Watchly Safety Review

Matrix Effect Using Only a Ceiling Fan

Mark Rober

3:30 · 1.9M views · May 9, 2013

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Minor FlagsReviewed June 2026

1Minor Flag

2No Issues

This DIY science and filmmaking video is safe and genuinely educational for kids of all ages, with zero concerning content and a strong creative premise. The creator explains the physics behind the camera rig clearly, making it both entertaining and instructive, though younger viewers may find the technical explanation a bit advanced.

Content Breakdown · 3 Categories

Engagement Baiting & Manipulative CTAsNot present

The video ends with a straightforward invitation to contact the creator via YouTube for a potential sequel project, which is a benign, non-coercive CTA with no guilt-tripping or superstition framing.

See evidence (1)

“so if you've got one and you want to do a cool project contact me via YouTube”

Low-Quality, Extreme & Stunt ContentNot present

The video involves cracking an egg and an uppercut punch filmed in slow motion as demonstration subjects, but these are clearly incidental props for a legitimate filmmaking tutorial rather than shock-value stunt content.

See evidence (2)

“here I am cracking an egg in real time”

“oh and there is this uppercut uppercut”

Playful & Fantasy ViolenceA little

A brief, clearly playful slow-motion uppercut punch is demonstrated as a subject for the camera rig, consistent with the Matrix 'bullet time' theme; it is entirely stylized and consequence-free with no realistic framing.

See evidence (1)

“oh and there is this uppercut uppercut”

What Parents Need to Know

This short video shows a creator building a spinning camera rig from a ceiling fan motor and a GoPro to recreate the famous 'bullet time' effect from The Matrix. There is nothing harmful here — no bad language, no violence, no ads, and no manipulation. The real value for kids is seeing how physics concepts like relative motion and frame of reference can be applied creatively and cheaply. The mention of The Matrix may prompt questions about the film itself, which is rated R and not appropriate for young children, but the video itself is completely family-friendly. It's a great example of DIY ingenuity and low-budget problem-solving that could inspire young makers and aspiring filmmakers.

Talk to Your Kids About

1Why does the object in the middle appear to spin even though the camera is the one moving? Can you explain what 'frame of reference' means?
2If you wanted to recreate a cool effect from a movie, what would you choose and how might you do it cheaply at home?
3The creator says the professional version costs hundreds of thousands of dollars — what does that tell us about creativity and problem-solving with limited resources?
4Have you ever seen a movie effect that made you wonder how they filmed it? What was it?

Protected Viewing

What's This Video About?

A simple trick to get awesome Matrix-like "Bullet Time" footage for waaaaay less money than most people spend on it with huge camera arrays. I shot all off this footage with a GoPro HD Hero 3 at 240 fps. NO TWIXTOR!!!... but I did you use After Effects smooth motion thing in parts which is pretty much the same thing... it just seems like writing NO TWIXTOR is like a badge of honor for slow mo videos for some reason... so I wanted to put it in there. I make videos like this once a month all year long while supplies last: SUBSCRIBE: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-Sub CHECK OUT MY CHANNEL: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-YouTube FOLLOW ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/MarkRober FACEBOOK ME: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRoberYouTube MUSIC: Song used - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doOnMkpU84c The XX - Intro (Dubstep Remix Go Jane Go) Video editing and music choice inspired by David Muessig. He has cool videos and you should check them out. Young kid. Good eye for filmmaking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbrxzFEa5yU -Cool song at the end created by Qwiet. He hasn't released that one yet so sub his channel to see it when it comes out: http://youtube.com/qwietmusic Twitter: http://twitter.com/qwiet Facebook: http://facebook.com/qwiet

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this video appropriate for?

This video is appropriate for ages 6 and up. The content is completely clean and safe, though the physics explanation about frame of reference may be best appreciated by slightly older children around 8–10.

Is there anything inappropriate in this video?

No — there is no bad language, violence, advertising, or any other concerning content. The video is a straightforward DIY filmmaking experiment with a very clean presentation.

Does this video reference The Matrix — should I be concerned?

The creator mentions The Matrix as the inspiration for the 'bullet time' effect, but does not show any clips from the film. The Matrix itself is rated R and not suitable for young children, but this video stands entirely on its own without any mature content.

Is this video educational?

Yes, it touches on real physics concepts like relative motion and frame of reference, and demonstrates creative engineering on a budget. It's a great conversation starter about filmmaking, optics, and DIY problem-solving.

Could this video inspire kids to try something dangerous at home?

The rig involves a ceiling fan motor and power tools, so parental supervision would be needed if a child wanted to replicate it. However, the video does not encourage viewers to try it themselves and poses no direct safety concern as viewing material.