A Freerunning Extravaganza

November 11, 2013 10:59 AM

"What do you know about Rube Goldberg? This is how we do it -- Freestyle!"
posted by jason's_planet (18 comments total)

I am thoroughly exhausted after watching that.
posted by xingcat at 11:03 AM on November 11, 2013 [3 favorites]

Thank you Red Bull.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:04 AM on November 11, 2013

This is why they invented steadicam
posted by IndigoJones at 11:08 AM on November 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

Well, that was pretty spectacular, especially the part where the shipping containers fell over 1-2-3. I'm wondering if they ran this through on a test, or if it was a hypothetically, this is what should happen when/after this happens first run. Wish the lighting would have been better and, as IndigoJones mentioned, the camera work less erratic.

I was only hoping that anybody that got whacked would be killed outright rather than costing millions being maintained in a long-term vegetative state.

Now, you kids get off my lawn out of my deserted commercial lot.
posted by BlueHorse at 11:12 AM on November 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

That was cool, and like others, I wish it was much better shot, because I had a hard time seeing some of the transitions from one object to another, and I'd like to have been able to see them better for added coolness.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:27 AM on November 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

Not bad.
posted by manoffewwords at 11:29 AM on November 11, 2013

Yeah, I just don't understand how you can take the time and trouble to conceive and create all of that, with all the people and materials and dangers involved, and then not invest in renting a couple of steadicam rigs and people who know how to use them. Either do that, or just don't film it at all.
posted by nushustu at 11:31 AM on November 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

That's not a proper Rube Goldberg machine; they were supplying additional energy to the system after the initial set-up.


Hehe
posted by Mister_A at 11:49 AM on November 11, 2013 [3 favorites]

They've spent huge time and effort constructing a baroque and incredibly specific apparatus for this guy to run around. It's fun to watch, but... isn't that pretty much the opposite of freerunning? (IANAF, happy to be set right.)
posted by pont at 11:52 AM on November 11, 2013

Since they put scaffolding up around my apartment building, this is pretty much how I get out the door every morning. It's heart healthy, I guess.

Also, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, although, like a lot of these sorts of videos, there were many points where I couldn't really see what was going on, which was a pity, but it was a good use of a few minutes.
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:55 AM on November 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

That was fun and well set up, but yeah the documentation was hard to follow in parts, sometimes I was ... wait, what was the transition? and why is that rocket firing anyways?

Kinda Wallace and Gromit -ish

less cheese tho
posted by edgeways at 12:08 PM on November 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

My favorite bit is the way 'takin' a bath' guy stayed in character long after he'd played his part in the apparatus's unwinding.
posted by Mister_A at 12:23 PM on November 11, 2013 [3 favorites]

I believe Tina Turner set something like this up next to the Thunderdome. I think Detroit has found its calling.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 1:11 PM on November 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

They really didn't need a steadycam just more cameras much better shot planning. But no not really, it's closer to magic tricks, you really don't want people to see too much, just enough for the "wow".
posted by sammyo at 3:01 PM on November 11, 2013

Well, it was cheaper than launching a guy into near space to parachute to earth...

How many Red Bulls will they need to sell in order to cover the cost associated with hiring the folks, making the video, and publicizing that they did it?
posted by Nanukthedog at 3:47 PM on November 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

How many Red Bulls will they need to sell to pay for Sebastian Vettel's fourth consecutive Formula One Drivers' Championship (and the team's fourth consecutive Constructors' Championship)? (About $110M worth.) (And perhaps almost $1B since Red Bull entered F1 in 2005)

Also how many do they have to sell to pay for Toro Rosso? About half of the RBR spend.

Plus all the other crazy stuff Red Bull sponsors (airplane races, boat races, skydives from the edge of space, the Flutag)?

All of it from little cans of energy drink.
posted by notyou at 6:26 PM on November 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

For 2011, Red Bull claims to have sold 4.6 billion cans of their sugary liquid crack, earning them more than 4 billion euros of revenue.

I don't think they're sweating these marketing expenses.
posted by jason's_planet at 7:00 PM on November 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

(And before I forget -- thanks to everyone who liked the video!)
posted by jason's_planet at 7:06 PM on November 11, 2013