Looking For Some Aerial Filming Advice

[Dan Garee]

Hey everyone,

So I'll be filming some plane to plane aerial shots in the next day or so and I was wondering if anyone had any "must know" tricks. I'll be filming with a RED Dragon with a Sigma 24-105mm OS and I was thinking of setting it to 48fps (1/96 shutter) to have the option to slower footage if I want. ND's and a pola will also be at hand. I'll be flying in a fixed wing plane with side windows and a plexiglass window on the floor. With that being said I'll have access to side shots and over head shots (looking down on the plane).

I'm a little worried about reflections but some duvetyne and gaff tape should help me out. Keeping the camera steady in such a tight space I'm more worried about. Especially looking down through the plexiglass. I was pondering setting up a tripod over the plexiglass and using bungee cords to suspend the camera. But I don't know.

Any advice of if I'm blatantly missing a key component to this shoot I would love to hear it.

Thanks everyone and have a great weekend,

Dan

 

[Quinton Weiskittel]

If you have time, I recommend renting a Kenyon 6x6 gyro. It helps a lot with wobble, and it's relatively small.

 

[Dan Garee]

Ah, thanks Quinton. I might not have access to a 6x6 but I will with another Kenyon.

 

[Robert Hart]

Your aeroplane owner will thank you if you take the time to put a thin rim of gaffer tape around the front edge of your lenses or around any sharp object which may touch the plexiglass window as the stuff is easily scratched.

If you can rehearse with your rig inside the aeroplane on the ground a day or so beforehand, this will be a benefit. You may find you have to remove a seat to achieve enough workspace or get the required angle of view through an available window. A DSMC cam, plus underslung gyro may be too tall for you to conveniently handle whilst seated. Take a small cushion to rest the gyro on to give yourself some respite from the weight.

A gyro is wonderful for steadying a shot but it will fight you fiercely if you try fast follows of your subject as the video clip accompanying this response demonstrates.

I assume from your aircraft description you will be in an aircraft larger than Cessna 172 - 206 class which have very confined workspace. Rear seat is the more convenient option in them. Your aircraft having a floor transparency also suggests to me that your pilot may be well-experienced in air-to-air photography but don't just assume so.

I am guessing that some of your air-to-air shots will be of the subject aircraft formating on you, slightly to rearwards and slightly below you for view onto the pilot. This may require you to sit higher in your seat with an awkward twist to rearwards or having to operate the camera across your body with the monitor at right angles to the lens axis. Filming like this takes practice to aquire the aircraft, hold it in the shot and maintain horizon. This is another reason to do a rehearsal on the ground.

Planning and briefing on the ground and paying close attention to and retaining detail is a must. Be mindful that your pilot will be experiencing a high workload, especially if flying formations. If he does not answer you immediately whilst in flight, do not assume it is a comms failure and go on repeating yourself. He might be really, really busy at that moment.

Pilots who try too hard to please can be a danger unto themselves. Air-to-air imaging and positioning of aircraft needs to be thoroughly planned for best safety. Innovations and changes to a plan, once airbourne can be an invitation to disaster with invitation accepted. That of course depends upon the experience of all pilots involved, some being more adaptable than others plus the air traffic conditions at the time.

I am mildly envious of your opportunity. Hopefully some folk who have previously commented on air-to-air work and who are far more qualified to comment than I will add to this discussion.

Enjoy the mission.

 

[Justin McAleece]

Fantastic response, Robert!

 

[Matthew Hood]

Ive filmed out of open door fixed-wing planes, closed door planes and open door helicopters without stabilizers and I would definitely recommend a few things:

1) shoot at max resolution and frame 10-15% wider to allow for stabilization and crop in post.
2) When the plane banks in a turn, there is a significant amount of g-force which presses the camera into your hand and can yield quite smooth shots. You probably wont be able to time this for every shot but it certainly does help whenever you can.
3) The Kenyon gyros have a way of really fighting back and can sometimes twitch/skip as the gyros work internally. Not as forgiving as the Ronin/Movi stabilizers. Try and minimize any rigid or quick movements
4) if you have no stabilizers at all, a pillow on your lap can do a pretty decent job

best of luck on the shoot