Aerial videography has become increasingly popular for event and commercial uses as drones become more advanced and economical. What once used to be a filming technique only available to major film houses who could afford helicopters and cranes is now accessible to most video production crews.
However, with the new drone regulations implemented this year, flying a drone to shoot aerial shots might not be as cost-effective for your video.
If you would like to engage our professional aerial videographers, drop us a message via the message box at the side of the page and we will get back to you.
Here are 4 areas that you should consider before shooting aerial shots for your corporate video.
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Aerial Videography in Film
Aerial videography was once a tedious filming technique that required hiring helicopters and large cranes. The videographer would have to physically be in the air to film the aerial shot that they wanted. This made the process tedious and highly expensive to produce.
As such, aerial shots were mainly seen in major blockbuster films. Aerial shots were commonly used for establishing shots, chase scenes and landscape shots that worked best with a birds eye view.
With the introduction of drones, aerial videography has become more convenient and affordable to smaller production crews. Many businesses now engage video production crews to shoot aerial shots of their offices or of participants at an outdoor event. Aerial shots are also popular for wedding highlight videos.
Tips When Using Drones to Shoot Aerial Videography
#1: When to shoot aerial shots for commercial videos?
For corporate videos, many businesses shoot aerial shots to have a birds-eye view of their office spaces.
Aerial video scenes are also used in car video shoots in Singapore. In the above car launch video, a drone scene is incorporated to bring a more cinematic view of the car.
You can also consider flying drones to capture scenic landscapes if you are considering to shoot a tourism video.
#2: Understand the drone regulations in Singapore
According to the new regulations set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, all drones and other unmanned aircrafts have to be registered. Since these drones are used for commercial videos, they can only be managed by a videographer who has obtained an Unmanned Aircraft Pilot Licence.
You will have to provide a letter of authorisation for the videographer to fly the drone for you. The videographer will then have to obtain a separate class 1 activity permit and operator permit to be able to fly the drone during the filming dates. When flying the drones, there are strict safety guidelines that the drone operator has to adhere to.
There are also certain areas in Singapore like at Paya Lebar which are strictly no-fly zones where drones are completely banned. These areas are usually near airbases or otherwise restricted areas off-limits to the public. You can check if your intended filming locations are in a no-fly zone at the OneMap website.
#3: When do you need to film your video?
At Vivid Snaps, we are able to provide aerial videography services. We have a licenced drone operator who will be able to shoot the aerial shots that you require. We would highly recommend that you factor in at least 2 weeks for the drone permit application processing period to ensure that the permits are approved on the filming date.
If you are unable to cater this 2 weeks application period into the filming schedule, perhaps it might not be feasible to have an aerial shot in your video.
#4: Aerial videography cost
As mentioned, the videographer will have to apply for various permits prior to the filming. This means that there will be additional costs for the permits involved.
Additionally, if the permits are rejected by the authorities, there will be charges for the reapplication process. This might also result in a delay in the filming process as we may have to push back the filming dates.
Aerial Photography Singapore
Aside from shooting videos, drones are also used to take professional photos from a birds-eye view. Aerial photography is popular at outdoor events as the drones are able to capture interesting perspectives of all the participants engaging in the event activity.
Aerial shots work especially well for capturing photos of activities like bonding games and amazing races where it would be difficult for the photographer to take a photo of all the participants in a single shot.
Engage a Professional Aerial Videographer Today
If you are looking to film aerial shots for your commercial videos, it is best that you engage a professional videographer who is familiar with the safety regulations required when flying a drone. With their expertise, they can ensure a safe filming session when using the drone the shoot the aerial shots that you require for your video.
Drop us a message today and our project coordinators will be in touch with you.
