Drone filming is transforming the way people make or shoot films and television programs. Making a drone film, or a film with some drone footage isn’t too different from making a regular film. Both processes use the same three (03) stages of production:
- Pre-production: Planning stage for developing story and shot list, scouting locations, getting permissions, and gathering equipment.
- Production: Filming stage.
- Post-Production: Editing stage.
What are the benefits of Filming with a drone?
Filming using a drone is a dynamic type of aerial filming with several benefits for filmmakers:
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Reduced filming Costs.
If we compare how aerial filming and photography was done in the past, you might appreciate how easy and affordable it does get with drone filming, the cost has dropped dramatically.
In case you have forgotten, back in the years, aerial photography was by helicopter which was complex and also costly. Putting this into perspective, it costed a fortune to rent a helicopter, and yet there were shots you still couldn’t get in a helicopter. With drone filming, the sky is surely the limit especially if you have an experienced drone filming pilot manning the drone.
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Mobility combined with creative perspectives
Once again, in relation to the old-styled helicopter filming, there are limitations on how close of shot you can achieve with a helicopter. Whereas for drone filming, you can film close to the surface, in addition to having the possibility of making it fly within confined spaces, which ensures a new angle for perspectives added to traditional filming and photography nothing else except a drone can add to your shoot.
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Versatility in Filming
filming using a drone is very adaptive to any style of event you are filming or shooting. You can use a drone for various shoots ranging from landscapes, wildlife, people without having to bother about spending a fortune to interchangeable lenses.
What is the best Drone model? Drone filming
The Question of ” Which is the best drone for Filming? ” is a common concern for many intending to invest in a good drone for either or both Filming and photography.
There are many drone models on the market to choose from – your taste and budget will assist further guide you on what model to buy.
We have listed three (03) of our most recommended drone models to guide you through the decision.
The Mavic 2 Pro has pretty much all the features that a drone can have, including a Hasselblad l1d-20c camera with a 20MP 1” CMOS sensor, which considered the best camera on the market.
Productive, powerful and quite portable, the Mavic can identify objects on all sides, recognize obstacles and avoid accidents – its that cool.
In addition, it also produces 10-bit colour 4K images, ensuring over 10 billion colours more than the previous model. It is without question, the best drone on the market as per 2020 – and its price is compatible with its features: Approximately USD 1,250.00.
Checkout the Mavic 2 Pro features
If you want a drone to take great photos and competent Full-HD videos, the DJI Spark is an excellent choice.
Not only is it extremely compact (it can fit in your pocket!), it also has gesture-based features. Therefore, the Spark is a great option for those who want to indulge casual videos. It is also more affordable: Approximately USD 400.00.
Check out the DJI Spark
If you’re interested in both the models above, but want a cheaper option that is still capable of making good videos, then the Yuneec Breeze is the best choice for you. It’s easy to control, durable and has a 4K camera. The Yuneec Breeze is commercially available for around USD 299.00.
Related: See all feature the Yuneec Breeza has got to offer.
How to fly a drone
Flying a Drone is not something that every “tom, harry and dick” can do. For the 10+ years, we have spent assisting film crews, we have learned that for every job/role there is a professional who is either trained or experienced at it. We, therefore, like to advise all our clients to work with trained personnel. Primarily, Flying a drone might seem easy and perhaps a self-taught thing, but you need to consider taking Drone Flying lessons to attain a recognised Drone Pilot licence. This licence is very crucial and is a requirement for anyone intending to film using a drone especially with film crews intending to shot oversees.
Flying & Filming using a drone equally will require some sort of training depending on what quality of filming you intend to achieve on your filming project.
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