Pixipixel builds a bespoke camera body rig for Channel 4’s comedy pilot ‘Billi’

Produced by Big Talk Productions and Popper Pictures, Channel 4’s comedy blap ‘Billi’ follows the gritty story of a 25-year-old bratty egomaniac who is ready to go through anything to get a half-head of highlights.

 
 

Setting the scene

Written and performed by Harry Trevaldwyn, ‘Billi’ is a witty and nimble comedy for the selfie generation. The creative idea behind the project is very much inspired by Harry’s Twitter and Instagram videos, with the production value elevated for television.

Produced by Alexander Handschuh and directed by Ben Palmer with cinematography by Will Hanke, the whole episode was shot to look like a selfie film showing only one side of the conversations. It’s a narcissist’s (aka Billi’s) dream.

The challenge

DOP Will Hanke approached Pixipixel’s team to build a body-mounted camera rig that would be latched on to the actor to film in a way that allows the audience to only ever see the main character and his point of view.

How Pixipixel helped

After an initial meeting in Hoxton, Pixipixel’s Technical Director Renos Louka took the production brief and in just two short weeks designed and engineered a POV body rig that’s lightweight, versatile and adaptable, allowing for the camera to be easily rotated front and backwards by the actor.

During the engineering process, the team worked closely with the cast and crew to finetune the final rig, ensuring it’s:

  • Lightweight and comfortable to wear for two days straight without affecting the actor’s performance

  • Functional and compact enough so that the actor can sit and film in a car

  • Neatly designed with body straps hidden from the camera’s view

  • Flexible and adjustable to give actor the option to manipulate the body rig and turn the camera around to show the surrounding environment from his point of view

 
Body Rig.jpg
 

DOP Hanke opted to shoot ‘Billi’ on the Sony FX3 – a full-frame camera with autofocus capabilities, in-body image stabilization, and light weight. The Mechanix body rig can sustain the weight of most cameras including the Arri ALEXA Mini LF and Sony Venice.

 
Sony FX3 - 4K
 

“Having had a very good relationship with Pixipixel, we naturally approached them for support on this project. The POV body rig proved to be the perfect for the job. Renos and the team were very helpful working with our tight schedule in mind and making the entire process as smooth as possible. We couldn't have done it without them” says Producer Alexander Handschuh.

“We are very excited to have supported the ‘Billi’ team. We invested time to carefully understand the production requirements and built the Mechanix body rig incorporating features designed to give the cast and crew flexibility. It’s great to see the result and we are happy to offer clients technical services that help them push their creative boundaries” shares Renos Louka, Technical Director of Cameras at Pixipixel.

Watch ‘Billi‘

 
 

Let’s work together

Whenever you need bespoke camera and grip kit to make your creative vision a reality, Pixipixel’s technical team is here to help.

Got questions? Find out more about our Camera & Engineering Services and feel free to ask us anything at office@pixipixel.com.

Mechanix

The POV body rig is part of Pixipixel’s range of in-house engineered accessories called Mechanix. New kit includes: CineTape Mounting Mods, Arri HI-5 Lanyard Attachments, Rotating Magliner Moy Plates, a Rialto Backpack MKII and Rotating Camera Mounts.

Kristine Mladenova