On Thursday, October 13th, 2016 representatives from DJI came to the New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus to talk to the producing students about the opportunities drones bring to novice filmmakers.
The event began with a presentation exploring the different types of drones available for sale and to rent. After explaining the differences between a Mavic and a Phantom 4 it was time to explore how to use a drone in your film. Many think of the aerial helicopter shots being done for less. But, the presentation explored using a drone to replace everyday film equipment like a dolly track, steady cam, and a crane. Individually each piece of equipment could cost thousands of dollars to buy or rent.
After the presentation, the students went to the parking lot to try their hand at flying the drones. Before the test flights began, the importance of contacting local law enforcement and air traffic controllers prior to filming was stressed to the students. Newest drone on the block, the Mavic, was the first out the gate. The stats on the Mavic are impressive: 24 high-performance computing cores, an all-new transmission system with a 4.3 mile range, a five vision sensors, and a 4K camera stabilized by a three-axis mechanical gimbal can be controlled with just a thumb.
Next, students flew the Phantom 4. The drone is controlled by an iPad and attached controller. It was Sherdell Turner’s, 2016 BFA Filmmaking, first time flying a drone. “I want to shoot a movie with nothing but drones. I’m putting my vision together now.” Aysha Radwan, 2014 BFA Filmmaking, said, “I would want to shoot a movie with this. I could replace a crane and a dolly for the interiors of my next film.”
Filmmaking professor, Richard Freidman, originally conceived the idea of bringing DJI to come speak to the students after using one of their drones on his own project. “Drones are an important tool for filmmakers,” he stated. “Not enough people use it. Drones are revolutionizing how people make movies. Any film I’m shooting will have a drone on set at all times.”
New York Film Academy would like to thank DJI for presenting their drones to our students. If you’d like to learn more about the products and services DJI provides you can find more information by clicking here.