The Marmalade Creative Effects
Film Production
Hamburg
Our staff is highly experienced in all areas of the art and craft of special effects.
Directors, DoPs, model-makers, mechanical engineers, food stylists, pyrotechnicians, matte painters, fluids specialists, 3D-animators and compositing professionals are working in close collaboration to conceive and perform all that's necessary to yield the highest quality output in the most cost-effective manner.
Our emphasis on a finely tuned interplay of hand-made and computer-based production methods allows us to solve tasks of high complexity and achieve excellent and homogenous results.
Your production is in safe and experienced hands, from the visual conception to the final master.
Our groundbreaking High Speed Motion Control System 'Spike' brings the creative freedom of a moving camera to the world of high speed filming and so enables us to create shots that would be impossible to achieve otherwise.
'Spike' can freely move the camera with unparalleled speed and precision, thereby removing the previously existing creative limitation of having to shoot high speed sequences with a locked camera.
By marrying the hardware of a sturdy and reliable industrial robot to software that was built from the ground up for the demands of motion controlled high speed imaging, we developed a unique system for creating real life camera moves with the ease of use normally associated with 3D Animation.
Exactly repeatable camera moves can be created and modified within a matter of seconds. Using the rich previsualisation features of the system, creative options can be quickly explored on the computer screen and the resulting changes then immediately be performed for real. Additional effects can be triggered in sync with the move, allowing complex effect sequences to be performed.
And of course 'Spike' also is at home at slower speeds, producing dramatic product shots as well as stealthy perspective changes and breathing life into pack shots.
Most projects are shot in our own 200 sqm studio, which has a fully equipped heavy-duty workshop just next door. Conference rooms and a kitchen are also located in the same building.
This setting has many advantages: We can develop and test complex mechanical setups right where they will be shot later – no need for time-intensive disassembling, reassembling and readjustment.
By having all of our tools and materials next door, we preserve the flexibility to change and fine-tune setups right until and even during shooting.Whenever inspiration strikes, we are prepared to respond.
We preferably use our own PhantomHD digital High-Speed camera for shooting. The camera is capable of shooting up to 1000 frames per second at HD resolution. Images are captured with a colour resolution of 14 bits per channel. The camera is designed with the optical specifications of traditional 35 mm cameras, so the same lenses can be used to achieve the same depth of field. If necessary, images from this camera can easily be mixed and matched with standard 35 mm footage.
But this camera has several essential advantages over traditional 35 mm high speed cameras. Most importantly, takes can be immediately reviewed in perfect slow motion at full resolution.
No more guessing and waiting for rushes involved. There are no more missed cues, as the camera basically records all the time, and pressing the trigger just tells it to keep what it just recorded. This is tremendously useful in shots with very delicate timings. As there are no moving parts in the camera, there is no need to fixate it in a specific position.
It can be moved around freely during a take, opening up a whole new world of creative possibilities.
Languages: German
