From a Training Drone to Flying an Alta 8 with a RED Epic Dragon and RED Helium 8K.
Blog From a Training Drone to Flying an Alta 8 with a RED Epic Dragon and RED Helium 8K. After many years of exploring the possibility of flying and working with drones I finally committed in August of 2012 to buy a beast of a drone known as the Freefly Cinestar 8 Octocopter. T0 get ready for its arrival I bought a small training drone to get my skills up. After approximately 50 hours of practice flight time indoors and outdoors I felt ready to set up and practice with the new UAV. I quickly realized that this drone was a battery drainer, so I quickly ordered more batteries and props. After many practice flights in manual mode without gps assist I started to feel more comfortable. With help of Ben Driver we got the Canon 7d mounted and ready to film and work on aerial photography skills. At this time I has a small clip online a local producer found it and reached out to set up a meeting. Dan Batchelor Productions then helped to film and edit my first Aerial Demo Reel for 2013. This demo reel led to quite a few jobs with visionaries in the field including Dave of Riptide Studios. Our first project with Dave was a commercial for Original Joes Restaurant: The “Thrill of the Dill” which has seen over 1 million views on youtube. This was followed up with the behind the scenes of “Thrill” where Dave shared his thoughts on using a drone to capture the shots he wanted. The next year I bought all the components to make my own Cinestar 8 heavy lift, a slightly more robust version with bigger props, dual batteries and a higher lift capacity. On it with attached to custom made Alexmos 3 axis gimbal to stabilize our newly acquired Canon 5D Mk3. This bigger UAV system with the new camera upgrade was huge for us and brought in quite a bit of aerial photography and aerial video work. In 2015 we invested in the DJI inspire with 4K camera, a virtual plug and play system. This small system was a dream come true. Small, portable with Great battery runtime and an excellent stable image at 4K with raw photos. The live video transmission and on the fly camera tuning made us all smile. I fell in love with this system and the ease I could take it anywhere. No more messing around with finicky gimbles, a million batteries, and a huge unwieldy system that sounded like a flying lawnmower. After flying these for a while I was hired by the infamous Ian McAllister, director of Pacific Wild to act as their Chief Drone Pilot for their IMAX documentary on the Great Bear Rainforest. Pacific Wild is a non-profit located in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest on Denny Island. They are committed to defending wildlife and their habitat on Canada’s Pacific coast by developing and implementing conservation solutions in collaboration with First Nations communities, scientists, other organizations and individuals. I was brought in on this project to assemble, pilot and maintain the Freefly Alta 8 heavy lift drone with MoVi M15 gimbal. We would be flying and filming with the RED Epic Dragon 6K camera and the RED Helium 8K camera as we were luck enough to get our hands on a pre-release in July. Nothing like contemplating flying a $150 000 UAV drone system on the wild west coast of BC. Near the end of July I flew up to Bella Bella to setup and get acquainted with our new home; a 46 foot catamaran called “Habitat”. I was joined by Andy Maser, a National Geographic filmmaker who would be our RED technician and my camera operator for the drone system. In addition we have invested in the highly portable and super powerful Inspire 2 Pro with 5.2 RAW Video and 21 Mp RAW Stills. This machine is a true gem. We flew it up in the mountains while filming for Mike Wiegeles Heli Skiing at -20C with a 90 mm equivalent lens on it and it performed flawlessly at 80 km/hr. The image is sharp, the stability phenomenal and the usability excellent Share Post : From a Training Drone to Flying an Alta 8 with a RED Epic Dragon and RED Helium 8K.
Nat Geo 360 VR Shoot: Flying a 360 camera on DJI Matrice 600
Blog Nat Geo 360 VR Shoot: Flying a 360 camera on DJI Matrice 600 Aerial Vista Productions was contacted at the end of January 2017 by a PI Studios a production company looking to film some 360 VR aerial video with a heavy lift DJI drone for a Nat Geo 360 Experience project. As a photographer who has travelled around the world for the last 20 years and has dreamt of doing a shoot with Nat Geo. We were absolutely stoked to be part of a shoot that involved such innovative tech pushing the filming limits in order to provide viewers with a new richly immersive virtual reality experience. A week later my spotter Dale Sanders (pro underwater photographer) and I were heading up island to meet the crew of PI studios and international underwater filmers David Schott, Becky Schott, and Adam Revetch. Our crew would be filming BBC international cinematographer and Nat Geo star Bertie Gregory who has been making splashes with his Nat Geo Wild series “Wild Life“. Aerial Vista Productions would be in charge of flying the Matrice 600 heavy lift drone made by DJI with the 360 Omni from GoPro camera. We were also helping out with location scouting which provided us with some extra challenges and learning in a very cold and snowy winter weak. One thing to consider about a location while filming VR 360 is the various aspects that can sneak in, thus a very careful inspection of an area in all directions and all levels can yield something significant that makes the shot unusable. As we were doing mostly scenic we found it challenge to find natural areas around Campbell River that didn’t have some sign of human interference. Part 2 of our shoot was on Hornby Island, with us basing out of the Hornby Island Dive Lodge. Our fantastic hosts Amanda and Rob Zielinski are highly experienced and super helpful with everything from food, tanks to boats and location scouting. Share Post : Nat Geo 360 VR Shoot: Flying a 360 camera on DJI Matrice 600
Pacific Wild: Making an IMAX
Blog Pacific Wild: Making an IMAX t’s early, still a few hours to go until enough light descends on the estuary for filming. But S/V Habitat is bustling as the crew prepares the gear for the coming day. The smell of coffee brightens tired eyes, and with the new day comes new hope for this once in a lifetime project. Fourteen months, four seasons, one goal. Capturing the stunning beauty of the Great Bear Rainforest for the giant IMAX© screen. The latest effort in leveraging awareness to help protect the region and its inhabitants. Twenty-five years of studying and telling the stories of the coast has well-prepared Ian McAllister and Pacific Wild for this new initiative. After 32 days of fall filming, a much-needed break, and two weeks of storms on Denny Island, we finally set off for winter diving. It is now day 18 of our winter voyage, and snow is falling on the waters of the Great Bear Sea as our divers enter the water, blanketing our boat with signs of Christmas. These trips can be long and demanding, but the season is short and every day is precious. Like the urchins, anemones, and fish that take full advantage of a slack tide, our whole crew on Habitat share an unspoken understanding that we should make the most of the time we have, and that feeling only grows on this trip as daylight becomes scarce. And so we have begun our fourteen-month journey with Habitat as our new home. From the graceful and unusual creatures that dwell in the sea to the ever fascinating and beautiful predators of the land and sky, we will slowly but surely collect snapshots of the beauty and diversity of this remote and utterly unique place in a format never attempted before. And for good reason. IMAX technology is not only new to me; it is new to the world. In fact the two cameras that we are using: the latest Arri Alexa 65 and RED’s Helium, are at least by numbers more rare than the Spirit Bears we are documenting. If someone had told me a year ago I would be assisting on a shoot like this—with technology like this, on a coastline like this, well…. My role as a camera assistant and DIT is mainly to prep equipment and manage the project media, ensuring the vast amounts of digital data that the crew is producing each day are securely backed up and protected. On an IMAX where 8K resolution is the standard, each day of shooting takes up a significant chunk of hard drive space. I spend a lot of time putting together and taking apart a vast array of underwater and topside gear that keeps this shoot moving forward. It means early mornings and late nights, but when your job is making beautiful images nothing seems as bad—especially with the right crew. The team is, of course, a crucial component of any film and fortunately Ian has brought together a capable and hard working one. The diversity of skill sets and each person’s uncanny ability to wear multiple hats when necessary is key. Andy Maser, our second camera operator, is our rock, and gets it done rain and shine, day after day. Devin Card, our drone pilot —well, when you’re flying a machine that costs over $150,000.00 from a rolling vessel without a hitch—it pretty much says it all. Nicola, our deckhand and cook, lights up the room with her smile and fills the boat with good vibes and great smells. And of course our intrepid leader Ian continues to take us on a roller coaster ride of amazing locations learned by a lifetime of exploration on this coast. A year is both a long and a short amount of time for a film of this magnitude. We have 250 shooting days and we have already used a fifth of those days. The last remnants of the fall salmon run has been replaced with a fresh coat of snow, and soon the winter outflows will turn the waters we sail through into a cold, clear, winter haven for filming some of the world’s most diverse life. From what I have witnessed and what we have filmed, it is exciting to imagine how this film will evolve with the coming seasons. And like previous mornings, tomorrow I will wake up in the dark and let the slow light of day reveal the next chapter of this stunning place. Share Post : Pacific Wild: Making an IMAX
Another video for Mike Wiegele’s Heliskiing
Blog Another video for Mike Wiegele’s Heliskiing https://youtu.be/zq5zHxATpFs Here is another video in a 4 part series we are doing with Dan Batchelor for Mike Wiegeles Heli Skiing. This particular video focuses on the safety side of things while heli-skiing in the mountains. Share Post : Mike Wiegele’s Heliskiing
Drones edging out helicopter film pilots
Blog Drones edging out helicopter film pilots The helicopter has long been the go-to to get epic aerial shots. But lately, the mighty flying machine has been losing business to drones. (Doug Husby/CBC) 723 shares Transport Canada thought he couldn’t do it. But Jim Filippone was eager to fly a helicopter through downtown Vancouver, squeezing between all of the soaring glass towers on Georgia Street. After all, the film needed it. He got the OK after plotting it out with his safety co-ordinator (and wife) Wendy, pledging to fly with two engines and stick to the yellow line in the middle of the road. Filippone hovered his helicopter just above the street lamps, zooming up and down the road until the cameras got what they needed. He did it again for the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie The 6th Day, this time at night with no light. Filippone’s precision made him the go-to pilot for these low-level helicopter shots. But drones, which can get the same shot at a sliver of the price, have forced the Filippones out of business after more than 30 years and 13,800 hours in the air. Jim Filippone flew helicopters for films and television shows for more than 30 years. You can even spot him in the opening for the old CBC show Danger Bay, for which he once had to don this blond wig. (Jim Filippone) “We’d call up people, production managers, and we would say, ‘Oh hey do you have any aerials on the show?’ … every time they say yes, we would have a job. They would hire us. But it’s, ‘Oh yeah, we have an aerial but we’re using a drone,’” he said. The couple worked on the X-Men movies, Tron: Legacy and the old CBC show Danger Bay, among many others. “We’ve gone into retirement because of this,” Filippone said about the drones bumping out his work. ‘Tipping point’ for drones The drone has stolen gigs and taken a hit on Canada’s small but mighty pool of film pilots and aerial videographers. It can squeeze into tight spaces and get shots the helicopter can’t — quicker, without much setup, and clad with high-quality cameras. There’s also less at stake if something goes wrong. Helicopter crashes have killed more than 30 people on film and TV sets since 1980, according to Deadline.com. Chris Bacik, right, runs Sky Eye Media out of his parents’ garage near Barrie, Ont. He has flown drones for Hollywood movies and hit TV shows like Orphan Black and The Handmaid’s Tale. (Haydn Watters/CBC) But the biggest drone draw may be the price point. Drones are substantially cheaper to fly for film — even when decked out with fancy equipment. The cheaper price has won Chris Bacik a bunch of film jobs — he has flown his drones for Hollywood movies and hit TV shows like Orphan Black and The Handmaid’s Tale. Price points: Drone vs. helicopter Here’s what CBC News was quoted for a helicopter film shoot with Chanda’s Aerial Camera Operations and a drone film shoot with Bacik’s Sky Eye Media. Helicopter: Chanda said a twin turbine helicopter is needed for film-style shoots ($2350/hr). Plus a full day on the camera for prep/install/shoot adds another $5,750. Drone: Bacik flies with three operators (a pilot, camera operator and safety person), charging $1,600 for eight hours. The rental price for one of Bacik’s mid-sized drones is $1,800/day. Bacik said productions usually provide their own camera and lenses, but others rent from him, which costs $1,500-$2,500/day. “When we get the opportunity to show these [to] people, their eyes just light up,” he said of drones. Bacik runs Sky Eye Media in Midhurst, near Barrie, Ont. He works out of his parents’ garage, packed tight with shelves of drones. Some are as small as tubs of margarine, others as big as office chairs, with tentacle-like arms to help it fly. The drone can go places and get shots the helicopter can’t, like this one of a man on a backyard deck looking out over the water. (Sky Eye Media) “Finally there’s been this tipping point in last 12 months or so now where we are shooting twice a week, and now we’ve become profitable and things are just escalating,” he said. “We’ve definitely come across a couple of helicopter operators that aren’t as friendly to us because they realize yes, we’re here to stay and we are affecting the way they do business.” ‘You can’t take it for granted’ Still, the helicopter has its advantages. It can fly faster, longer and higher than any drone can, able to get those striking big-city and mountain shots. The helicopter works in any weather, whereas drones can’t fly in the wind. And some drone pilots fear Transport Canada’s proposed changes to drone rules, which could crack down on what they fly right now. The helicopter can fly a lot faster, longer and higher than a drone can, helping helicopter cameraman Chris Chanda, left, stay airborne. (Doug Husby/CBC) All this is helping helicopter cameraman Chris Chanda stay airborne. He has been filming from above for 23 years, and now runs Aerial Camera Operations. “From our side of the fence, we think [drones are] a great tool, but they’re certainly not capable of the full-on production value we can provide,” he said. “It’s kind of like giving your kid a skateboard and telling him to go play on the highway.” But he too admits he’s lost some business to drones, something he thought would never happen. Chanda, who runs Aerial Camera Operations, outfits a helicopter with his filming equipment at a Brampton-Caledon airport hangar. (Doug Husby/CBC) As technology gets better, industry experts predict it won’t be long before drones can do what helicopters can — with longer and higher flights and even better, more stable aerial shots coming soon. “You can’t take it for granted,” said Chanda, who has considered adding drones to his fleet. “You certainly can’t say no to advancing technology.” If you look closely, you can see Filippone at the helm of the helicopter as a stunt
Albreda Lodge: Exclusive Boutique Lodge Heli Skiing
Blog Albreda Lodge: Exclusive Boutique Lodge Heli Skiing https://youtu.be/5NYmW0r3caQ Together with Dan Batchelor Productions we had the opportunity to stay and film in Mike Wiegeles exclusive Albreda Lodge. MW has nearly 1.3 million acres of tenure which made for incredible adventures and amazing backgrounds to film with. Share Post : Albreda Lodge: Exclusive Boutique Lodge Heli Skiing
Filming for National Geographic, Destination Canada with Emily Harrington.
Blog Filming for National Geographic, Destination Canada with Emily Harrington. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cleBlYbla8 One of the coolest projects of our summer: working with Bryan Smith of Reel Water Productions to get epic drone aerials of pro climber Emily Harrington adventuring around BC for National Geographic We started day 1 filming along the Cheakamus River in between Squamish and Whistler. Set in a deep canyon, the river flows quickly by numerous climbing area. The first half of the day was an arete near the water. In the afternoon we moved up to the upper lip of the canyon to do a 5.11 sport climb with an amazing backdrop. Day 2 was on the top of Blackcomb mountain to film the gorgeous area know as Showcase Spire, a rock climbers dream. Day 3 We flew in a helicopter out to the Pemberton Glacier to explore the icecaps, a surreal and beautiful experience everyone should put on bucket list. Day 4 brought up better weather so we did some stand up paddle boarding and returned to showcase spire to climb it in the nicer light. Share Post : Filming for National Geographic, Destination Canada with Emily Harrington.
Investors ready to build $300 million film studio on Malahat Nation land, says film company!
Blog Investors ready to build $300 million film studio on Malahat Nation land, says film company! The film company behind plans for a $300-million film studio with six sound stages and a commercial complex on Malahat First Nation land says investors are ready to sign off on the project. Beverley Dondale, CEO of Victoria-based Alpha Select Production Services, said the First Nation is awaiting federal funds for a feasibility study that will determine construction timelines and risk analysis for the project near Mill Bay. Dondale said major investors from Canada and the U.S. are committed to financing the massive construction project on an 80-acre parcel that would also include a business and industrial park, a 120-room hotel, a shopping village and a technical academy for film apprenticeships and skills training.https://www.facebook.com/v2.12/plugins/quote.php?app_id=589634334411994&channel=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticxx.facebook.com%2Fx%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter%2F%3Fversion%3D46%23cb%3Df2c0c502de4b42c%26domain%3Dwww.timescolonist.com%26origin%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.timescolonist.com%252Ffe0d4be922fba%26relation%3Dparent.parent&container_width=824&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.timescolonist.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Finvestors-ready-to-build-300-million-film-studio-on-malahat-nation-land-says-film-company-1.24256492&locale=en_US&sdk=joey Dondale did not identify the investors, but said announcements, including a timeline for the project, will be made early in the new year, after the feasibility study is complete. “This is not a pipe dream … this has been in the works for many years,” Dondale said in an interview Wednesday. “I have all the players to make it possible, especially the studio portion — [people] who are experts and have done it before. Once we have the feasibility study, the investors I’ve had hiding in the woodwork will come out.” The project would be a one-stop shop for major film companies, said Dondale, with one of the key features being massive water tanks in one of the buildings that would attract movies with nautical themes. Proponents say the studio project could provide up to 1,500 jobs and provide a bustling commercial centre, something the Malahat Nation covets. The film industry on Vancouver Island is having one of its best years on record, with $49.2 million in direct spending, despite the pandemic — more than double the $22 million in spending the previous year. But the Victoria Film Commission has argued that lack of major studio space and sound stages — 18,000-square-foot buildings with 40-foot ceilings where any scene can be created — has limited the industry’s growth here. Film commissioner Kathleen Gilbert said with major sound stages and studios, the Island could go from films with budgets of $1 million to $10 million to those in the $20-million to $200-million range. A water-tank studio would be a first for Canada, and put Malahat on the A-list, she said, adding the partnership with Malahat First Nation would also be a big plus. “In Hollywood right now, it’s all about being green and being inclusive,” she said. Josh Handysides, chief administrative officer of the Malahat Nation, said Malahat Film Studios would produce revenue from the studios, hotel and industrial park as well as tax revenue from the project, while providing training and jobs. “When looking at investment opportunities, we look to find opportunities which support a vibrant economy for the Malahat Nation,” Handysides said. “We believe this project is of the size that is required to actually have a studio on Vancouver Island succeed. It will be big enough to attract companies to locate permanent facilities and businesses here with us.” Handysides said the Malahat Nation is eager to diversify its economy, which includes developments at the Bamberton industrial site, the Malahat Skywalk tourist attraction now under construction, and other retail and housing developments on its lands. The Malahat also partnered with an energy company for a floating liquefied natural gas plant at Bamberton, but scrapped the plan in late 2017. Dondale said the partners hadn’t planned on going public with the film-studio plan, but tipped their hand this week because the process included getting support from the Cowichan Valley Regional District. Staff at the regional district recommended support for the project, saying it has the potential to be a major economic driver by attracting investment, employment and training opportunities. Dondale said land was key to finally securing a major film studio for the island, and the Malahat Nation have been willing partners. She said a significant part of the proposal is technical training that will supply the studio with skilled workers such as gaffers, riggers and lighting personnel. “When the Vancouver film industry blew up, they had the hiccup of not having people in those entry-level positions in place,” said Dondale. “We’re on an Island, so we need to have people trained up so we can have incredible crews to match a world-class facility.” Dondale personally financed a cultural survey of the Malahat First Nation property two years ago to make sure construction would not disturb any potential remains or artifacts. Her company, Alpha Select, has been active in the film industry for years, producing films, securing sound stages and filming sites and providing wardrobe, props and accommodation for crews. Share Post : Investors ready to build $300 million film studio on Malahat Nation land, says film company!
Greater Victoria Tourism with a Drone
Blog Greater Victoria Tourism with a Drone https://youtu.be/8IWT-7ivx_8 Always a pleasure to be asked to come help out on a tourism shoot for Destination Greater Victoria! Working with Riptide Studios to capture beautiful scenes of the amazing south island. From glowing autumn hues to fireside dining, Victoria comes alive in the fall. Discover boutique hotels, world-class attractions, and a sub-Mediterranean climate — offering something for every traveller. Indulge in a culinary scene like no other, best enjoyed during the harvest season. Experience Victoria in a vibrant light as the leaves start to fall and the town is painted red, gold, and orange. Share Post : Greater Victoria Tourism with a Drone
Drone Consulting in Victoria BC
Blog Drone Consulting in Victoria BC As part of the many drone services we provide, we are proud to consult on custom drone projects and aerial UAV projects with larger heavy lift drones. Here we are working with Maple Leaf Powders fine tuning their Freefly Alta X heavy lift drone. We help companies fine tune their systems, establish protocol, fly responsibly, train their staff, and write manuals and SOP’s(standard operating procedures). We love having the opportunity to fly and involve our selves with cutting drone edge technology. We are always looking for new creative ways to use UAV drones in the aerial industry. Share Post : Drone Consulting in Victoria BC
