Mini 3 Abandoned Colliery - Chatterley Whitfield Coal Mine - Stoke-on-Trent

[AlbionDrones]

Your editor will take a clip and reverse it so you can fly forward but then turn the clip around and it will look like you few backwards, you should also be able to change the speed of the clip in case you flew too fast or too slow... You just have to carful that the clip does not look like it is stuttering...

You have only been flying since last July and @macfawlty has been flying for years and I think, from the depth of his advice, he is a professional and his advice is sound and worth taking his expertise to heart. And I hope his does not think of reversing video footage as cheating, but as an editing technique, like his suggestion, "95% desaturation allowing a hint of green to come through."

Good Luck and Fly Safe!

Yeah, now why didn't I think of that! D'oh... I may have to re-edit it now... Yeah speed changes in editing can be problematic, I usually keep it to multiples of the 30FPS natural it was shot on, so 60, 90, 120fps, etc, as that seems to keep the footage smooth enough...

I am fully appreciative of anyone with more experience than I have, and also of anyone that shares a comment on my video's, words of advice, encouragement and feedback are always useful - if we don't get them then finding how to improve is harder, hence I am always happy to receive CC and thoughts - I want to be as good as I can be (same with everything I do really), and listening to those with more experience is a good way to learn

Thanks for the comment and the tips, it is appreciated

 

[WV. Rootman]

I think it’s important to ramp up flying and filming skills early on, having a library of cinematic moves to practice, developing pre-production shot lists. Some pilots never even get their gimbal and yaw settings right and their moves aren’t smooth. Yaw is a killer until you can do the most gentle of turns. The most interesting moves are 3 input actions using a combination of gimbal, elevation and direction. Fortunately, POI and Spotlight makes combination moves easier by maintaining axis with the subject, allowing you to focus on the other inputs. Never underestimate the gimbal straight down shot. I transition a variety of scenes from gimbal down.

I have a couple locales I like to practice flying and filming. One is a historic town at the convergence point of 2 rivers, with railroads and bridges, canal, tunnel, cliffs and so forth... a lot of features and subjects. The key is to practice a lot so when you travel to a really worthy locale, you’re ready and able to capture it well.

Yeah, I like that town also. At my age and mind, I will never get it down as well as you. Lol.

 

[macfawlty]

Your editor will take a clip and reverse it so you can fly forward but then turn the clip around and it will look like you few backwards, you should also be able to change the speed of the clip in case you flew too fast or too slow... You just have to carful that the clip does not look like it is stuttering...

You have only been flying since last July and @macfawlty has been flying for years and I think, from the depth of his advice, he is a professional and his advice is sound and worth taking his expertise to heart. And I hope his does not think of reversing video footage as cheating, but as an editing technique, like his suggestion, "95% desaturation allowing a hint of green to come through."

Good Luck and Fly Safe!

LoudThunder, with nearly 2,000 messages, you're obviously a valued member of the MavicPilots community. I've learned so much on this forum, occasionally, I will offer advice on how pilots can progress their flying and filming skills, suggestions on technique and workflow. I'm not that good a pilot, but I've done a lot of photography and video over the years. I'm only just getting around to doing presentation edits of my 7 year backlog of aerial videos. Certainly I see many videos on the forum capturing stunning locales, great flying and filming and amazing edits (way better than mine). When have an opportunity to travel and fly some great locations, you want to capture them the best you can. I really appreciate all the pilots here from the UK, EU and other countries that post videos of their travels. The aerial view has no equal in video.

 

[LoudThunder]

I will offer advice on how pilots can progress their flying and filming skills, suggestions on technique and workflow. I'm not that good a pilot, but I've done a lot of photography and video over the years.

macfawlty I recognized your outstand knowledge and your wonderful advice, but AlbionDrones has been fly less than a year and she wrote the she was weary (afraid) of flying backwards. I only offered her an alternative to that. I, in no measure, wanted to dismiss or downplay your advice. I know how long it took you to put that advice together and I have bookmarked it for future reference.

 

[macfawlty]

macfawlty I recognized your outstand knowledge and your wonderful advice, but AlbionDrones has been fly less than a year and she wrote the she was weary (afraid) of flying backwards. I only offered her an alternative to that. I, in no measure, wanted to dismiss or downplay your advice. I know how long it took you to put that advice together and I have bookmarked it for future reference.

Yeh, I get the flying backwards thing. That's why I fly forward to get the alignment properly set, then back up on the same line. I'm pretty wary of fly-throughs regardless although I worry more about flying sideways as that's where I've experienced most of my crashes... flying into trees. Fortunately, I just ordered my M3 Classic (hurray for side sensors), which should arrive tomorrow.

 

[LoudThunder]

I get the flying backwards thing

I've played a bit with fly throughs and they scare me too. I have noticed that the worse part of even flying through forward, then backing up can lead to crashes caused by crosswinds, it does not even have to be a wind but a light breeze because even a light breeze can blow you off course significantly since you are flying backwards slowly and you are probably concentrating on the video to get the best panning of the camera for the best reveal…

 

[AlbionDrones]

Thanks all for the comments, ideas, suggestions and feedback, I have revisited the footage I have and made a shortd edit using some of the suggestions and another piece of music - one with no copywrite in order for a friend to play it on his Droneshow - would be interested to hear which version you prefer...

 

[WanderLost]

As it was soo hot today we went out for a few local locations, had my eye on Chatterley Whitfield colliery for a while, have to say it did not disappoint, and I have to say I am amazed at how well it has edited together, tried something diferent, a fade to B+W, llet me know what you think...

Nice smooth video. Looks like an excellent day for flying as well - lots of contrast and light and no wind.
The B&W is interesting. There were some views where color would help separate the subject from the background - especially of the elevator when the trees were in the background - since they are pretty much the same "color" in B&W there was not as much ability to make the elevator pop out of the background.
Are there filters available for your drone? A polarizing filter would add more drama and contrast in the sky which would really punch up your video.
There are a lot of times in the winter here where even the color videos look black and white LOL. It would be cool to have access to a drone that could shoot infrared in the resolution we enjoy with our regular cameras. Then the foliage would all be light and pop against any industrial foreground.

 

[WanderLost]

Yeh, I get the flying backwards thing. That's why I fly forward to get the alignment properly set, then back up on the same line. I'm pretty wary of fly-throughs regardless although I worry more about flying sideways as that's where I've experienced most of my crashes... flying into trees. Fortunately, I just ordered my M3 Classic (hurray for side sensors), which should arrive tomorrow.

Right! That's exactly the reason I upgraded from an Air 2S to the Mavic 3 - side sensors to keep me out of trouble.
The only times I got into trouble with my Air was when I was flying sideways panning a group and a waterfall. I really appreciate the 360 sensors of the 3 plus they see much further away helping the drone to anticipate moves when flying quickly.

 

[Prop Wash]

I agree w/@dozzn. I think going from color to B&W and then back to color helped make it feel like stepping back in time and back again. Gave it a historical feel. Great flight!

 

[AlbionDrones]

Nice smooth video. Looks like an excellent day for flying as well - lots of contrast and light and no wind.
The B&W is interesting. There were some views where color would help separate the subject from the background - especially of the elevator when the trees were in the background - since they are pretty much the same "color" in B&W there was not as much ability to make the elevator pop out of the background.
Are there filters available for your drone? A polarizing filter would add more drama and contrast in the sky which would really punch up your video.
There are a lot of times in the winter here where even the color videos look black and white LOL. It would be cool to have access to a drone that could shoot infrared in the resolution we enjoy with our regular cameras. Then the foliage would all be light and pop against any industrial foreground.

Thanks, it was a beautiful if hot day... 4 locations flown and some great footage, hoping to go out tomorrow to another few places not too far away for some more footage, then Friday we are off to Scotland for a week

I was actually flying with a polarising filter attached - pretty much stays on the drone tbh... But the sky that day was clear with a haze at about 10 miles, so not much to see in the sky...

 

[AlbionDrones]

I agree w/@dozzn. I think going from color to B&W and then back to color helped make it feel like stepping back in time and back again. Gave it a historical feel. Great flight!

Thank you, as soon as I flew I knew the footage was going to have to be toned down as the green was really overpowering... Learned how to do the fade to B+W and back, so another thing learnerd in DaVinci too

 

[AlbionDrones]

Right! That's exactly the reason I upgraded from an Air 2S to the Mavic 3 - side sensors to keep me out of trouble.
The only times I got into trouble with my Air was when I was flying sideways panning a group and a waterfall. I really appreciate the 360 sensors of the 3 plus they see much further away helping the drone to anticipate moves when flying quickly.

MINI3 Pro has the sensors, but I'd rather not rely too heavily on them, and there are no sideways sensors... I tried the reversing footage through the pit head tower, and it worked really well, used it as the opening shot on the alternative edit I posted earlier... linked it below