Announcing the Apertus Open-Source Cinema Project

Dynamic Perception and the Apertus Project have teamed up to produce the first fully integrated camera and motion control system. Together we will expand the capabilities and tools available to filmmakers everywhere, while pushing the envelope in creativity and openness through open-source electronics and hardware.

About the Apertus Project

Born by the community in 2006, the Apertus Project seeks to design and build all aspects of a digital cinema camera using open-source technology, to create a truly unencumbered platform for professional production as well as experimentation, education and artistic expression.

The project has not only focused on software and hardware for recording video and interacting with the camera, but also to provide open-source alternatives for several key areas of post-production workflow. In pursuit of this goal, the Apertus Project plans to create a RAW video conversion software suite. Work is also currently under way to develop a Blender based post-production workflow.

MoCoBus

Dynamic Perception is bringing its new MoCoBus technology to market, which will provide an open framework for numerous types of devices to be connected and controlled both in the studio and in the field. Unlike other existing motion control and studio automation technology, all aspects of MoCoBus will be truly open and available for integration by open-source and closed-source products.

As a long-term project, one of the goals of Dynamic Perception and the Apertus Project are to provide product alternatives for all "intelligent" devices in the studio that are both open-source and competitive on pricing, features, and capabilities. We believe that not only does open-source technology work well in the hands of creative individuals, but the rapid pace at which the technology can adapt to new situations helps prove out new capabilities which will impact traditional products as well.

The nanoMoCo controller board will be the first product released by Dynamic Perception using MoCoBus technology -- allowing DIY and OEMs to create stepper-based devices with high performance and capabilities easily and at an extremely low cost. Software libraries will be provided for popular platforms and SDKs, including Arduino and Qt.

A New World, a New Camera

The result of this project will be a full-featured cinema camera with complete MoCoBus integration built directly into the camera's user interface, allowing control over all recording, motion, and other studio automation tasks directly from the camera without the need for several other controllers and devices that must be independently configured and started.

By reducing the number of devices that need to be interacted with, not only can we reduce the time between concept and execution, but also reduce the overall cost and labor required to create the most expressive shots you can imagine.

Ultimately, we believe that a solo filmmaker should be able to produce expressive shots that would normally require an entire team to execute today, and to be able to do it on an independent's budget.

Of course, all of the control capabilities in the world wouldn't matter if the camera can't record breath-taking video, and to this end the Apertus team is investing heavily in creating a camera which will be on-par with any production cinema camera at a fraction of the price. Details on the specifications of this camera will be released soon.

The Open-Source Studio

Our goal at Dynamic Perception is to support the creation of open-source alternatives for all tools used in filmmaking. While our roots are in motion control - our heart is in the entire creative process. Over the next year, we will be creating or supporting projects covering everything from automation to lighting, and on to post-production.

These tools are only as good as the connections between them, and knowing this, we are working to make intelligent, network-able tools that allow you to control each of these devices from the most appropriate interface for your needs -- whether it be in-camera, in a specialized hand-held controller, or on your desktop with your other applications.