Aerial Helicopter Shoot using RED/Eclipse

[Roberto Lequeux]

That third grab looks great Phil. Very nice.

Thank you Michael for your posts. I can't wait for this. I pray we get to do everything I wrote, and do it right. These are two gorgeous shots that achieve something you can only do from the air. There will be a lot of preparation for what will be filmed on the ground, as well as within the aerial crew to guarantee we capture the shots safely.

Are the R44's too small or underpowered for a 2-person + Eclipse scenario? Or not maneuverable enough for low level flight-photography?
And would 2 people be enough crew or would you always want someone else up there for communication or anything else I may not be aware of?

 

[Phil Bates]

The R44 is fairly underpowered for film work. You can use a Cineflex, but nothing heavy enough to hold a RED. There will only be enough capacity for pilot and camera operator but no director. Also keep in mind that the gas engine is less reliable (in principal) than a jet engine. It makes low level work a little more scary (or exciting depending on your point of view!).

Phil