The Future of Drones and Filmmaking

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Parent Category: Gadgets

Category: Accessories

Published on Wednesday, 05 August 2020 15:04

Written by Filmfestivaltraveler Staff

Cinema has had a long and storied history that can be told alongside both past technologies and the latest innovations in the world. From  Louis Le Prince's invention of celluloid film to the emergence of sound films, there's no questioning the essential relationship between cinema and innovation.

Today, the connection between technology and cinema is stronger than ever. And nothing embodies this relationship more than Industrial Light & Magic, and the real-time 3D projection system that they've dubbed as Stagecraft. Tech Crunch explains how the Stagecraft system is transforming film and television as it allows filmmakers to create sweeping landscapes and complex worlds without ever leaving the set. However, this isn't the only piece of technology that lets filmmakers capture stellar sights from new angles and perspectives. The rise and popularity of drone technology has also greatly improved the way we make films today.
Considering how much more can be done when it comes to improving upon drone technology, the possibilities for filmmakers seem truly endless. If you want to know more about this, read on for a quick run-through of how drones are being used in films and what it could mean for the future of cinema itself.

Drones are unmanned flying devices that are either controlled remotely or fly autonomously by following pre-programmed flight plans. While they initially began as a novelty, they were soon utilized by the military in covert operations. However, the innovations in drone technology have allowed it to branch out into different industries such as agriculture and entertainment. Adorama’s array of drones and accessories are a testament to the diversity of drone technology. The range highlights how in terms of filmmaking, drones and drone cameras have allowed for more dynamic cinematography and unique points of view. Through the use of drones, filmmakers broke through the physical limitations set by ground-based cameras. 

The use of drones also allowed filmmakers to shoot in areas that could prove to be dangerous for humans. This is significant, as directors no longer need to take such huge risks. These were common not too long ago, with films such as Werner Herzog's masterpiece, Fitzcarraldo, putting the crew in mortal danger due to the hazardous shoot location. This particular shoot even led to a literal lost foot for one of the unfortunate crew members, all thanks to an unexpected snake bite.

A great example of how drones circumvent these risks is seen in scenes such as Skyfall's motorcycle chase, as it makes use of drone tech to capture all the action, while minimizing the risk of accidents for the remote camera crew. Drones were utilized quite a bit in the making of Skyfall, as they had to shoot in some pretty exotic locations even by Bond film standards.

Considering where we already are when it comes to drone technology in film, how much further can we really push the envelope? Well, as mentioned above, drones can either be manually controlled or be autonomous as long as they've been programmed to follow a specific flight path. And this is where the future of drone filmmaking lies – one where the drone acts as an extension to the film director is certainly not out of reach.

ZDNet highlights how drones can make use of machine learning</a> to learn what particular elements of a shot make it visually appealing for audiences. While a system that completely removes the human element from filmmaking may never be achievable, smarter devices will certainly be a great help when it comes to the filmmaking process as a whole.
[If you're looking for more articles on how technology is shaping how we produce and consume media, check out Film Festival Traverler's articles under our Gadgets & Stuff section. Mpre stories on the sbuject are coming.]

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