Unammed Aircraft Systems and Film

Socio-Political Commentary

  • 5000 Feet is the Best, 2011 (30:20, Omer Fast)
  • Drones in My Backyard, 2013 (14 min, Alan Snitow): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2962394/
  • The Child and the Kite, (02:36, Ahmad Makia)
    • https://vimeo.com/69480862

Commercial Film Applications

  • UAS were allowed in film/video overseas before rules were settled in the US
  • Incorporated UAS footage into opening scene of 2015 James Bond film Spectre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbqv1kbsNUY (04:10)
  • Good Kill, 2015. Feature film
    • Official trailer (02:07): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcDB6OZgqzo
  • Attempt at full length feature shot by UAS: “Final Minute” (begun 2015, ongoing)
    • Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhELQyfITyA
  • UAS documenting cultural institutions
    • Palace of Fine Arts, SF, 2014 (02:08): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rMI_TlMxuM
  • UAS documenting public arts events
    •  Burning Man Art Festival, 2013, Black Rock City, Nevada (05:34): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1AqPEdggOo

Music Videos

  • Ok Go, “I Won’t Let You Down”, 2014 (05:20), single take, shot from octocopter
    •  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZB_rGFyeU
  • Rue Snider,  “Heaven”, 2014 (04:16)
    • https://vimeo.com/117731316
  • Anohni, “Drone Bomb Me”, 2016 (04:12), commentary against drones:
    • https://vimeo.com/152637866

Documentaries

  • Skateboard video “Firefly”, 2013 (?) (02:36)
    • https://vimeo.com/55094977
    • Making of “Firefly” (05:01): https://vimeo.com/55086619
  • Danny McAskill, “The Ridge”, 2014 (07:31)
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ_IQS3VKjA

UAS-specific film festivals and events

List of Drone Film Festivals: http://skytango.com/comprehensive-list-of-drone-film-festivals/

US-based film festivals

  • Flying Robot International Drone Film Festival (est. 2015, FRiFF;)
    • http://friff.co/
  • Bridger Cup Drone Film Festival, Bozeman, Montana, July 2016
    • http://theaudienceawards.com/bridger-cup-film-festival-46129/bridger-cup-film-festival-46129
  • Drone Film Festival, NYC, established 2014
    • http://www.nycdronefilmfestival.com/
  • InterDrone Festival, Las Vegas, September 2016
    • http://www.interdrone.com/#FilmFestival
  • Bay Area Film Festival, San Jose, California, February 2016
    • Short film and photography only; first annual
    • http://www.bayareadroneff.com/
  • US Drone Film Festival, Oklahoma City Museum of Fine Arts, inaugurated April 2016
    • http://www.uavfilmfestival.com/
  • Chella Magazine Film and Drone Festival, Florida, June 2016
  • Murmuration: “month long online festival of drone art and culture” founded by Adam Rothstein (Interview with him at Bard Center for the Study of the Drone at https://vimeo.com/78954870)
    • http://murmurationfestival.tumblr.com/

International Film Festivals

  • London Drone Film Festival, May 23, 2016
    • http://www.londondronefilmfestival.com/
  • Peugeot Drone Film Festival, Germany, November 2016
    • http://drone-filmfestival.com/
  • Drone Festival, Saint-Hubert, Belgium, June 2016
    • Film and Photo
    • http://www.dronefilmfestival.be/en/the-festival/
  • DroneUp International Film Festival, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, August 2016
    • http://droneup-iff.com/
  • 15th DongGang International Photo Festival, Yeonwol, Korea, 2016
    • Images have to be shot using quadcopter
    • http://blog.re-title.com/opportunities/2016/05/15th-donggang-international-photo-festival.html
  • Italy Drone Film Festival, July 2016
    • http://www.italydronefilmfestival.it/
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1DSpvNNzSI
  • Australian Drone Film Festival, Exmouth, Western Australia
    • http://www.australiandff.com.au/
    • Festival promo: https://vimeo.com/159965307
  • European Drone Film Festival, Malaga, Spain, May 2016 (est. 2015)
    • http://www.dronesdelsol.com/european-drone-film-festival-malaga-espana-2016/
  • Drone Experience Festival, Nantes, France, September 2016
    • http://www.drone-festival.com/
  • AIR 2015, Amsterdam “Drone Entertainment Show”, June 6-7, 2015 (5th annual)
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwT-R1rs3Ss (01:44)

Documentary Films

Drones allow documentary filmmakers to capture their subjects from a variety of angle impossible only a few years ago.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ_IQS3VKjA]

The Ridge by Danny Macaskills is a cycling documentary using drones. For more information about the project, read: http://uavcoach.com/aerial-videography-danny-macaskills-ridge/ and  http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2015/11/drone-based-film-making.  

[video:https://vimeo.com/97455734]

Travel documentary Koh Yao Noi by Phillip Bloom

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKHgUIBA6OY]

Stylish Skateboarding, video by Skateboard Firefly.

 

Feature Films

Drones have been used in both indie and mainstream feature films. The James Bond film Spectre used unmanned aircraft systems in filming its opening. The indepent film Final Minute is first full-length feature filmed with a drone. 

Film Festivals

As with any medium, festivals have sprung up all over the globe celebrating the best and most inventive films made using drones. 

 

Music Videos

Drones can play a part in music videos, like in Nosaj Thing's video (featured in Unammed Aircraft Sysytems and Dance), but they can also be used to film music videos. OK Go, known for their creative single-take videos, employed drones in the making of the video for their single "I Won't Let You Down".

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZB_rGFyeU]