RETOUR À NOS actualités The film stage: practical questions
5 impasse de la Centrale, 77360 Vaires-sur-Marne, France, 20 minutes from Paris Gare de l’Est.
Line P, Vaires-Torcy station, 5 minutes from the studio. RER A, Torcy station, 10 minutes. RER E, Chelles-Gournay station, 15 minutes.
Take the A4 motorway, exit A104 (towards CDG / Lagny-sur-Marne). The studio has 12 free parking spaces and ground-level truck access through a 4.00 × 3.80 m door.
200 m², with a 3-wall cyclorama 12 m wide, 8 m deep and 7.5 m high.
White, green or black. Painting the cyclorama and floor, in white or in colour, is available on request.
100 kW three-phase: 2 × 63 A, 2 × 32 A and 22 × 16 A sockets. The 10 × 5.5 m motorised grid is powered by 16 × 16 A circuits.
Make-up rooms with 3 HMC stations, shower and WC, a VIP lounge overlooking the stage, a kitchen and a meeting room.
€1,490 excl. VAT per day Monday to Friday (8am–6pm), €1,700 excl. VAT on Saturday and €1,900 excl. VAT on Sunday. Weekday overtime is €155 excl. VAT per hour. Night shoots and weekly rates are available on request.
No. Electricity consumption is billed at €1.20 excl. VAT per kW and paid on departure. Hot drinks are complimentary.
Yes. We welcome crews for a technical visit before the shoot. Contact us to book a slot.
1. Introduction & Location
Q: Is your studio easy to reach from Paris for a large production?
A: First of all, Halphastudio is in Vaires-sur-Marne, just 20 minutes from Gare de l’Est in Paris, with excellent access from the A4 motorway. As a result, we offer logistical advantages that central Paris cannot. Indeed, you get direct ground-level truck access to the stage. What’s more, free private parking is waiting for your crews. As a result, you avoid the parking and unloading problems typical of the capital.
2. Technical comparison
Q: What is the difference between your Atrax robots and a Bolt robot (MRMC)?
A: The Atrax is therefore a modern, high-performance alternative to the Bolt. Because it uses the latest generation of KUKA arms. As a result, it offers superior stability and smoothness of movement, especially at high speed, where vibrations disappear. In addition, our solution is quicker to program for tabletop work. Finally, our rates are often more competitive than traditional Bolt rental companies. Our robots: atrax
3. Budget & Value
Q: Is renting the robot expensive compared with a manual dolly move?
A: Admittedly, motion control requires an initial budget. However, this tool saves you precious time on set. Unlike a manual dolly move, which often needs 10 takes to be clean, the robot nails the complex move on the first attempt. Moreover, our “Studio + Robot + Lighting” package optimises your overall budget. In short, you reduce the number of suppliers and shooting days.
4. Equipment & Cameras
Q: Which cameras can be mounted on the robot?
A: In practice, our robots carry a payload of up to 20 kg. As a result, they cover 99% of today’s cinema camera configurations. For example, we regularly work with Phantom Flex 4K cameras (for slow motion), ARRI Alexa 35 and RED Raptor. What’s more, our team handles power, triggering and video feed for you.
5. Safety & People
Q: Can we shoot models or actors facing the robot?
A: Absolutely. In fact, the safety of your talent remains our top priority. To that end, our operators set strict virtual safety zones before every shot. That is why we very often host fashion, beauty and luxury shoots with brand ambassadors. Ultimately, the robot can move gently and precisely, even close to a person.
Q: Can we visit the studio before booking?
A: Of course, we welcome crews for a visit so we can prepare your shoot as well as possible.
General questions about motion control
What is a motion control robot used for in audiovisual production?
Motion control is used to program complex camera moves, achieve perfect repeatability, sync the image precisely with special effects (VFX, slow motion, stop motion) and capture spectacular shots that showcase a product, a brand or a scene, while optimising production time and costs.
What is the difference between motion control and a classic dolly move?
Unlike a dolly, a slider or a Steadicam, a motion control robot offers millimetre precision and can repeat exactly the same move as many times as needed, ideal for compositing and high-end commercials.
How precise is a motion control robot?
Motion control delivers moves that are accurate to the millimetre, guaranteeing a smooth, fully controlled result, even at very high speed.
Is motion control suitable for outdoor shoots?
Although it is designed mainly for studios, the robot can be set up on some outdoor shoots, provided there is enough space, a power supply and safe conditions.
Why use motion control for a commercial or a music video?
A motion control robot opens up new creative possibilities: dynamic packshots, visual effects impossible by hand, perfect sync with the music, high-speed or slow-motion camera moves, and more.
Is motion control suited to products (packshots, food, objects)?
Yes. It is the ideal tool for advertising packshots: product films, drinks, food styling. The robot guarantees smooth, spectacular moves that bring out every detail.
Can actors be filmed with a motion control robot?
Absolutely. Motion control repeats the same shot precisely, which is ideal for VFX sequences, actor doubling or creative effects.
How much does a shooting day with a motion control robot cost?
The rate depends on the rental length, the type of project and the equipment used. The price generally includes the robot, the specialist operator and technical support. Contact us for a quote tailored to your production.
Does the rate include an operator?
Yes, our services always include a motion control specialist to keep the shoot running smoothly and safely on set.
How much studio space do you need to set up a motion control robot?
It depends on the size of the robot. A safety area of 3 to 4 times the length of its extended arm is recommended to use the robot’s full capabilities and keep the crew safe.
How long does it take to set up the robot?
On average, set-up takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour, depending on the complexity of the shoot. We always plan preparation time to make the most of the production day.
Are there safety constraints?
Yes. The robot is a heavy, fast machine. A safety zone is set up and the operator remains responsible for handling it at all times.
Can a camera move be repeated identically for special effects?
Yes. This is one of the great advantages of motion control: every move is saved and replayed identically, which is ideal for shoots that need several passes (VFX, split screen, compositing).
Is motion control compatible with virtual production (LED wall, Unreal Engine)?
Yes, the robot can be synced with virtual production workflows to combine physical moves with 3D environments.
Hybrid AI production: studio and motion control robot
Everything about our offer: hybrid AI production studio near Paris.
It is a shoot that combines live-action footage (products, talent, sets) with retouched or AI-generated imagery in post-production. The elements filmed in the studio bring realism, texture and light; AI makes it possible to adapt backgrounds, variations and formats.
The studio controls what AI struggles to invent convincingly: light, reflections, textures and real movement. On our 200 m² stage with a 12 × 8 × 7.5 m 3-wall cyclorama, the white, green or black background makes keying and integrating generated elements easier.
Our atrax® robots replay exactly the same camera move as many times as needed. We film several identical passes (product alone, talent, background, lighting) that line up perfectly, then combine them with AI-generated elements with no perspective shift.
Yes. In hybrid mode, a photo area and a video area are set up on the same stage, with the same art direction: the source images and films are produced on the same day, ready to be adapted.
Commercials and packshots adapted into many variations, social media content in several formats, product launches, fashion and beauty campaigns, music videos and VFX projects that mix live action and generated elements.
Tell us about your creative intent: together we define the stage, the lighting, the robot passes and the formats to deliver to make post-production easier. A technical visit of the studio is possible before the shoot.