Chris Boyle is an inventor who strives to keep one foot in the laboratory and one in the sand. SOLOSHOT is a great new tool for filmmakers, videographers, and indie filmmakers alike. It's a cost effective way to create stellar shots and a great way to take care of filming as if you had your own ESPN cameraman filming the game for you. With gear like SOLOSHOT coming on the market, Boyle, SOLOSHOT's CEO and is Chairman of the Board, thinks it's possible that they’ll start to see studio sized scenes like Braveheart coming from independents.
Learn how the idea of SOLOSHOT came to be and where it will be in the future.
Q: What was it that made you transition from engineering to also creating the SOLOSHOT?
SOLOSHOT is engineering! It's a robot that began as a way to film surfing. I try to keep one foot in the laboratory and one in the sand, so SOLOSHOT is a perfect combination of my passions.
Q: How are you able to juggle all of your other ventures while also managing the success of SOLOSHOT?
You can't do anything alone. I have been lucky in my travels around the US and the world to meet really talented people with strong work ethics. You have an idea, you put your time and resources into it and build a team - sometimes the hardest part is just getting out of the way.
Q: As an entrepreneur, what piece of advice were you given when you first started, that you still follow to this day?
My father encouraged me to NOT take a job on Wall Street and to just go out there and build something. I've been doing that ever since.
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Q: What was it about SOLOSHOT that made you truly believe it would succeed?**
We were at a junior surf competition at Trestles in Southern California filming some of the kids before their heats. A dad watched as a SOLOSHOT perfectly framed his daughter ripping across a wave and he just kept saying "this is a dream" over and over again. He could now get back in the water so they could surf together and worry about breaking down the film when they got home. His reaction really stunned me and I knew then that we were doing something that would really have a positive impact on people's lives.
Q: What is it about this camera that you love most, and what is your vision for its use?
One of the great things about SOLOSHOT is that it works with pretty much any camera, so it’s really up to the user in terms of how they want to use it. I think people are going to use it in ways we haven’t anticipated. However, at its heart, SOLOSHOT is about getting people out from behind the camera and back in the moment, from cheering at their child's soccer game to getting in the action themselves. SOLOSHOT will take care of the filming as if you had your own ESPN cameraman filming the game for you.
Q: What are a few main features users should expect from the SOLOSHOT2 compared to the SOLOSHOT?
SOLOSHOT2 can talk to a growing list of cameras so that we can automatically zoom the camera in and out as you move closer and farther away. You can also send commands to toggle record or power from over 2,000 ft away. SOLOSHOT2 also tilts so you can film the action in the air, on the mountain or even the rock face. A third great feature is multi mode which allows you to link a bunch of transmitters and bases together, turning your robot cameraman into a robot production crew. It's pretty amazing and I think it's great for younger kids and teams as they can pool their resources together and make things even more affordable.
Q: Do you have any other production-related patents on the horizon for consumers?
We are always working on great ways to solve problems and address pain points. This category we've created is going to develop very rapidly in the next few years so we are very excited for the opportunity to lead the way.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
I want to encourage the filmmakers and videographers out there to check us out. I feel strongly that SOLOSHOT is a great new tool for them, and especially the independents. It's a cost effective way to make great content. With gear like SOLOSHOT coming on the market, I think it's possible that we will start to see studio sized scenes like Braveheart coming from independents. I mean SOLOSHOT can even get shots that are otherwise impossible or too dangerous without it. I'm just really excited to see what all the talented people out there can create.
images courtesy of SOLOSHOT
