Aerial Footage Shot From Helicopter-Techniques?

Paul Cronin · November 27th, 2010, 08:36 AM

Silas,

I do not agree that the way to shoot is handheld. If you have no other options and it is not for pay and just for you then this could be the way to go. But if it is for a client you need to stabilize the shot.

Robert Turchick · November 27th, 2010, 09:36 AM

Having just finished a weekend with all sorts of aerial shooting, I can second the handhold thing doesn't work well, even from a relatively smooth platform like a heli. A friend shot from an A-Star with my 7D and the handheld was barely useable. I had him put it on a monopod and it was much better. He was in the front seat. I shot from the waist of a B25 with my xf300 and we used tiedown straps to lock a tripod in place. Worked very well. The hard mount cameras we had in the noses of the B25 and B17 were pretty nasty. I blame this on CMOS as they were jello.
So, in a nutshell, monopod in the front of the heli would be my recommendation. The other thing I will be trying and I think will work is shoulder mounting my XF or 7D. In essence, you need a couple of points of contact.

Paul Cronin · November 27th, 2010, 09:39 AM

Gyro stabilization is need for the best shots. And you need a minimum of two one for vertical and one for horz. This is a very basic setup and will start to isolate you from the machine. Anything less is not worth the cost of going up.

Silas Barker · November 28th, 2010, 01:54 AM

Good thoughts guys............again I will be shooting from a small place, not a helicopter, but I am not sure what the plane model is or anything. What I am shooting is going on to be on a semi magor film and we have a small under $1000 budget for these shots. I defintely want them to turn out good. Sounds like a few points of contact and or a gyro device are the best options......

@Paul: Are there any relatively cheap gyro devices?

Paul Cronin · November 28th, 2010, 07:53 AM

Silas,

A semi major film and the aerial budget is $1K? Hum, OK that sounds off a bit. But I will help the best for the budget.

Do not have the camera connected in any way to the plane. Keep the camera isolated from the plane. If you can afford to rent a gyro system do it, it will save the footage. They take dozens of times flying to get use to them and the best way to use them. But is sounds like you will have one try.

Go to Kenyon Gyro and see if they have a rental house near you. Also check Aerial Exposure site and see what they have in your area for rentals. Call the major rental house in the area and see what they offer. Or call a company that shoots aerial's for a living and have them go up for 1/2 hr or if a R44 maybe an hour and you will be happy with the footage.

Silas Barker · November 28th, 2010, 11:46 PM

Semi Major as in we have a decent budget, insurance, and permits (15k+) instead of no budget like so many people. (:

Thank you for the information, I'll check it out. I know pretty much nothing about filming from a plane.
But I have quite a few good cameras and a friend with a plane! I also have a suction cup device for car mounted shots that might work to attach to the plane, I have no idea if that is good or not. We should be able to take all day to get the shots we want (about 20-30 seconds of aerial city scape and about 20-30 seconds of wilderness shots)

Paul Cronin · November 29th, 2010, 06:56 AM

Silas,

I am not trying to pick on your budget it is what it is.

I suggest you look into a gyro system to rent and as I said above isolate the camera from the plane. Do not directly connect to the plane it will not work well.

David Elkins · November 30th, 2010, 09:57 PM

Silas,

Not sure if your shoot is near Sacramento where you're located, but you may want to look up Blue Sky Aerials. I believe he's located in Antioch. Has a bunch of gyros for rent and sale. Also, very informative and helpful. Good luck.

- Dave

Paul Cronin · December 1st, 2010, 07:33 AM

Silas,

I would take Dave's advice. Blue Sky Aerials is a first class operation and will help you dial in the shoot.

Marty Jenoff · December 3rd, 2010, 07:07 AM

If anyone is in the Maryland area, I have a helicopter avail with a gyro and cam capable of doing 1080/59.94. It's used for TV news operations.

Here's a video we shot with it - Focal Point Productions, Inc. Examples

Ken Diewert · December 3rd, 2010, 10:39 PM

Silas,
I rented a single Kenyon KS-6 gyro for under my 5d for this piece. This was shot from a heli with the door off.This is just a small clip from a much larger project. This was the first time I used a gyro and they do work very well. I wouldn't shoot aerials without one from now on. I previously have shot with my XLH1 handheld from a cessna with the door off and it was tricky. You can pretty much only shoot sideways and at least a heli can crab at a 45 degree angle or better.

Silas Barker · December 3rd, 2010, 10:53 PM

Thanks everyone!

I will check out Blue Sky Aerials and see what can be done in my area. Looks like Gyro is a must.

Also, just curious, has anyone tried out any of the less expensive RC helicopters (under $500 range plus $250 camera). They can only go a few hundred feet high, but I thought this might be an option depending upon whether or not you must have a permit from the City for the Helicopter Rental place to do the shoot.
Throwing a heavier better camera on it would be nice however. Just looking at the possibilities for an under $1000 aerial shoots of city scape and also a remote location aerial. Thanks for the input everyone!

Paul Cronin · December 4th, 2010, 07:16 AM

Ken cool to see all the Salmon from the air. You should try two gyros one perpendicular and one in line with the lens, it will be smoother. There is also a tyler mount that is portable that can be rented that works well.

Silas Barker · January 26th, 2011, 01:51 AM

Hey guys...
Just wanted to let you all know I did my aerial shoot today!
I used the 5D and 2 gyros on it. It worked good, except its kinda difficult to hold the gyros and camera without any support or anything. I think the biggest thing that I confirmed (because I already knew) is that the pilot should probably be able to see the screen so he can get an idea of how to move the helicopter.....oh yes....I used a helicopter instead of a plane, super awesome!!!!

I'll post footage soon.

Give me feedback about how to hold the gyro...

November 27th, 2010, 08:36 AM	#16
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Silas, I do not agree that the way to shoot is handheld. If you have no other options and it is not for pay and just for you then this could be the way to go. But if it is for a client you need to stabilize the shot. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

November 27th, 2010, 09:36 AM	#17
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	Having just finished a weekend with all sorts of aerial shooting, I can second the handhold thing doesn't work well, even from a relatively smooth platform like a heli. A friend shot from an A-Star with my 7D and the handheld was barely useable. I had him put it on a monopod and it was much better. He was in the front seat. I shot from the waist of a B25 with my xf300 and we used tiedown straps to lock a tripod in place. Worked very well. The hard mount cameras we had in the noses of the B25 and B17 were pretty nasty. I blame this on CMOS as they were jello. So, in a nutshell, monopod in the front of the heli would be my recommendation. The other thing I will be trying and I think will work is shoulder mounting my XF or 7D. In essence, you need a couple of points of contact. __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

November 27th, 2010, 09:39 AM	#18
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Gyro stabilization is need for the best shots. And you need a minimum of two one for vertical and one for horz. This is a very basic setup and will start to isolate you from the machine. Anything less is not worth the cost of going up. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

November 28th, 2010, 07:53 AM	#20
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Silas, A semi major film and the aerial budget is $1K? Hum, OK that sounds off a bit. But I will help the best for the budget. Do not have the camera connected in any way to the plane. Keep the camera isolated from the plane. If you can afford to rent a gyro system do it, it will save the footage. They take dozens of times flying to get use to them and the best way to use them. But is sounds like you will have one try. Go to Kenyon Gyro and see if they have a rental house near you. Also check Aerial Exposure site and see what they have in your area for rentals. Call the major rental house in the area and see what they offer. Or call a company that shoots aerial's for a living and have them go up for 1/2 hr or if a R44 maybe an hour and you will be happy with the footage. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

November 29th, 2010, 06:56 AM	#22
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Silas, I am not trying to pick on your budget it is what it is. I suggest you look into a gyro system to rent and as I said above isolate the camera from the plane. Do not directly connect to the plane it will not work well. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

November 28th, 2010, 01:54 AM	#19
Silas Barker Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 577	Good thoughts guys............again I will be shooting from a small place, not a helicopter, but I am not sure what the plane model is or anything. What I am shooting is going on to be on a semi magor film and we have a small under $1000 budget for these shots. I defintely want them to turn out good. Sounds like a few points of contact and or a gyro device are the best options...... @Paul: Are there any relatively cheap gyro devices?

November 28th, 2010, 11:46 PM	#21
Silas Barker Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 577	Semi Major as in we have a decent budget, insurance, and permits (15k+) instead of no budget like so many people. (: Thank you for the information, I'll check it out. I know pretty much nothing about filming from a plane. But I have quite a few good cameras and a friend with a plane! I also have a suction cup device for car mounted shots that might work to attach to the plane, I have no idea if that is good or not. We should be able to take all day to get the shots we want (about 20-30 seconds of aerial city scape and about 20-30 seconds of wilderness shots)

November 30th, 2010, 09:57 PM	#23
David Elkins Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 147	Silas, Not sure if your shoot is near Sacramento where you're located, but you may want to look up Blue Sky Aerials. I believe he's located in Antioch. Has a bunch of gyros for rent and sale. Also, very informative and helpful. Good luck. - Dave __________________ www.elkinseye.com

December 1st, 2010, 07:33 AM	#24
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Silas, I would take Dave's advice. Blue Sky Aerials is a first class operation and will help you dial in the shoot. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

December 3rd, 2010, 07:07 AM	#25
Marty Jenoff Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 102	Helicopter with Gyro avail in Maryland area If anyone is in the Maryland area, I have a helicopter avail with a gyro and cam capable of doing 1080/59.94. It's used for TV news operations. Here's a video we shot with it - Focal Point Productions, Inc. Examples __________________ Marty Jenoff www.focalpp.com

December 3rd, 2010, 10:39 PM	#26
Ken Diewert Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver Island, Canada Posts: 1,200	Silas, I rented a single Kenyon KS-6 gyro for under my 5d for this piece. This was shot from a heli with the door off.This is just a small clip from a much larger project. This was the first time I used a gyro and they do work very well. I wouldn't shoot aerials without one from now on. I previously have shot with my XLH1 handheld from a cessna with the door off and it was tricky. You can pretty much only shoot sideways and at least a heli can crab at a 45 degree angle or better. Salmon Run on Vimeo __________________ C100, 5DMk2, FCPX

December 3rd, 2010, 10:53 PM	#27
Silas Barker Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 577	Thanks everyone! I will check out Blue Sky Aerials and see what can be done in my area. Looks like Gyro is a must. Also, just curious, has anyone tried out any of the less expensive RC helicopters (under $500 range plus $250 camera). They can only go a few hundred feet high, but I thought this might be an option depending upon whether or not you must have a permit from the City for the Helicopter Rental place to do the shoot. Throwing a heavier better camera on it would be nice however. Just looking at the possibilities for an under $1000 aerial shoots of city scape and also a remote location aerial. Thanks for the input everyone!

December 4th, 2010, 07:16 AM	#28
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Ken cool to see all the Salmon from the air. You should try two gyros one perpendicular and one in line with the lens, it will be smoother. There is also a tyler mount that is portable that can be rented that works well. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

January 26th, 2011, 01:51 AM	#29
Silas Barker Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 577	Finished My Aerial Shoot! Hey guys... Just wanted to let you all know I did my aerial shoot today! I used the 5D and 2 gyros on it. It worked good, except its kinda difficult to hold the gyros and camera without any support or anything. I think the biggest thing that I confirmed (because I already knew) is that the pilot should probably be able to see the screen so he can get an idea of how to move the helicopter.....oh yes....I used a helicopter instead of a plane, super awesome!!!! I'll post footage soon. Give me feedback about how to hold the gyro...