Face Off Stunts (http://www.face-off.tv/) brought a set of high powered FTSR Modular winches to Germany to showcase their rigging prowess matched with the sophistication of FTSR’s camera and performer flying technology. With only a day or two in each location they were able to rapidly put up the equipment, program the moves and generate these great looking shots. They used the CHC-1 camera head controller to interface the motion of the winches with the motion of the camera head.

This equipment is available for rent in the US by contacting rentals at ftsrentals.com, in London by contacting FlyWire at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or in Germany by contacting Face Off Stunts at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Enjoy the video!

These clips were all filmed at rehearsals for "The Last Airbender," and are a good demonstration of the CHC-1, FTSR's Libra and Filmotechnic Camera Head Controller. Using Navigator software, the CHC-1 can record position feedback and play it back as a motion profile. Recording gives you the ability to playback the profile while maintaining override capability from the Libra Head operator for any real time adjustment of camera position. The CHC-1 can record each of these new adjustments as a separate profile, so you never lose any data and have multiple options for your final cue.

This shot used a high speed M series winch to pull a camera on a 70m long FTSI Fastrack at high speed to get this dramatic shot of an SUV tumbling down a Prague street for G. I. Joe - The Rise of COBRA. They only had one SUV so the timing had to be perfect for the one and only take.

IMDB: GI Joe: The Rise of COBRA http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1046173/

This is a shot from the movie Vacancy. FTSI Modular Stunt Winches, Fastrack and Fastrack camera accessories and FTSI Navigator software were used to coordinate the motion of the car and camera, and to pull the standing stuntman into and out of position by the wall.

The speed and motion of the stuntman were perfectly coordinated with the speed and the position of the car to move the stuntman out of the way of the approaching car. With the split second timing it truly gives the appearance of the stuntman being hit by the car.

The motion of the camera was coordinated with the stunt to allow for an action capturing motion tracking shot.
This entire shot was rigged, tested, refined and shot in days.

Stunt coordination by Lance Gilber.

IMDB: Vacancy http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452702/

Invasion Car Throw

This footage is of a test run for the movie “Invasion”. This is the last test before the final shot. Navigator is controlling the motion of the car and the stunt men using M and F series winches.

Invasion Car Slide

This is footage for a test run of a car stunt for “Invasion”. The car movement required more precision and repeatability than the stunt drivers were comfortably able to perform so the car was put on little plastic sliders and rigged with FTSI M series winches. This was programmed using Navigator software.

IMDB: Invasion http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427392/

This footage is a montage from the climactic final scene in Crank. The opening shot shows an M series winch with the optional inline drum allowing for perfect dual line control. The shots coordinated the motion of Jason Statham as well as the motion of the director riding in the other rig with a handheld. The flexibility of the software allowed for rapid reprogramming to allow for multiple versions of the shot in a single day.

Jason enjoyed the ride so much that everyone on the set wanted to try it.

This is the last shot of the movie Crank. The previous video showed behind the scenes of the shot. This is the final result, using our technology and equipment.

IMDB: Crank http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0479884/

We had occasion to do a mock up of a 6D rig. Using six F515 winches we moved a platform along X, Y, and Z axes as well as pitch, yaw and roll. The limits on weight and speed of the platform are only determined by the size of the winches and the available flight space. We can supply this effect with anything from light duty G winches to heavy duty M winches. This system is incredibly fast to rig and program which opens endless possibilities for motion effects for motion picture production, concert tours, or other applications. Navigator software can easily program 6D motion in suspension (for cables) or compression for cylinder powered applications.

This is a promotional trailer for FTSR movie making gear from 2003. It features tests of FTSR high speed winches in front of FTSI's old shop in Las Vegas in 2003. It is interesting as a historical note to see how much the Vegas skyline has evolved since then. The winches, controls and software are then all packed up and moved to New York where the Academy Award winning shots were filmed for Spider-Man 2. With the rigging innovations and vision of Scott Rogers and the rest of the Go Stunts team (http://gostunts.com/) this movie broke ground using FTSR's equipment to create dramatic stunts and shots that would have previously only been possible in CGI. The bank table cleaning out Doc Oct is always an eye opener.

This clip ends with Go Stunts work shopping flying and camera effects for Sky High.

Go Stunts refers to FTSR's winches, software and rigging accessories as the "Go Cam" system.

IMDB: Spider-Man 2 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0316654/
IMDB: Sky High http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405325/

Load testing the winches used for the filming of Spider-Man 2. These winches were known as the Go Cam winches.