability to shoot up to 1,000 frames per second (fps) in 4K, the resulting images are fully compatible with the most widespread color grading and video editing platforms, also supporting the standard frame rates necessary for audio synchronization. Its lens mount options significantly enhance the operator's versatility, offering the ability to switch between PL mounts, Canon EF (with electronic control), and Nikon F. This flexibility facilitates the transition between different types of shots and simplifies the workflow from one scene to another. These features make it perfect for video shots like those of the Glambot, with sharp detail clarity and color brilliance, combined with fluid movement and a mix of speed and slow-motion.

• Leica Summilux Lenses: High-quality lenses are crucial for capturing sharp images, and Leica Summilux lenses are renowned for their optical excellence, offering superb image quality even in low-light conditions. They also give portraits a reduced depth of field with a spectacular effect, so that the subject stands out with perfect focus and extraordinary sharpness against a blurred background.

• Fiber Optic Transmission System: For GlamBOT videos to have visibility and play an essential role in the media coverage of events, they need to be transmitted to specialized technicians in real-time, so they can be adapted and shared on official channels. Therefore, after capture, the footage is transmitted to a dedicated station inside a van via a fiber optic link. This step is crucial for maintaining image quality during the high-speed data transfer.

In addition to the devices necessary for video capture, a series of professionals collaborating in image capture, post-production, and transmission are also needed, including:

• Dedicated Phantom Technician: A specialist in operating the Phantom camera, responsible for recording, managing, and optimizing the high-speed shooting workflow.

• Ingester: A professional responsible for capturing video data from the camera and then uploading the data onto a server for post-production.

• Video Editor: Located in the broadcast truck, the editor works on the received footage to produce the final product, tailoring it for broadcast on social media or for the production of the E! Red Carpet show.

This setup, although complex and costly, is what allows for the creation of the iconic GlamBOT shots seen at red carpet events, offering audiences an up-close and extraordinarily detailed view of celebrities in motion.

But if you wish to recreate these shots, the most economical and effective ways are certainly renting the equipment, or alternatively purchasing second-hand cameras and lenses at a lower price, but equally performing.

Here are some links to our catalog, where you can find a used Phantom Flex camera: https://www.videolinea.com/en/guaranteed-used/253594-used-vision-research-phantom-flex-cinematography-camera

and used Leica Summilux lenses: https://www.videolinea.com/en/guaranteed-used/237936-used-leica-summilux-c-used1-cinematography-lens or https://www.videolinea.com/en/guaranteed-used/253567-used-leica-summilux-c-cinematography-lenses-set