It’s time to fly!
Around here, springtime means it’s officially drone season! Aside from the rainy day here and there, the sun is shining and things are starting to green up. When it comes to any kind of outdoor shooting, people typically don’t want to see the subject surrounded by bare trees and bushes, brown grass, or overcast skies, not to mention snow. So once the weather changes, our clients begin planning for outdoor video footage and our drone frequents the friendly skies.
Now, everyone loves a good drone shot. Even the actual piloting can be a site to see. We rarely fly the drone in a public space without being approached or a least observed. And the final product? It’s just impressive, right? Seeing things from bird’s eye view is pretty cool. But you might have a few questions about hiring a drone pilot for your own video. Is it worth it? Will it really help communicate a message or tell a story? Or, is it just a novelty? Does it just look pretty, but not serve any real purpose?
Of course, we definitely think there is value in drone footage! So, to help answer your questions, we put together 4 reasons that drone footage might be important for your next video.
1. Location Focus
When a particular building or location is a focus of your video, using a drone is the best way to get the footage. It allows you to showcase the size and surroundings of the property, which isn’t always possible from the ground. For example, we produced a video for a non-profit that included information on plans for a future facility. We were able to use the drone to show the property and its location. We were also able to include some simple animation on the drone shots to better explain the plans. Showing the footprint of the property as well as its surroundings would have been pretty impossible without the footage from the drone.
2. Large-scale Subject
Drone footage is the way to go when you want to show the scope of something big, such as work being done at a large site or an outdoor event. Seeing from a distance above can convey scale like nothing else. This is also an easy way to see something as it moves through a large space, such as a truck or other piece of equipment. Or, there may be certain elements or an operation that can only be seen from above rather than ground level. For one of our clients, we were able to incorporate some drone footage in their video that showed a vehicle moving through a part of their quarry. Showing the operation at this level really helped tell their story, and there is no way it could have been done without the drone flying along with the vehicle and capturing arial footage.
3. Establishing Shot
Drone footage makes for a great establishing shot at the beginning of a video or even at the end as well for a “book end” approach. Drone footage can often pair well with branding that is also typically at the beginning and/or end. In many cases, it can be helpful to show the audience your store front or location so that they can put a physical place with your name. We have done this for many clients over the years, and it always makes for a fantastic opening/closing shot for a video.
4. Different Perspective
Particularly in videos that rely on a good amount of b-roll, having drone footage adds variety and shows a different perspective. This can be a great way to keep the visual momentum going. I’m just guessing you’ve probably heard that it can be hard to keep people’s attention these days. Having a good variety of b-roll shots to mix in to your video helps keep your audience focused on you and your message. Drone shots certainly grab attention and help shake up any monotony.
Just one more thing…
This may go without saying, but please be sure you’re getting your drone footage safely! Whether you have someone in-house or you’re hiring a drone pilot, make sure they are appropriately licensed, insured, and following the law. While drone technology is pretty amazing, the law states the drone can never leave the sight of the drone operator or assistant, and you really can’t fly over people. Unfortunately, we see these rules flaunted all too often because someone is going after a really cool shot. But the reality is, not only can the drone pilot be held liable for any potential issue, you as a business owner might be held liable as well. Don’t risk it! Go after those great shots, but do it the right way.
If you’re in the market for a video production partner for drone footage or otherwise, let us know! We’d love to have a conversation and partner with you to create video assets to help you reach your goals and succeed!
