So this 5 minute drone showreel showing short clips of Central Victorian reservoirs took over 1 year to make. I spent a lot of time in 2015 testing various drones, the software, hardware and various photography gimbals and cameras. I finally ended up chopping, editing and adding all the footage into a short 5 minute clip to showcase these beautiful locations.
In total I collected over 3 hours of footage, visited over 18 locations throughout Victoria and took over 2960 photos. Most of the photos and drone video is available free online on various social media sites, video and photography sites. I’m also grateful that many of the photos and videos have been featured on Instagram, Youtube and Websites.
Watch the Drone Showreel on Youtube
Filming Locations:
- Lake Eppalock
- Kennington Reservoir
- Crusoe Reservoir
- Malmsbury Reservoir
- Expedition Pass Reservoir
- Cairn Curran Reservoir
- Barkers Creek Reservoir
Now that the drone showreel project is over, I’m thinking of starting a new project displaying locations throughout Victoria with short 30 second clips. I’m also playing with some ideas to take the drone while on extended hikes and walks. The weight is an issue as well as a proper carry system to hold the drone, controller, batteries and camera gear.
Technology in this area has also advanced. Our drones are over 3 years old and the newer drones are easier to handle, stable, light and can handle various winds. The drone showreel was shot entirely using the original DJI Phantom Drone and GoPro Hero3 Black Edition. I’ve been looking at the DJI Phantom 3 Professional as an overall video photography tool to use in the future. Might wait for a few more months to see what else comes out in this space, including GoPro’s new drone Karma.
Finally…. Why Reservoirs?
Reservoirs were a perfect place to test the drones and the equipment. Initially I wanted open spaces to fly and experiment with the new gear. I also spent a lot of time fishing, camping and hiking these areas. It was just fitting that I ended up taking video and pictures of the same area.
This is a photo of a sunset over Lake Eppalock. Unfortunately the water levels are very low and hopefully pick up later this year. This photo made the final clip in the drone showreel and is a fitting end to a long 1 year project playing with drones.
