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Hardware Review: Aerial Footage for Low Budget Filmmakers with the Draganflyer SAVS
Welcome to the DOJO!
It is days like today that remind me just how darn lucky I am to make a living doing what I love. You see, today a very good friend of mine name Alex Waxman brought over what has to be one of the coolest toys ever made with an indie or guerilla filmmaker in mind. What he brought over was so cool, in fact, that for a split second I considered hitting him over the head and running away with it for myself. Luckily for him, Alex is a very big guy with a very hard head, so I was too scared to try it.
I’m not going to tell you what that toy was yet. No, I’m going to be a tease and tell you why you, my fellow low budget filmmaker, will absolutely want to have one for your next shoot. Why, if you were in my place today, you too would have contemplated braining one of your best friends in the world in order to make off with his new toy.
What is it that ever low budget, indie or guerilla filmmaker wishes he had more of in his films? The one thing that could make the difference between a sellable film and something that sits on his shelf at home and rots? Nooooo…I’m not talking about more boobies. What I’m talking about is that mythical and ever elusive “production value.” In films, production value comes in many forms: it can be a giant submarine set, or explosives, or a car chase through downtown Chicago. Or, it can come in the form of aerial footage. And that, my friends, is where Alex’s new toy comes in.
If you’ve ever dreamed of getting some low budget aerial footage of a scene, of a car chase, of a neighborhood or of anything else, then the Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System (SAVS) is the answer to your prayers.
I know what you’re asking yourself, “what the hell is a Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System?” Well, that is just the fancy name for a remote controlled helicopter with a DV camera built in to it. In other words, it’s a cool as hell new toy for the arsenal of the low budget or guerilla filmmaker.
The brief rundown on the Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System (the Draganflyer SAVS
I was a bit hesitant at the idea of using an RC helicopter to grab usable footage for a film, but Alex told me to wait until I saw the Draganflyer SAVS
Now, there were definite limitations to the unit. First up, you’re not going to be taking it up thousands of feet into the air. From what I could tell, there was an effective range of a few hundred yards. It’s batteries last right around 15 minutes (I think we were getting a bit under that during our testing) and take somewhere around an hour to recharge. And, finally, it is a lightweight unit that can get damaged in a crash. As with any high end piece of filmmaking equipment (be it a camera, a steadicam or anything else), getting a lot of practice in before taking it on set is a necessity.
I also really wish there was an HD option for the camera now that a lot of shoots are heading in that direction. I know the Draganflyer X6 exists, but I’m not sure a $15,000 system is in anyone’s budget these days. Replacing the SD camera on the Draganflyer SAVS with an HD one would make this system unbeatable, especially for the price.
A very nice feature, is what they call Thermal Intelligence. What that means is, if you lose control of your Draganflyer SAVS, if you are quick enough, you can just let go of the controls and the unit will auto-correct itself, using the horize as a guide. In other words, if you start to crash, just let go of the controls and there is a very good chance the Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System will save itself. Alex demonstrated the feature for me a few times and I have to say it was very very impressive to see.
All-in-all, the Draganflyer SAVS is an incredible little piece of equipment with a lot of potential to add a lot of production value to your next shoot. The only downside to it is it’s price. The Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System comes in at just under $2500 for the top of the line version. There are some lesser versions available for between $950 and $1500, but they don’t come with the full set of features the Draganflyer SAVS comes with…and, I haven’t had the chance to take a look at any of them to see if they’re as effective.
If you’ve got the money and can get the mileage out of some decent SD aerial footage, then I have to say you have got to check one of these things out. They really are one of the best new tools for an indie or low budget filmmaker with a little extra cash in his budget.
That’s it for me for today…I’m going to go see if I can take another crack at Alex’s Draganflyer SAVS
- Mat Nastos, Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com
I have no idea how I would use this, I just know I REALLY want on after watching that video!
January 10th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Wow. What a badass little piece of machinery. Sheer gadget genius.
January 14th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Im shooting a feature film in Chicago and im looking for an operator for some aereal shots. WAGNER BROS. and TRINITY ANGELS PRODUCTOINS .COM My cell 773-383-0455 Thank You
August 4th, 2009 at 11:33 am