Cheap way to achieve arieal shots

gkumar

gkumar

Carbonite Member
What is a cheap way to get cheap ariel shot's? I was listening to audio commentary by Danny Boyle on the Beach Dvd and he said he used a small RC helicopter to get an ariel shot of a waterfall. Do you guys have any suggestions?
 
Those RC helos aren't cheap! Not the pro ones anyway.

I shot some aerials a few weeks back for free by blagging a flight in a private plane. Shots aren't great though, you need a helo really for the controlled flight it gives. It is just very hard to get good results for little money. Without stabilisers you will be shaking about, and probably have to shoot through a window.

Maybe try and winch the camera up a tree? Hire or borrow a cherry picker? I have found that a cherry picker will do smooth downward crane shots, but the hydraulics tend to jerk if moving upwards. Aerials can be distracting in low budget films anyway. Unless essential, don't let it soak up you resources.

What is the aim/nature of the shot you need, or is it a general question?
 
If it is going to come to a helicopter being the only way to get your shot, plan on spending some big $$$. Otherwise, mmm's cherry picker idea acually works very well, I had an aerial pan from the top of a house down to the front door, and even though the hydrolics were a little stiff on movment, with a little practice, the shot came out very well, and it cost me $0, -a friend of a friend sort of deal

-Matt-
 
check out "Killer Camera Rigs That You Can Build" by Dan Selakovich. Aside from having some really cool crane and dolly ideas, he has instructions for a Balloon rig. The way Griffith used to do it.
 
This is a general question and also for a few futrure shots that are brewing in my head. But, thank you guys very much!!
 
mounting a camera onto anything RC is really tricky. I used to be into RC planes very heavily and I found out that precision was key for a flyable plane. Putting a camera onto a plane (especially a small dv cam) would be REALLY difficult to fly... and you'd probably ruin the camera either on landing, or by the emissions from the exhaust (which is REALLY oily and sprays out from the front of the plane, to the back.)

tower hobby, an rc dealer has little cameras (which weigh only a few grams) that can be mounted inside the fuselage, and aimed downward.... but the strength of the receiver and antenna of the camera is really weak.

I'd look for another alternative. Have any buddies who own like a small cessna or something? Anyone into aviation? I suppose you could hire someone to let you hitch a ride in their plane/heli. If you're lucky, they'll have a full-frontal windshield so you can film through the floor, rather than out the side.
 
All of these suggestions are way too complicated and expensive! The cheapest way to take aerial video is to throw your camera straight up into the air as high as you can and then hope that you are able to catch it. A softball glove is suggested, but that may add to the cost ratio!

(Someone had to make a wise ass remark- sorry!)
 
I have seen some people use stainless steel cable suspended between between two trees and ride between the two points in a hang gliding harness. This method looks beautifal in the woods, but would otherwise be very difficult to execute if you didn't have trees to anchor your cable to. It also takes alot of practice to get the timing and speed control down.
 
tbanucci said:
All of these suggestions are way too complicated and expensive! The cheapest way to take aerial video is to throw your camera straight up into the air as high as you can and then hope that you are able to catch it. A softball glove is suggested, but that may add to the cost ratio!

(Someone had to make a wise ass remark- sorry!)
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LOL
 
My company imports a a hydraulic telescopic mast that can reach 70ft but it cost 15grand, call me when you are ready but you will be able to make more money renting it out and getting high shots for other people.
Johnson Ventures-Universal Services
1.888.568.4170
 
thisiswells said:
For some reason, I don't feel quite comfortable strapping my $6000 camera package onto a balloon and letting it float around in the air while being tethered to a rope !
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Aren't hot air ballons the safest mode of transport ever... or did I dream it? :huh:
...not sure if the statistic covers ummanned cameras though!

I just remembered that I was at school with a guy who now sells mini (well 20ft long) airships for camera mounting at motor-racing etc.. Doubt they are too expensive to hire as he makes them in his garage. They could probably suppot a DVX.

He is based near London, but I am sure that other people would have similar things.


How much do you have to spent?
 
its very secure and it works amazingly. It moves so smoothely. I actually saw Dan give a presentation at the PostPro Convention at NAB this year and then went out and bought the book and made one myself. It is very cool.
 
thisiswells said:
For some reason, I don't feel quite comfortable strapping my $6000 camera package onto a balloon and letting it float around in the air while being tethered to a rope !
Click to expand...

A NIN video ("Head Like a Hole", I think) had a shot where Trent was lying on the ground playing dead, and they released a balloon over him with an 8mm camera pointing down. The cord snapped, and they lost it -- camera and all! (You won't see that shot in the video, for obvious reasons.)

A few weeks later, the FBI visited Trent to make sure he was still alive. The balloon eventually came down, someone developed the film then called the police who called the FBI about a possible murder. The FBI thought it was some sort of bizarre snuff-film.

From what I recall, they didn't give the film back.
 
pmark23 said:
they released a balloon over him with an 8mm camera pointing down. The cord snapped, and they lost it -- camera and all! (You won't see that shot in the video, for obvious reasons.)

A few weeks later, the FBI visited Trent to make sure he was still alive. The balloon eventually came down, someone developed the film then called the police who called the FBI about a possible murder. The FBI thought it was some sort of bizarre snuff-film.

From what I recall, they didn't give the film back.
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a possible murder, wow. trent was probably flattered... haha.
did they return the camera? or they kept the cam and the film?
interesting story...
t :laugh:
 
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