Gearboxes and lead screws help get the picture

Worm wheel reduction gearboxes and lead screw actuators are designed into "Frankencam", an assembly used in the production of the TV series "Life in the undergrowth".

Ondrives has been working with well-known film maker Martin Dohrn, who is responsible for designing, building and funding pieces of kit that support camera and video equipment through his company Ammonite.

Core elements of this equipment have been purchased from Ondrives to assist in the production of such programmes as David Attenborough's most recent "Life in the undergrowth".

Various Ondrives worm wheel reduction P type gearboxes and LA8 type lead screw actuators have been designed into an assembly, called "Frankencam", by Ammonite for use on "Life in the undergrowth" to form a platform from which all sorts of cameras and video equipment can be mounted to film or view a particular shot.

The design of the actuators is based on a modular system which means they are easily changeable from one position to another.

They were chosen by Ammonite as they provide precise, vibration free and backlash free motion as at this scale, even a tiny bump can ruin a shot.

Ammonite states they work extremely well in these environments, which can be muddy grasses, bumpy terrain or even the jungle.

"Frankencam" has been used extensively throughout the "Life in the undergrowth" series and is responsible for many extraordinary and unique shots, especially in the opening scenes of programme 1, entitled "Invasion of the land".

"Frankencam" is just one of eight similar camera and video assemblies built by Ammonite using Ondrives gearboxes and lead screw actuators.

Both "Guppycam" and "Antcam" have been used on various TV wildlife projects, which include "In search of killer ants", part of the Natural History series, among others.

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