Keith Stancil Keith Stancil

Drones Offer a Smart Solution for Dolly, Jib and Crane Shots

In the realm of visual storytelling, music videos stand as a dynamic medium for creative expression. In recent years, advancements in technology have revolutionized the way filmmakers approach their craft. Among these innovations, the use of drones has opened up a world of possibilities, particularly in achieving cinematic shots that were once reserved for big-budget productions. Nashville Drone Co provides beautiful cinematic videography without the elaborate setups required for a jib, dolly or crane. We film any moving camera shots including aerial shots, jib shots, crane shots and dolly shots at a much lower cost saving video directors and producers time and money.

Our drone work can be seen in Hello Sunshine Productions’ recent film Wynonna Judd: Between Hallelujah. Nashville Drone Co filmed the shots of Wynonna Judd’s farm and the aerial shots of the tour bus in transit. Some of our smooth low altitude drone video work can be seen throughout Universal Music Group’s Sarah Cothran “I’m Here” music video where we filmed the shots of Sarah running through the field along with the spinning shots above Sarah laying on the ground.

For the Emily Faith “Heaven is a Small Town” music video, featured above, the video director engaged us to film the aerial and all moving shots normally filmed with a dolly, jib or crane. Our drone was able to fly in tight spaces in the woods and creek at a very remote location. One of the key advantages of using drones for jib and dolly shots lies in their ability to navigate three-dimensional space with ease. Whether soaring high above a bustling cityscape or gliding seamlessly through dense foliage, drones offer a unique perspective that adds depth and dynamism to music videos. We filmed the orbit and passing shots in the creek which would otherwise be too expensive to include. Most of the moving shots throughout the video were filmed by Nashville Drone Co.

While drones offer unparalleled flexibility and freedom, achieving professional-quality jib, dolly and crane shots requires a thorough understanding of the technical aspects involved. Factors such as altitude, speed, and camera settings play a crucial role in capturing smooth and cinematic footage. Additionally, ensuring compliance with FAA regulation for commercial drone work is essential in safely incorporating drones into music video production. Nashville Drone Co is an FAA Part 107 licensed pilot with over 300 hours of logged flying experience.

Contact us HERE for a cost saving solution to capture those big budget dolly, crane and aerial shots for your music video or film.

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Keith Stancil Keith Stancil

Nashville Drone Co Works On Universal Music Video

You have probably heard it said that video is king when it comes to content. I would go a step further and say that drone video is king when it comes to content. Drones can be used in so many ways to help a music video stand out. Nashville Drone Co recently had the opportunity to work with Universal Music and Rocket Entertainment on location in Nashville to do just that.

Nashville Drone Co was hired to do the drone video work for the “I’m Here” video from Universal Music pop artist, Sarah Cothran. While the word “drone” often conjures up thoughts of 400 ft views from the sky, we actually focused on low altitude flying to help the producer build what we think is a pretty amazing video. Our shots begin at 1:37 where we spin the drone above Sarah as she lays on the ground singing and then we chase her with the drone as she runs through the field. At Nashville Drone Co, we focus on capturing cinematic shots that enhance the story whether we are flying 2 feet off the ground or 400 feet in the sky. The video producer, Zachary Wright, and director of photography, Frank Schwab, were great to work with. They shared their vision for the shots they wanted to capture but allowed us the freedom to try some things. Spinning the drone above Sarah was a technique we have been working on over the last couple years and the “I’m Here” music video presented the perfect opportunity to showcase the technique. We were thrilled to see the producer choose the spin as a recurring element through the end of the video.

The “I’m Here” video was our first time to film with a DJI Mavic 3 Cine and we love everything about that drone.

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