Shooting from a helicopter

[Ivan Lee]

Hello guys! I'm a student film maker from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I'm in the second year and we are going to shoot our first film, a documentary.

So, we managed to arrange a helicopter to make a take from an avenue.(that's going to be the main subject of the documentary)

We will be using the camera that the university will give to us, a Canon GL1, but maybe we can borrow a Sony PD from a friend of us to make the helicopter take (our photography teacher told us that the PD lens would go wider than the Canon)

So my biggest concern is, how to take a correct light metering on a helicopter? we arranged the helicopter for free, so we can't lose time making tests... that's my biggest concern...

I'm a still photographer, but I don't have experience with hand-held light meters, I assume I have to take a reflective light metering, is that correct?

Thanks a lot!

Ivan

 

[Agenda Productions]

Hi,

if your shooting on a GL1 would you be taking light readings???

How are you shooting, is the camera mounted? Are you harnessed in with the side door open or are you simply shooting out the window. If using a meter i would use a spot meter for the surrounding areas and make an educated guess from that.

here have a look at this

http://www.aerialcinematography.com/air/

 

[Ivan Lee]

Hi! so...we are not going to use the GL1 anymore, for the helicopter take we are going to use a Sony PD150.

I will not be able to shoot with the door open, so I thing I'm going to shoot trough the window, pointed forward (so it will not be possible to use the wide angle-converter.)

wow...I'm scared... lol