VIZ.NL
makes a large variety of mechanisms for commercials
Mechanisms
to move, actuate or simulate. This fully articulated robot arm was developed for Art Director Erik Rikkelman. The arm can hold large chess pieces in a variety of positions.
Articulated Robot Arm
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Working retro clock model
Grey advertising asked us to make a working '70s digital clock for a film for their client Becel.
On a very short deadline we improvised a working mechanism. Using available cogs and materials we managed to empirically work out the geometry of the mechanism. Not only did the mechanism have to work but it had to fit in a small ball. We started with a transparent ball to see what was going on...later the ball was sprayed in Becel colours.
Digital Clock Mechanism The geometry for this clock was
worked out empirically on an extremely shor
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Radio Controlled Dymo Printer
The mechanism had to function but it also had to fit
inside a very tight space. The smallest available model car had to be reconstructed and optimised to fit...In the film the Dymo labeler drives all over the place at great speed, like a headless chicken.
Radio Controlled Dymo Printer
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Revolving gear stick
A hand changes gear- the gearshift is a bottle of beer. As the "car" goes faster the bottle revolves in the hand of the "driver" to reveal the product; a bottle of alcohol-free beer. The positions of the gear stick were made by cutting a simple pattern in card for the stick to follow. The whole mechanism was placed under the table, (represented by the red line).
Revolving gear stick for 0% alcohol spot Gimble courtesy of Robert Pachowski
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200% chocolate model unwraps in close up
For a Lindt commercial shot by Will van der Vlugt we made a scale model of the chocolate and it's wrapper. The mechansim allowed us to make a controlled close up of the unwrapping of the chocolate.
Close-up unwrapping of chocolate
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Miniature turntable & Slider
We use standard elements which we often recombine to make new mechanisms according to the needs of a particular project.
The slider is a simple linear bearing and rail which we can mechanise using timing belts and cogs.
The linear bearing has rails of up to 2mtrs. long which can be joined together if needed.
Miniature turntable & Slider
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Movement controlled by a pattern
The mechanism is designed so
that the fruit in the blender remain visible through the
opaque liquid during the start up of the blender.
To do this the fruit had to remain close to the surface of the beaker, as it rised up in sequence and on a fixed path. To achieve this Robert Pachowski made three 3-dimensional patterns as a guide for the fruit mechanisms.
Blender mechanism
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Release Mechanisms
This is a set of individual releases made for Brian Morris to drop fruit around the lens of a high speed camera. The small hinges were released sequentially to create a spiral shape of falling fruit. The mechanism like the release below was made for use in the confined space of a table top set.
The release below was made using standard rigging elements and a photographers cable release.
One problem to be considered with mechanisms for high speed table top work is the huge heat generated by the lamps involved actually deforms the metal used to make the rig.
Remote release
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Sketches
The drawings and sketches we make before starting a mechanism reveal the thinking that goes on during the development process.
Mechanisms
to move, actuate or simulate. This fully articulated robot arm was developed for Art Director Erik Rikkelman. The arm can hold large chess pieces in a variety of positions. 
