The ability to take the viewer on a dynamic visual journey through storytelling and drama is one of the advantages of filmmaking. The shots a filmmaker chooses do more than tell us about plot and action. It can immerse us in a story world or communicate subtext and nuance. The Aerial Shot is one of those uniquely cinematic shots in the filmmaker’s toolkit that can do that and more!
Aerial shots can convey a sense of scale and geography through a high or elevated vantage point. Additionally, birds-eye-view or god’s-eye-view is another terminology used to describe this shot. Sometimes considered a point-of-view shot, they can convey an omniscient perspective. Acquiring an aerial shot requires deliberate planning and often special equipment. For instance, this equipment can range from planes, helicopters, cranes, and drones, to name a few.
The Evolution of the Aerial Shot
The desire to transport the viewer to great heights has been around since the early days of photography. Filmmakers captured early aerial shots from hot air balloons or specialized kite rigs.
One of the earliest American aerial photographs was taken from a hot air balloon featuring views of Boston. Two years earlier, French photographer, Nadar, made history taking similar views of Paris. Unfortunately, those photographs do not survive today.
Image provided by The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Examples of Cinematography in Aerial Shots
Aerial cinematography saw further advancements in the 1927 film Wings, showcasing daring mid-flight stunts and acrobatics. However, aerial shots featuring action or subjects on the ground remained a challenge to capture. For example, engine vibrations and mid-air shaking often lead to unusable footage.
The biggest hurdle was solving camera stabilization in flight. The 1946 film, The Bandit of Sherwood Forest, reported using a custom-built helicopter with a camera rig. This shot featured Robin Hood’s men storming the castle from above. However, it never made the final cut. Later, in the 1962 film, The Longest Day, camera operator Roger Monteran devised one of the earliest stabilization rigs that dampened the vibrations caused by the helicopter. Furthermore, this rig served as an early prototype for other filmmakers.
Using Cranes and Jibs for Aerial Shots
Having a plane or helicopter is not a prerequisite to capture an aerial shot. Perching the camera from a high position will also work. For example, you can achieve this with a Crane or Jib. These devices feature a camera mounted to an elevated arm that can achieve dynamic perspectives and movement. Some cranes even feature complex setups while attached to a vehicle or dolly track.
How Drones Improve Aerial Shots
Aerial shots were costly ventures not always accessible to low-budget productions. However, advancement in drone technology has increased access to achieving these shots. Drones can be small but mighty. Some models feature gimbal stabilization and GPS-guided motion tracking and positioning. Accessibility to this technology is pushing rapid experimentation and growing the field of aerial cinematography.
Drones are easier to acquire than a plane or helicopter. However, operators need to be mindful that they are subject to FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) regulations. The FAA restricts airspaces and elevations for safety purposes. Additionally, all drones must be registered with the FAA. Furthermore, professionals using them for commercial purposes need to undergo remote pilot certification.
Why Use an Aerial Shot?
Aerial shots look cool and can add production value. However, when grounded in narrative or emotional purposes for the film, they are better appreciated.
World Building
Often Aerial shots are used for film openings or closings as well as scene establishing shots. They can help to set up the audience in the story world, act as a resetting moment, or convey large scopes of information from a wide perspective. Certain genres of film gravitate toward aerial shot usage like thriller, action, and sci-fi films. Big budget productions often feature special effects on a big scale that can convey a sense of awe.
Blockbusters often utilize aerial effects shots to showcase impressive special effects sequences like in this Hollywood disaster thriller.
Less is More
A single image can say so much. In The Birds, Alfred Hitchock uses an aerial shot to great effect in the scene with a gas station explosion. The shot functions on multiple levels. First, it gives the geography of the story world. Further, we witness the continued descent of the birds onto the bay and destruction in their wake. In an interview with François Truffaut about the film, he said:
“I didn’t want to waste a lot of footage on showing the elaborate operation of the fireman extinguishing the fire. You can do a lot of things very quickly by getting away from something.”
Alfred Hitchcock, Hitchcock (Interviews with François Truffaut)
This iconic aerial shot in The Birds shows the aftermath of a gas station explosion.
Aerial Shots as a Metaphor
Aerial shots can create metaphorical or abstract moments. The inherent distance and point of view from above feels omniscient. At this moment, the viewer may feel a sort of detached, outsider’s observation. Crime films frequent this approach. It emphasizes the obscurity of the criminal in their domain or an almost god-like judgment.
When to use Aerials Shot?
Aerial shots can be visually engaging, stimulating, and thought-provoking when used strategically. Knowing where to place these shots or how long to hang on a shot can be challenging. Watching tv and movies can be helpful to build your knowledge, but hands-on practice is best!
EditMentor can help you practice and understand how to plan or utilize available coverage to tell emotionally impactful storytelling.
