John Perry using his AGITO Trax brought a new level of creativity and a little bit of magic to the 2021 BET Awards on Sunday, June 27th, directed by Glenn Weiss, one of the top live award show directors in the US.
“Imagine the capabilities of a camera that can travel, literally, through the stage,” said Perry. “That’s what we were able to do, with a 1-inch slit in the stage thrusts for this show.”
Two months before the live production, the show’s technical producer John Pritchett reached out to Perry about using one of his two AGITO modular dolly systems, on a very complex stage design at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles where the BET Awards took place.
“The producers had all of the traditional theatre seating on the floor completely removed so they could build a very different look from previous shows,” explained Perry. “In addition to the main stage, they wanted to have a satellite stage in the middle of the house, connected by two stage thrusts and surrounded by a mosh pit.”
One of the complex issues faced by Perry and his team was to design the AGITO’s track so that it could travel in the mosh pit with its odd-shaped curves, which was completely divided by two stage thrusts. They would have to design the system to allow the AGITO Trax to pass underneath both thrusts without interrupting the performances.
“Taking their requirements into consideration, tunnels were designed through the thrusts so that the base of the AGITO could travel underneath on a custom curved track to match the shape of the stage, yet the camera would still be above stage level,” said Perry. “I had a part manufactured that attached to the top of the AGITO tower that allowed it to travel through a 1-inch slit in the thrust, which then allowed the performers and dancers to perform across all areas of the thrust and stage without interruption.”
Seeing is believing, So checking out the footage from the event is a must!!
“I’ve owned two AGITO systems since November 2019, and I am getting ready to purchase a third,” beams Perry with pride. “I chose the AGITO because I had a need for motorized dollies for specific live broadcasts. After much research, the AGITO was the perfect fit. With live broadcasts, I needed something that is extremely reliable, and the AGITO has proven itself time and time again with zero failures. I really love the versatility of the AGITO and most importantly the excellent customer support from Motion Impossible.”
“When our equipment is used to help get shots that were previously thought impossible, giving directors more creative freedom, we feel great pride in making those shots possible,” said Rob Drewett, CEO and Co-Founder of Motion Impossible.
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AGITO offers multiple configurations to suit your filming needs, it’s a swiss army knife for film-makers. When you add the Trax to the AGITO Core, your system becomes a remotely operated track dolly that is ideal for use in studios or venues where the safety of a pre-set path is required. The compact and low profile design means the camera becomes as invisible as possible in the environment.