RGKit Play – Motion Control Made Easy and Affordable

Motion Control News

by Francesco AndreolaJuly 22^nd, 2021

Have you ever dreamed of creating mouth-watering, motion-controlled food shots but thought you’d need crazy expensive gear for it? Well, while this was true for a long time, that’s no longer the case. RGKit Play is a simple and affordable motion control system that enables you to create apparently impossible shots in an intuitive way.

Just like Sirui did with their low-budget anamorphic lenses, Egyptian tech startup Argineering launched a Kickstarter campaign (which is now over) to back up their vision of making motion control shooting accessible to a wider community of filmmakers.

Launched in September 2020, the campaign immediately caught the attention of many and has been fully funded. As a consequence, Argineering is now deep into the production process.

RGKit Play: a modular solution for motion control

RGKit Play is a modular, wireless motion control kit targeting independent filmmakers and content creators. If you need to make a strawberry fall in a cup of yoghurt at exactly the right time while your camera is moving, then RGKit Play will come in handy.

This product comes with different types of motors, light controllers, sensors, and accessories. It allows you to sync camera, props, and light movements. As a result, you can achieve extremely complex and repeatable shots.

When paired with various accessories, a single motor allows for six different movements. Indeed it can act as a disc, a pulley, a mini arm, an adjustable arm, a pusher, or a camera slider.

Argineering focused on build quality while creating this product. In fact, every metal piece of the kit is CNC-machined with laser-cut precision.

Motion control is not rocket science

Professional motion control systems, like the popular Bolt by MRMC, might be scary to approach at first. They are complex beasts that usually imply a steep learning curve.

The great thing about the RGKit Play is that it seems like you don’t have to be an engineer to make it work. All the modules seamlessly connect wirelessly and everything can be app-controlled from your smartphone (both on iOS or Android). Moreover, no coding is required since Argineers (as they like to address themselves) have already done the hard work for you.

By connecting the modules to your smartphone, you can start creating straight away. The app allows you to create repeatable sequences of movements as well as to adjust parameters such as speed, acceleration, and duration of each automation.

RGKit Play: ideal for indie filmmakers and content creators?

I’ve always been a fan of companies that focus their efforts on trying to bring high-end technologies to a wider public.

Obviously, the RGKit Play cannot compete with much more complex and expensive systems. In fact, camera payload is limited (5kg) and so are maximum speeds, accelerations and ranges of movement.

Despite the limitations though, it is an ideal solution for those filmmakers who cannot access professional, out-of-budget technologies. Compatible with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, this product makes compelling motion-controlled shots possible at a reasonable price.

Price and availability

If you haven’t backed up the Kickstarted campaign which has now ended, don’t worry. You can still purchase your RGKit Play, even though availability appears to be limited.

Different kits are available on the RGKit Play Website. They differ in the number of items and accessories included. All the kits are currently on a preorder discounted price and should be ready for shipping in August 2021.

Are you thinking of implementing motion control shots in your productions? Let us know in the comment below!