Thinking of Including Aerial Shots on Your Next Video Production in SLC?
Here’s a list of what you need to know.
We always love a little bit of drama when we are expressing something creative. Just like in making films or short video productions, it’s nice to add a little bit of extra – just so it emphasizes the effect of the project’s whole concept. As far as the art of filmmaking is concerned, there are just so many ideas to tackle and one of these that have caught the interest of many video prod enthusiasts is the use of aerial shots.

Shooting a scene from the sky clearly gives a new and broader perspective of the setting. This has been an ongoing trend and even Salt Lake City isn’t left behind. Boasting its incredible skyline and cityscape, the city manages to belong in the list of tops places to shoot films into. Bustling and vibrant yet calm and soothing at the same time, videographers are provided with views of skyscrapers, snow-capped mountains, lush fields, wide lakes and more. Who wouldn’t want to try out their ultra cool aerial shooting gadgets here?
Now whether you’re from SLC or not, this video filming technique requires strategy and skill as much as it spells out F-U-N. So before setting off your camera hundreds of feet above the ground, you must already have a structured game plan in mind. This simply implies that when done, you’re not going to meet major problems and setbacks in the editing phase.
Your Weapons (Equipment Needed for Shooting)
The difference between normal film shooting and aerial shooting is that the latter is done by controlling a machine that takes the camera up in the air. Yes, some aerial footages are shot where the videographer hops on a helicopter and to record everything in midair. However, with machines and equipment that are lighter and more convenient, it’s not a tedious job anymore. All you’re going to need are these equipments:
- Cameras – obviously, this is the star of the show. How else will you get a good shot of your setting in the first place, right? But take note that you can’t use just any kind of camera. Since it’s hundreds of feet above the ground, your camera must withstand air pressure, be lightweight, have a large zoom capacity, and have high megapixel count. Bestselling aerial shot cameras that video production companies like us in SLC recommend are: Canon EOS 600D, Cubicam Waterproof 1080p HD and GoPro Hero3.
- ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) Multicopters – since you’re shooting above the ground, you’d need a machine to take your camera up in the air. These lightweight, heavy-duty devices will keep your camera safe and intact all throughout the process. Widely used as of late are IdeaFLY IFLY-4, DualSky Hornet 460 and OctoCopter 8. Take note that the heavier the camera is, the bigger the quadcopter should be.
- Flight Control Systems – the reason why there’s no need for the videographer to spend tons of money just to rent out a helicopter for the day. You can control your shots while standing safely on hard ground. These systems are responsible for flight stabilization, barometric and shock sensors, fail-safe landing, location transmitters and more.
- Camera Gimbals – very important so as to stabilize the video that is being recorded. These are responsible for producing smooth flowing shots as setting up a camera in a quadcopter without it, the video will include the copter’s shakes and movements. Think of it as your tripod in the sky. Most quadcopters are compatible with gimbals.
- Batteries & Chargers – everything you send up in the air must run on battery otherwise it’d be impossible to plug it somewhere on the ground. Your camera and quadcopter must have spare batteries and everything must be rechargeable. A full-charged set will last about 15-20 minutes flight time. But will depend on payload. More weight means less minutes.
Your Quests (What Aerial Shots are Good For)
Why do we need to take aerial shots? Well, aside from it being cool, it also serves several purposes. Many use it for feature films, commercial videos, print ads and documentations nowadays. Here are some areas where it’s widely used just to prove the point.
- Real Estate
- Environment (forests, oceans, mountains etc.)
- City developments (bridges, highways, construction etc.)
- Film settings
- Traffic Reports
- Roofing companies and more
Your Master Plan (Putting It in the Oven)
When every scene is shot and all is done, it’s time for the magic to happen – the editing. Aerial shots are raw clips that do not have any meaning until it’s being supported by more vivid and solid settings. This is where editing comes in. Aerial shots (as what has been mentioned in the beginning) add more effect to the scene – giving the viewer more variety on point of views; making them understand the concept better.
So for whatever purpose your shoot is, the most important thing is that your video production comes out well prepared for and with no flaws at all. And if ever you’re short of equipments and/or place to edit your work, there’s always somewhere you could go to. Like Salt Lake City for example. Look for studios for rent within the area and you might even find great deals!






























