Blockbuster Standards: How Shift Dynamics’ Filmmaking Tech Is Raising the Bar

When you use the term ‘cinematic visuals’, it tends to conjure up certain connotations. It’s the Hollywood blockbuster, or perhaps the latest prestige HBO drama. Traditionally, what might be less likely to come to mind is advertising, music videos, or branded content - especially for brands who aren’t established household names. In the heart of Nashville, however, there’s a video production company which is changing that thanks to a best-in-class suite of filmmaking technology.

Shift Dynamics (sister company to Gear Seven and Arc Studios) has levelled up its game when it comes to equipment, and how to master it to achieve the best possible visuals. With decades of experience shared amongst its talented staff, the studio has made a habit out of elevating clients’ visions to a standard of excellence.

“Shift Dynamics came out of a desire from a group of filmmakers within Gear Seven to dive a bit deeper into the world of filmmaking technology”, explains technical director Justin Wylie. “We always lean into the technical, and ask how we can make the next job 5% better than the last job”.

To do that, the expertise of staff like precision driver Patrick Wilson comes into play. By way of example, Patrick points towards the studio’s MotoCrane HYPER arm system. “With our HYPER, we set out to build a camera car system that would allow us to fly the biggest and largest payloads with ease”, he tells LBB. “Camera systems are just getting bigger and heavier, and to be ahead of the curve we built the biggest system we could”.

As a result of the HYPER - and plenty more filmmaking gear besides - the team is invariably capable of finding a solution to any ask. “Our mission is to supply you with the ability to use any tool in our arsenal”, adds Patrick. “We always offer a solution rather than say we can’t do something”.

Fundamentally, continues Justin, “we want our clients to know that their images can look as good as anyone else’s in Hollywood. By solving creative problems, we can make the best work of your career feel easy”.

There’s a thoroughness which underpins all of the team’s work. “I don't like leaving any shots on the table, I want them all in the can”, says Patrick. “I like being able to deliver exactly what a client is asking us for, and then a little more on top of that”.

That’s a self-imposed challenge which the team takes seriously. To achieve it, a range of state-of-the-art filmmaking equipment and technology is on stand-by for the expert operators at Shift Dynamics to use. Take, for instance, the Mercedes-Benz AMG ML63 - sporting a 6.3L, 503 horsepower engine with an acceleration of 0-60 in 4.7 seconds. Those specs allow for a fast and smooth approach to car-to-car shooting, particularly when coupled with the Motocrane, Flowcine Black Arm, or the Panther Tower Riser which are all compatible with the vehicle.

With all of that equipment, there’s a dizzying number of ways it can be used. Thankfully, over the course of his career Patrick has honed an ability to find the perfect shooting style for every job. “You name it, we've shot it. Previously I have filmed in everything from a process trailer, to strapped in the back of a truck”, he says. “The old ways got the job done, but there were limitations to your shot options and safety was always a concern. But today, our MotoCranes and style of shooting have allowed us to put filmmakers’ safety first whilst shooting without limitations. Now, we get to allow the creative to call the shots without hesitation".

And it’s not just the Mercedes adoring the Shift Dynamics garage. For more off-road projects, the team can wheel out the Chevy Silverado - equally capable of taking on the weight of various cranes whilst maintaining an organic level of smoothness.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that the equipment we’re talking about is necessarily new”, says Justin. “But what is exciting is how it’s become democratised, and available in more use cases than ever before. It’s not ‘cheap’, per se - you’re striving for that high-quality, cinematic feel after all. But it is an option for a surprising number of tasks and budgets”.

But, crucially, all of Shift Dynamics’ capabilities don’t just apply to work in the auto category. Far from it; there’s a range of content from music videos, to tabletop shoots, to virtual production integrations which stand to benefit from the tech on offer.

One of the most versatile tools at the team’s disposal is the AGITO dolly, which brings a new dimension to virtually any project. “The AGITO can get into more places - and do so more quickly - than a human with a camera could”, notes Justin. Indeed, the AGITO unit boasts a customisable rig which can hit movement speeds of up to 32 miles per hour. What’s more, the technical director hints that even more robotics might soon be available through the Shift Dynamics team… 

At times, Shift Dynamics’ filmmaking can get, in Patrick’s words, “a little exciting”.

“Safety is absolutely paramount to everything we do”, he notes. “When you’re shooting precise movements at 100 miles an hour, my job is to eliminate risk. That’s about communication and maintaining a consistent sense of calm and control. There’s no substitute for experience and expertise in that regard”.

On that point, the most crucial component of Shift Dynamics’ offering isn’t the equipment by itself. Rather, it’s the people operating it. “Something that we maintain in every aspect of our work is that we bring a human touch to it”, says Justin. “We’re not programming a line of code and watching a robot soullessly carry it out. It’s a combination of high-tech, and high-touch”.

Patrick, too, is motivated by a passion for filmmaking above all else. “I’m proud of each and every project that we shoot”, he says. “I absolutely love what I do and I’m blessed that I’m able to do it”.

And, ultimately, the result of that approach is high-quality visuals which strike a chord with audiences. As Justin concludes, the team’s ability to hit that mark is far from an accident. “We come to every job as filmmakers”, he says. “We know how narrative works, and we use technology to that end”.