Have a look at some test footage we shot yesterday with our brand new SONY NEX-FS700 camera. We are excited for a great summer ahead with lots of filming to be done with this from the air! EideCom Media Stay tuned for much more to come as we explore the amazing abilities of shooting at 240 frames per second in full high definition.
The 48 Hour Film Project comes to Minneapolis on the weekend of May 31 – June 2, 2013. Filmmakers from all over the Minneapolis area will compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world.
Enter today! Space is limited.
This year, teams will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Once the initial registration is complete, we will add teams to a waiting list.
Early Bird Registration is $140. Teams must register on or before Monday, May 6 to get this special rate. Regular registration is $160. If teams register after Tuesday, May 21 they must pay a rate of $175.
| Date | Wednesday, May 1 |
| Time | 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM |
| Place | Eide Communications, 8401 73rd Avenue #77, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428 |
Enjoy this video capturing some of our favorite cinematic shots from 2012! We are excited for 2013, it is going to be even BETTER. #Radio Control Aerial Photography and Film
We are headed out to the National Association of Broadcasters 2013 Convention next week in Las Vegas, NV. stop by the Droidworx booth to see the HoverFly team and to get a show special coupon for the FlySafe Training coming up in May in Minneapolis. Lastly, consider joining and becoming a member of ARIA Aerial Robotics Industry Association. Special thanks to Ditch, Mirror Films, Colle+McVoy, EideCom, King Solutions, North Sea Films, Space Crafting, Team Ortho, Minnesota Twins, Winfield, ConAgra Foods, Northwestern College, and Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.
Last week we went to NAB to check out some of the best stuff in the industry. Not only are we RC geeks, but we are also a bit obsessed with film production. That said, this post is about all the cool stuff we saw at the 2013 NAB show in Last Vegas.
Radio Control Aerial Cinematography and Photography is exploding. We actually met Emanuel Previnaire, a guy who has flown shots for many major motion pictures as well as winning an Oscar for his work as a pioneer in Radio Control Aerial Cinematography. Below is a photo of one of his special setups. He has gone on to sell them. So if you have $500,000 extra to spend, you can be outfitted with 2 complete setups. 
Next is the new FreeFly MoVI M10. It’s a revolutionary 3-axis gimbal that takes camera stability and control to a whole new level. It has brushless direct drive motors with multi axis gyros and accelerometers to ensure a smooth and stable image. They began taking pre-orders with an expected delivery of 3Q 2013. For the hefty price of $15,000 it will be interesting how many people end up purchasing them through their exclusive US distributor Quadrocopter. 
The star of the show? I think it was the RED Dragon. You can walk around the entire show….and what do you see? RED. Everywhere. They setup a mobile lab where they began upgrading cameras with the DRAGON sensor and brain. Below is a shot of the modular onsite ultra clean upgrade lab. For around $9,000 you can have your RED EPIC upgraded to a 6K RED DRAGON.
And of course there is FLYSAFE. Our Banner was at the DROIDWORX booth. On May 17-19 here in Minneapolis, we will be putting on the very first ARIA FLYSAFE workshop in conjunction with some major players in the RCAP industry. Come check it out at www.FlySafeTraining.org
Did some great flying and shooting last Saturday, April 13th for the 2013 University of Minnesota’s Goldy’s Run benefiting the Amplatz Children’s Hospital! The weather was a bit on the chilly side at 34 degrees with light snow but more than 6,000 runners came out for the event! Special thanks to Podium Sports Marketing and EideCom.
This is a shot today of the new Regatta Wayzata Bay Residence building project in full swing in beautiful downtown Wayzata, Minnesota. Adolfson & Peterson is the construction management firm and is expected to complete construction by 2015. It’s about place. It’s about lifestyle. Located in the heart of downtown Wayzata, The Regatta Wayzata Bay Residences offers a gracious and upscale lifestyle just steps away from everything this Lake Minnetonka town has to offer. Visit www.regattawayzatabay.com for more information.
The power of Real Estate aerial photography and cinematography! Summer/Fall 2012.
As the weather here in Minnesota continues to warm aerial photography becomes more impressive and better looking each day with the melting snow, blue skies and green grass! Today we captured some shots of a Minneapolis construction project. The weather could not have been better, 40 degrees, light to no wind, and sunny! Being aware of the surroundings, using flight checklists and following our routine safety standards keeps us out of harms way every time we fly. Here’s to welcoming Spring and looking forward to a great summer.
As I look at the media landscape I realize that Aerial Photography is EVERYWHERE. Think of any Live sporting event…there are aerial shots from the sky looking down at the event site, dome, stadium or skyline. Watch reality TV and see establishing aerial shots from Helicopters, Airplanes, and Radio Controlled units like RC Helis and RC Hexacopters. My point is that Aerial Photography and aerial cinematography increases production value. Instantly.
I think there is a revolution going on where many people are investing in radio controlled drones including helicopters, hexacopters blimps and airplanes. Producers beware!
The thing is….there are 3 kinds of people:
1.RC enthusiasts (people great at flying Radio Control helicopters, drones and hexacopter/octcopters.)
2. Film people, cinematographers, DPs, Directors and more.
3. People who are skilled at both.
A Warning to those looking for PROFESSIONAL-GRADE aerial cinematography and Aerial Photography: Find #3. Even if it takes a while or costs more. There are plenty of film guru’s who have purchased aerial units and don’t know how to fly them well, so it is very limited in application (not to mention safety, as these units can be VERY dangerous in the wrong hands). Also there are plenty of great RC pilots who know how to fly but don’t understand film/tv. The problem here is that sure they can fly, but can they frame a shot? Can they ensure the entire composition is there? Likely not.
The last thing you want to know is: do they have a good understanding of aviation? Rules? Safety? I am a private pilot. I understand the importance of safety, weather, wind, and situations that are go/no go. What that means is you are less likely to have that uncomfortable call with your insurance carrier telling them why you need to make a claim because you hired an amateur aerial pilot and they damaged something. Not fun.
Something I am excited about is that we offer low range aerials via RC but also via full sized airplane, and helicopter….so no matter the shot, we can get it.
DISCLAIMER: Due to FAA regulations we are only able to fly for demonstration purposes. Contact us today!
