SHAYNA: YOU ARE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THE PHRASE BIRDSEYE VIEW, BUT NOW YOU CAN SEE IT.
ANTHONY: DRONES TAKE US INTO THE SKY TO SEE THE WORLD FROM A NEW ANGLE.
THEY HAVE LIFTED A LOCAL COMPANY UP TO NEW HEIGHTS.
♪ ANTHONY: VIEWS LIKE THESE WERE ONCE IN THE EXCLUSIVE DOMAIN OF BIRD AND BIG-BUDGET HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTIONS.
BUT NO MORE.
DRONES OR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS HAVE DEMOCRATIZED AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.
>> QUICK OUT OF THE GATE, YOU CAN GET AMAZING SHOTS THAT ONCE WERE VERY COMPLICATED, VERY EXPENSIVE TO DO, WHAT A HELICOPTER COULD DO OR A 50 FOOT JIB COULD DO, SOMETHING WITH A
LOT OF HARDWARE NOW AS ALL AS THESE.
ANTHONY: HE IS THE COFOUNDER OF ABOVE SUMMIT, A FULL-SERVICE VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY BASED IN SOMERVILLE THAT SPECIALIZES IN CUTTING EDGE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.
>> IT HAS BECOME LESS OF A HOBBYIST’S TOOL AND MORE OF A PHOTOGRAPHER;S TO ALL.
IT HAS CHANGED HOW WE TRY TO ADJUST SETTINGS FOR CAMERAS.
ANTHONY: ABOVE SUMMIT SHOOT EVERYTHING FROM BIG-BUDGET HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTIONS VIDEOS FOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO WEDDINGS, AND WITH POSTPRODUCTION CAPABILITY, THEY
CAN SEE A PROJECT FROM START TO FINISH.
HE AND HIS COFOUNDER AND FIANCE MET IN ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL AND SAY THE SKILLS THEY MASTERED AROUND FRAMING AND PROPORTION AND ART HAVE BEEN APPLICABLE TO THEIR PHOTOGRAPHY.
WHEN THEY DECIDED TO FOLLOW THAT PASSION AND OPEN ABOVE SUMMIT, THEY GOT AN EARLY BOOST.
>> ONE OF OUR FIRST CLIENT WAS TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS.
WE HAVE A LOT TO THANK THEM FOR.
THEY WERE AN EARLY ADOPTER AND FIVE POTENTIAL IN DESCRIBING THEIR PROPERTIES, THEIR LANDSCAPES AND THE ROLLING HILLS AND ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES THEY MANAGE INSIDE OF
MASSACHUSETTS.
ANTHONY: DRONES STARTED TAKING OFF FIVE YEARS AGO AND SINCE THEN, THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE REGULATIONS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
>> 3.2.
ANTHONY: THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAS VERY SPECIFIC RULES FOR BOTH RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL DRONE OPERATORS.
>> COMMERCIAL DRONE OPERATORS ARE HEAVILY REGULATED.
A DRONE OPERATOR HAS AN EXAM THEY HAVE STUDIED FOR THAT BASICALLY DEMONSTRATES THAT THEY KNOW AIR SAFETY, HOW TO READ CHARTS FOR REGULATED AIRSPACE AND HOW TO DECIDE WHERE THEY CAN
AND HELP -- HOW HIGH THEY CAN FLY AND HOW TO APPLY FOR REGULATIONS.
ANTHONY: SO IT IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN BUYING A DRONE, OPENING THE BOX, AND LIFTING OFF.
ALL DRONES, COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL, NEED TO BE REGISTERED WITH THE FAA.
AT ABOVE SUMMIT, THEY HAVE EVOLVED WITH THE CHANGES AND ENTRUSTED WITH SOME BIG-BUDGET SHOOTS.
>> WE KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF OUR TECHNOLOGY AND WORK AS A THREE PERSON TEAM UNDER PRESSURE TO GET THOSE SINGLE TAKES.
THOSE ARE HIGH-PRESSURE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE PRECISE IN YOUR CAMERA MOVEMENT.
YOU CAN SPEND ALL DAY WAITING FOR ONE SHOT, AND YOU HAVE TO EXECUTE.
THAT IS REALLY THE MOST EXCITING CHALLENGE FOR US.
ANTHONY: SO HOW DO THESE WOULD BE ARCHITECTS FEEL ABOUT THEIR EXPANDED COMPANY?
AND THIS DEVIATION FROM THEIR ORIGINAL FLIGHT PATH?
>> WE STILL HAVE A STRONG PASSION FOR WHAT WE DO AND APPRECIATION FOR WHERE IT HAS TAKEN US.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT AERIAL CINEMATOGRAPHY IS YOU ARE ABLE TO EXPRESS SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE OR SEEN FROM THAT ANGLE BEFORE.
WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A TOOL THAT FREES US TO LITERALLY FLY AND SEE THE WORLD AND ITS REST THE WORLD FROM A DIFFERENT -- AND SEE THE WORLD FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
SHAYNA: AWESOME.
THERE IS A LOT OF PRECISION INVOLVED IN GETTING HIGH QUALITY AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.
ANTHONY: GENERALLY THEY WORK IN THREE-PERSON TEAMS.
ONE IS THE PILOT, WON THE CAMERA OPERATOR TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS WORKING, THE OTHER PERSON ACE WATER IN CASE THERE ARE OBSTACLES.
YOU GET YOUR SETTINGS RIGHT FOR LIGHTING CONDITIONS.
IT IS COMPLICATED, AND THEY DO IT WELL.
WE HAVE LINKS ON OUR WEBSITE TO THE FAA RULES AND REGULATIONS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN FLYING.