• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer

Photo Studio

photography matters

  • Submit a Sponsored Post
  • Make a Contribution
  • Contact

Art and Technology Join Forces in Launch of ‘Donatello’

September 25, 2018 By PhotoStudio.org

Latest innovation in tabletop photography puts cinematography within arm’s reach for U.S. online advertisers

When it comes to creating the beauty shot in online advertising, bigger isn’t always better. With the launch of its sleek new robotic arm-and-camera module, named Donatello, Artisan Tech and New York-based U Direct Productions, in a partnership with Eagle Rock Studios in Atlanta, plan to revolutionize the tabletop photography industry by dramatically scaling down the equipment—and budget—required to produce superior results for e-commerce shoots.

“A successful online advertising product shoot can cost tens of thousands of dollars per shot for a typical high-end U.S. production,” says Daniel Miller, who, along with advertising veteran Jon Bond, is managing director of the Donatello project. “The Donatello Arm can shoot up to 30 products per day for as little as $10,000 per day, using a template of lighting and design without compromising production value.”

Adds Bond, “Art and technology have collaborated to produce Donatello, which is not the arm of a robot, but rather the appendage of an artist. This artist happens to be faster, more economical and can bring quality cinematography within reach of any production budget.”

Eagle Rock Studios features the largest contiguous stage for film production in the U.S. and provides a base of operations for the shoots. Miller’s in-house team includes world-renowned director Avi Karpick, whose eye-provoking “food action” photography has been featured in campaigns for Coca-Cola, Heineken, Lipton, McDonald’s, KFC and Domino’s Pizza. Serving as lead creative on the shoots, Karpick has developed a manual for Donatello with which he trains technicians to follow a template of lighting and camera moves, while the Donatello team hires the technical support staff and provides all the necessary lighting, backdrops and tabletop equipment, keeping costs to a minimum.

“Agencies are always looking for options to lower production costs without sacrificing the quality of the creative. We fill that gap,” says Miller. “We are capable of producing continuous 360-degree live-action photography at a fraction of the industry cost.”

Karpick created Donatello by customizing a robotic arm that he found during a visit to a photography store in Prague, upgrading the arm and outfitting it with a camera in way that provides maximum focus and flexibility. Measuring four-and-a-half feet tall and six feet long, Donatello is a fraction of the size and weight of conventional equipment used in tabletop photography. The robot mechanism can move forward three feet and holds the camera three-and-half feet over the track when fully elevated. It can be placed into a cargo van and shipped (along with some 200 specialty items) anywhere in the U.S.

Introduced into the U.S. market last month, Donatello was recently used in campaigns for KFC and Nutella in Moscow. Its U.S. launch comes at a time when consumer products marketers are looking to increase the production value of online advertising and heighten the viewing experience of their products. “We are on the edge of a revolution in stop-motion photography,” says Karpick. “Marketers are starting to move away from the three-angle still picture and looking to do more video. With Donatello, we can achieve sophisticated panoramic moves, such as flipping a shoe or phone on a three-dimensional axis. Viewers can roll over the image and navigate through the shot to see the finest details and experience a product almost as if they were holding it in their hands.”

Artisan Tech is working directly with consumer products marketers, as well as with agency creative directors and producers, to implement Donatello on e-commerce shoots. While its core business development is likely to be in mass production, the company also caters to some ad agencies for higher-end work and is considering licensing the technology to large e-commerce platforms such as Zappos and Jet.com.

Related

Filed Under: Photo Notes Tagged With: tabletop photography

Footer

Recent Posts

  • Photographer uses Starlink to host world’s first live webinar from edge of Grand Canyon
  • Pixel Effects
  • Smartphones will squeeze DSLR cameras out
  • Leica Pre-Owned: Retaining Value Over Generations
  • Webinar: The Art and Technique of Travel Photography, June 2, 2022, at 2pm ET
  • How big can a photo of a cat get?
  • Canon EOS R10 Review
  • Canon EOS R7 Review
  • Canon R7 Review
  • Photo of the Day: Container Shipping

Media Partners

  • Technology Conferences
  • Event Sharing Network
  • Defense Conferences
  • Cybersecurity Events
  • Event Calendar
  • Calendarial
  • Domain Market Research

Media Partners

  • Press Media Release
  • Exclusive
  • Photo Contest
  • Prints
  • Opinion
  • VPNW
  • S3H

Copyright © 2013 Photostudio.org

Technologies, Market Analysis & Market Research Reports

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT