The tilt-shift effect has become quite common in regular ground based timelapse sequences. So much so, that we’re a little sick of seeing it. Not because we don’t like the effect, just that so many people do it quite badly. The same is true with drone tilt shift videos. I’ve seen a handful of really bad ones, and maybe one good one before this one happened to appear on my screen. Created by commercial drone cinematographer, Barry Grant, this short film shows off some of Scotland’s beauty in miniature, and it does it very effectively. The tilt-shift effects works rather well, and some clips really convince you that you’re looking at a miniature model. I’ve known Barry for a little while, and he’s even shot a little footage for my vlog. So, after watching this, I fired off an email to Barry to find out a little more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXsnSFO5HkM
As I mentioned above, tilt-shift has become pretty common with traditional timelapse, shot from the ground with a tripod. It’s not really all that common with drones, though. So, we asked Barry how he came up with the idea for this video. Barry also offered some tips on what those things are that he looks for in the footage. I’ve shot a lot of footage over the years, so now I’ve built a good library that I can choose from. Not all footage is suitable for this effect, and you have to learn what to look for to make it work.
To create the sequences, Barry used a range of drones. He created much of the footage with DJI Inspire 1, but the video also includes clips shot with the DJI Phantom 4 Pro and the DJI Mavic Pro. Barry already touched on some of the drone rules in the UK. As a commercial operator, however, he’s under an even stricter code than hobbyists. We asked him about some of the challenges they present.
This is all before we’ve even powered it up, and assumes we’re not in a restricted or no-fly zone. With Barry pulling footage from his archive, he had a wide range of clips to choose from. Knowing what he’s looking for, we asked what went into turning that video into the final look. Barry also offered some advice to those looking to try this out. No matter what operating system or editing software you use. I then add a focus effect to the clip, and manipulate it until I find what I’m looking for and am happy with the result. Sometimes you can get it working with very little adjustment. Sometimes it takes a lot of mixing with the width and height of the effect. It also depends on the movement of the camera and subjects in the shot (cars, people, wildlife, etc). As is often the case, practise makes perfect. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us, Barry! You can find out more about Barry and see some more of his work on his website, and you can follow his flying adventures on Facebook and YouTube.
