The Doka Camera Car is a highly versatile purpose built camera car, designed to perform in today's budget-conscience and environmentally aware industry. The daily rental includes everything and more that you would expect from a camera tracking vehicle.
Custom built camera tracking vehicle designed and built with manufacturer approved coach builders, completely uprated running gear, uprated racing spec brake setup, REVO Stage 2 remap and the list goes on…
4k 12G HD/SDI Playback/video village system with 12"HD/SDI & 7"HD/SDI monitors
240v sine wave mains
Integrated wireless talkback system and Motorola Walkie Talkies
Comprehensive harness kit for those on the outside of the vehicle
Climate controlled comfort behind privacy glass for those inside the vehicle
Cameras can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle utilising the speed rail or via the removable and variable platform system which can be fitted to the front, side or rear of the vehicle. From this "rolling studio" can then be mounted a mirriad of equipment from vibration isolators, gimbals, cranes to stabilised and non-stabilised remote heads.
From decades of experience this, the third generation of vehicle, has evolved to be the ultimate in its class and has been endorsed by the Metropolitan Police Film Unit - approval letter - and vetted by a multitude of safety groups including 1st OPTION Safety Group, for whom I am an approved supplier of camera tracking vehicles, and MSS Safety. This is a highly customised vehicle which is now a long way from the original vehicle it started life as. The Doka Camera Car undergoes constant investment and improvements as technology opens the door for even better equipment, techniques and setups. The vehicle is serviced beyond the original manufacturers recommendation to ensure it is in the best of health for your shoot.
Doka Camera Car Tracking Vehicle - Basic package
The Doka Camera Car is supplied with the bare bones to ensure your camera crew have just what they need to begin filming in a competent and safe manner. Whether its a modest crew with a single camera or a slightly more involved setup, this package is affordable on even the tightest of budgets
NB *this vehicle is road legal. It was designed and certified for public road tracking as a vehicle “built for purpose” by manufacturer approved coach builders and conforms to VOSA requirements and the Met Police Filming Guidelines, as opposed to filming out of a crew members car! This ‘basic package’ mode can be used on private land and on the Public Highway where we are not required to have a Police Escort.
Doka Camera Car Tracking Vehicle - Basic package with a budget stabilized system
Its not always possible for a productions budget to extend to the luxury of a high end 5 axis fully stabilised head so we have a few budget friendly workarounds which include using Steadicam Arms/Rigs, Lightweight stabilised gimbals like the Freefly Movi / DJi Ronin / BeSteady, and horizontal vibration isolators. These setups can prove extremely effective and yield perfectly smooth footage for the right shoots.
NB *this vehicle is road legal. It was designed and certified for public road tracking as a vehicle “built for purpose” by manufacturer approved coach builders and conforms to VOSA requirements and the Met Police Filming Guidelines, as opposed to filming out of a crew members car! This package with a front platform, can be used on private land and on the Public Highway with a Police Escort or road closure in place.
Doka Camera Car Tracking Vehicle - Basic package with a fully stabilised Flighthead Mini3 and Black-Tek Motorised Tower
The fantastic combination of the Black-Tek motorised tower and the Filmotechnic Flighthead Mini3 enables us to get shots like no other piece of equipment can offer. We are able to achieve shots with a very different look to those achieved hard mounting to the vehicle or from a crane arm. This compact and lightweight package can be mounted front/rear or even side of the vehicle if necessary.
NB *this vehicle is road legal. It was designed and certified for public road tracking as a vehicle “built for purpose” by manufacturer approved coach builders and conforms to VOSA requirements and the Met Police Filming Guidelines, as opposed to filming out of a crew members car! This ‘Motorised Tower Package’, can be used on private land and on the Public Highway without a Police Escort or road closure in place. If the tower is mounted on the front of the vehicle however, as in some of the photographs below, we are can only operate on closed roads or with a Police Escort.
Doka Camera Car Tracking Vehicle - Basic package with a budget jib arm and 3axis hot-head
This simple setup is capable of yielding extremely dynamic results on a respectable budget. One of the most popular requests, the swooping shots of a Jib arm twinned with the tracking vehicles' agility can prove extremely effective in the right environment.
NB *this vehicle is road legal. It was designed and certified for public road tracking as a vehicle “built for purpose” by manufacturer approved coach builders and conforms to VOSA requirements and the Met Police Filming Guidelines, as opposed to filming out of a crew members car! This package with a budget jib arm, can be used on private land and on the Public Highway with a Police Escort or road closure in place.
Doka Camera Car Tracking Vehicle - Basic package with a fully stabilised remote head on a lightweight crane arm
The FlightHead Mini3 is a state of the art stabilised head from Filmotechnic capable of taking a multitude of camera and lens configurations. The FlightHead Mini3 can be mounted directly to the vehicle, to the Black-Tek motorised Tower (see above) or onto a lightweight crane arm facing the rear or the front of the Doka Camera Car. With the right crew at the controls, this setup can achieve some truly stunning footage.
NB *this vehicle is road legal. It was designed and certified for public road tracking as a vehicle “built for purpose” by manufacturer approved coach builders and conforms to VOSA requirements and the Met Police Filming Guidelines, as opposed to filming out of a crew members car! This package with a jib arm and stabilised remote head can be used on private land and on the Public Highway with a Police Escort or road closure in place.
Camera Tracking Vehicle - Safety
Due to the potential dangers of filming from moving vehicles, personnel will always make sure that the safety of crew and anyone else in the vicinity takes precedence over all other filming considerations.
The vehicle is run to a strict set of safety rules and has received full backing from the Metropolitan Police Film Unit. In addition, there are guidelines produced by the Metropolitan Police Film Unit that give additional advice for filming on public highways (with or without a police escort). Production are advised to add these to the call sheet along with any general risk assessment undertaken by production. We also require a key representative from production (producer, production manager, 1st AD or director etc) to sign the Safety Rules and Procedures document and return it prior to the shoot day, this is not a legally binding document but serves to acknowledge that production have noted the points on it.
Recent legislation and the tightening of existing laws has led to new restrictions when filming on public roads. Please check that the shoot you may be planning does not fall foul of these. Examples include restrictions to all front platform filming, and the use of any camera rigs on the outside of vehicles, unless controlled by the police with either police outriders or the closing of roads. I am happy to discuss any specific requirements with production to help make a shoot possible and I also recommend speaking to the Met Film Unit for help and advice, even if filming is not to be in the London area.
In addition to the close working relationship maintained with the Met Police Film Unit, this camera tracking vehicle service has also been vetted and approved by the 1st OPTION Safety Group under Action Vehicle Suppliers.
Jonathan Dennis Ltd Codes of Practise, Health and Safety Policies/Guidelines and Risk Assessments are approved and backed by MSS Safety Ltd
RECOMMENDED PRIVATE GROUNDS FOR FILMING
Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedford www.millbrook.co.uk,
Longcross Studios in Chobham,
Dunsfold aerodrome in Guildford,
Prodrive in Oxford and most UK and European race circuits including Silverstone, Goodwood, Castle Coombe, the Nurburgring, Ascari...
METROPOLITAN POLICE FILM UNIT INFORMATION
Contact PC Steve Dixon via: email: filmunit@met.police.uk or telephone: 02 03 05 4 5555
Camera Tracking Vehicle - Heritage
As a former Director of Off Trax Ltd, I was an integral part of the camera tracking vehicle service, including the design and construction of the vehicles themselves. Way back in the early days of Off Trax we modified a Long wheel base 127 Land Rover to accommodate the relocation of our first Jimmy Jib remote camera crane. After many requests from clients to be able to track with this configuration we began extensive research and testing. This R&D continues to this day.
In 2004, we added an impressively customised Dodge 2500 RAM to our fleet. Built to our own design specification, the Dodge quickly became our flagship vehicle. We later discovered, however, that due to the many shoots in central London and narrow roads of the UK it was evident this vehicle was too large for purpose. The experience and knowledge of constructing and operating these vehicles gave birth to the third vehicle based on a Volkswagen. Sitting between its two predecessors in terms of size but completely out-performing them in terms of versatility, economy, pace and safety, it is everything our years of research and development could culminate in. This has surpassed all expectations to date and it continues to receive great praise from clients
The vehicles are meticulously maintained and inspected both internally and by external companies to ensure they are always in the best working order. This, combined with a close working relationship with the Metropolitan Police Film Unit and fellow tracking vehicle companies, has enabled provision a first class service and a leading service provider to the television and film industry in the UK and Europe.
