Watchly Safety Review

Freezing time w/ ONLY ONE camera, 360 degrees, 7200 fps

Mark Rober

3:40 · 1.8M views · December 5, 2013

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Minor FlagsReviewed June 2026

3Minor Flags

4No Issues

This video is safe and genuinely educational for most kids, showcasing impressive engineering and high-speed photography in a fun, accessible way. The creator collaborates with a NASA engineer and a high-speed camera company to build a clever mirror-based rig that simulates bullet-time footage, making real physics and optics concepts exciting. The only minor notes are a brief mention of slingshots being fired near a painting (played for laughs) and a soft promotional plug for the camera rental company at the end.

Content Breakdown · 7 Categories

Playful & Fantasy ViolenceA little

Slingshots are used to fire projectiles at objects for slow-motion filming purposes, and there is a humorous aside about nearly hitting a painting ('nobody died'); this is clearly playful and consequence-free in context, not realistic violence.

See evidence (2)

“'we've actually been shooting slingshots at these things all day long'”

“'there's a massive Pro Painting right behind uh yeah basically where we're shooting but nobody died'”

Strong & Crude LanguageNot present

No profanity, slurs, or crude language appears in this video about high-speed camera photography; the only borderline term is 'ghetto' used casually to describe a DIY setup, which is mild and not directed at any person or group.

See evidence (1)

“'sort of create a ghetto bullet time Matrix effect' — informal/slang use, not directed as a slur”

Realistic Violence, Threats & WeaponsA little

Slingshots are briefly mentioned as props used to film slow-motion footage, but there is no demonstration of harm, threats, or weapon glorification; the context is purely scientific/creative filmmaking.

See evidence (1)

“'we've actually been shooting slingshots at these things all day long'”

Parasocial & Emotional ManipulationNot present

The video includes a standard subscribe call-to-action and cross-promotion of other videos, but there is no guilt-tripping, manufactured drama, or language designed to extract emotional dependence from viewers.

See evidence (1)

“'you can also check out some of my other videos'”

Engagement Baiting & Manipulative CTAsNot present

The video includes a subscribe link and cross-promotion of other videos, but these are standard, non-manipulative CTAs with no guilt-tripping, superstition framing, or 'true fans' exclusion language.

See evidence (2)

“'SUBSCRIBE' link in description”

“'you can also check out some of my other videos'”

Low-Quality, Extreme & Stunt ContentNot present

While the video involves shooting slingshots at objects for slow-motion footage, this is presented as a legitimate scientific/creative filmmaking project rather than a shock-value stunt or extreme challenge.

See evidence (1)

“'we've actually been shooting slingshots at these things all day long'”

Hidden Advertising & Sponsored ContentA little

Aimed Research (a high-speed camera rental company) is promoted with a direct recommendation and link, but the relationship appears to be a genuine acknowledgment of a collaborator/lender rather than a paid undisclosed sponsorship; the promotion is transparent and contextually justified by the video's subject matter.

See evidence (2)

“'if you need to rent a high-speed camera Nathan and Aimed Research will take care of you'”

“'they are way way more affordable than anything else I could find out there'”

What Parents Need to Know

This is a creative, STEM-rich video where the host explains how he built a spinning mirror rig with a NASA engineer to capture stunning 360-degree slow-motion footage using a Phantom high-speed camera. Kids can learn about optics, engineering problem-solving, frame rates, and the value of collaboration and iterating through failure — the host even points viewers to a companion video specifically about the failures encountered during the build. There is a brief humorous aside about accidentally shooting slingshots near a valuable painting, but it's lighthearted and no one is harmed. The video ends with a promotional mention of the camera rental company (Named Research), which is relatively transparent but worth noting. Overall, this is a positive, curiosity-driven piece of content with strong educational value and no meaningful safety concerns.

Talk to Your Kids About

1Why do you think using more frames per second makes slow-motion video look smoother? What does that tell us about how cameras capture movement?
2The creator worked with a NASA engineer to solve a problem — what was the problem, and how did they come up with a creative solution using mirrors?
3The host mentions there were lots of failures before the rig worked. Why do you think showing and talking about failures can be just as important as showing the final success?
4At the end, the host recommends a company he used — do you think that changes how you feel about the recommendation? How can you tell when someone in a video is being paid to promote something?

Freezing time w/ ONLY ONE camera, 360 degrees, 7200 fps

Protected Viewing

What's This Video About?

How to use ONE camera to capture the 360 effect like in the Matrix. I've been working on this project for over 6 months. Special thanks to Ken for doing most of the heavy lifting on the rig we designed. SUBSCRIBE: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-Sub Link to Aimed Research website (if you ever need High Speed camera start here. Seriously): http://www.aimed-research.com/Home.html Here is their YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/AimedResearch?feature=watch Link to Destin's video of our many failures (Smarter Every Day): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dtu16Nct6c&feature=c4-overview&list=UU6107grRI4m0o2-emgoDnAA Link to the Digital Ugly Christmas Sweaters: http://tinyurl.com/FB-XMas-US Link to my other featured videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li7SStYRcto&list=SP45865A763BAB32CA I make videos like this once a month all year long while supplies last: CHECK OUT MY CHANNEL: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-YouTube FOLLOW ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/MarkRober FACEBOOK ME: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRoberYouTube Here is a link to the song in the video. It is royalty free and you are welcome cause it is pretty amazing amairght: https://www.pond5.com/stock-music/847781/ambientis.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this video appropriate for?

This video is suitable for children around age 7 and up. The content is entirely focused on science, engineering, and creative filmmaking with no mature themes, making it accessible and engaging for curious kids in that range.

Is there any dangerous or violent content in this video?

There is a brief humorous mention of shooting slingshots near a painting by accident, but it is played as a lighthearted joke and no one is hurt. There are no depictions of real violence, weapons use, or dangerous stunts that children might try to replicate.

Is this video educational?

Yes, it has strong educational value. It introduces concepts like frame rates, optics, mirror reflection, and engineering design in an entertaining and accessible way, and it even encourages viewers to learn from failure — a valuable growth mindset message.

Is there any advertising or sponsored content in this video?

The host gives a promotional mention of Named Research, the company that lent him the high-speed camera, at the end of the video. It is relatively transparent and brief, but parents may want to point out to kids that this is a form of promotion.

Is the science shown in this video accurate?

Yes, the core concepts — including how frame rate affects slow-motion footage and how mirrors can redirect a camera's field of view — are scientifically sound. The collaboration with a NASA engineer and a professional high-speed camera operator adds credibility to the content.

Could kids be inspired to try anything unsafe after watching?

It is very unlikely. The rig built in the video requires professional engineering, expensive equipment, and expert knowledge, making it far beyond anything a child could or would attempt to replicate. The video actually models responsible collaboration and careful problem-solving.