Sparked

Sparked is a short film that combines human performance with a group of computer controlled flying machines, born from a collaboration between ETH Zurich, Verity Studios, and Cirque du Soleil.

The shoot of Sparked took place in the Flying Machine Arena at ETH Zurich, a portable space devoted to autonomous flight that consists of flying machines, a high-precision motion capture system, a wireless communication network, and custom software executing sophisticated algorithms for estimation and control.

For three days, the Flying Machine Arena became a film set: Three hardwood work benches, 50 lamps, and other props were standing in. During the shoot the space also hosted the researchers, creative team, producers, technicians, and film crew as well as 11 actors – one human and 10 machines.

Established at ETH Zurich in 2007, the Flying Machine Arena serves as a testbed for research in aerial vehicles. The researchers have explored quadrocopter control and state estimation, trajectory generation, increased autonomy, adaptation and learning, high-precision flight maneuvers, aerial construction, and cooperation between multiple vehicles.

Many of these research results have been fundamental to the realization of Sparked. The seamless coordination of multiple vehicles, the design of suitable trajectories and choreographies, and the high reliability and robustness of the Flying Machine Arena infrastructure were key ingredients for the success of the film shoot.