Video Production /
Aerial Cinematography: Elevate Your Brand
A great way to differentiate your brand is to include stunning aerial cinematography in your next video production. From fixed-wing aircraft, to helicopters, to modern drone platforms, Richter Studios has the experience you need to capture the perfect shot.
What Is Aerial Cinematography And Why Invest In It?
Simply put, aerial cinematography is footage captured from an elevated perspective using a variety of platforms like fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, or modern drones. There’s a variety or reasons why aerial cinematography can be a great investment:
- It’s a great way to differentiate your brand.
- It adds a whole new perspective to tell your story from unique vantage points.
- It’s a great way to capture large scale environments like a campus, stadium, or tall structures.
- It is a cost-effective way to capture motion up close like a moving car or boat.
In most instances, aerial cinematography is used in combination with more traditional, ground-based filming techniques to tell a richer, more engaging story.
What Are Best Practices For Filming Aerials?
Unlike amateur drone enthusiasts, there’s a lot to consider when filming aerials for commercial purposes. Our best advice is to find an aerial cinematography partner you can trust. Your partner should:
- Have a Section 333 exemption from the FAA to fly drones for commercial purposes.
- Use drone pilots that are certified under Part 107 of FAA regulations.
- Carry adequate insurance coverage including insurance specially for drone filming.
- Maintain proper flight and maintenance logs for all aerial filming platforms.
- Perform due diligence prior to filming to comply with all local regulations and to mitigate safety concerns.
For over a decade, Richter Studios has been capturing stunning aerial cinematography from helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and most recently, drone platforms. We’re one of the first companies in the midwest to be approved to film commercially by the FAA.
How do I get started on my video production?
If you'd like to learn about the process to produce your video, call us at (312) 861-9999 or send a message.
What Is The Process For Filming Aerials?
The process for filming aerials is similar to the process for any other type of video production. It begins in Pre-Production by defining the shots you want to capture and where you want to capture them. There are, however, some added considerations:
- Selecting an aerial platform (drone, helicopter, etc.) that is best suited to capture the desired footage.
- Researching the filming location to understand potential safety concerns or flight restrictions.
- Where necessary, obtaining special exemptions from the FAA or additional permits if required by local agencies.
- As required, securing permissions from nearby property owners.
- Creating a flight plan including alternate landing zones and emergency procedures.
With Richter Studios at your side, you can have piece-of-mind knowing that we’ll take care of all these details and more.
How Can I Differentiate My Aerial Cinematography?
Incorporating aerial cinematography in your next video production is a differentiator in itself. But there are some things you can do to create added differentiation:
- Secure a trusted partner that has proven experience capturing aerials.
- Use professional-grade aerial platforms, cameras, and lenses.
- Capture in a RAW format for added flexibility when color grading during Post-Production.
- Identify unique filming locations and plan flight paths for optimal camera angles.
- Be sure to film aerial scenes that are unique to your brand and appropriate to the story you want to tell.
To learn even more about how to differentiate your brand on your next video production, visit the link below.
Richter Studios receives my highest praise as industry visionaries.
“For more than a decade, I led marketing for the most successful brands in recreational boating. Many of my most ambitious projects — including aerial cinematography — in that span have been in collaboration with Richter Studios. Their passion for the craft means they constantly push technical boundaries. Richter Studios receives my highest praise as industry visionaries, savvy business partners and fundamentally great people.”
Matt Guilford | Bayliner, Meridian Yachts & Sea Ray
Facts About Video Production By Richter Studios
The master craftsmen at Richter Studios have developed 14,000+ "films" over 28 years. Our cinematic portfolio represents over 100 international awards.
Companies which are a good fit to retain Richter Studios have a deep affinity for creative excellence. We seek to build lasting partnerships that inspire powerful videos which fuel your success. A single, well-designed video developed by our creative team holds the potential to move mountains.
How Long Does It Take To Produce A Video?
Videos can be developed in as little as 3 weeks. However, to maximize your video's cinematic potential, we recommend a more practical schedule. This often depends on the style of the video production that you'd like to pursue. B2B corporate videos featuring interviews and custom B-Roll footage typically take 4-6 weeks. Larger productions — like brand films or commercials — can take 8-12 weeks due to the more extensive planning typically involved.
How Much Does It Cost To Produce A Video?
Videos start for as little as $10K. Productions that require custom filming — like company profile videos, recruitment videos or product launch videos — typically begin around $20K. Larger productions — like brand films or commercials — which require multiple days of filming, aerial cinematography, talent casting, location sourcing, or sophisticated animations often range between $50K to $100K. If you have an established budget, we can also work backwards to find the creative approach that's right for you. Repeat clients enjoy more flexible rates and priority scheduling.
What Do I Need To Do To Get Started With Richter Studios?
After a preliminary call to learn more about your project, we’ll put together a proposal that details our approach and costs. To initiate a production, we required a signed agreement and an upfront payment for 50% of the total project fee. Visit our contact page and fill out a brief form to begin our conversation.
Aerial Cinematography
Showcase Your Brand From A Whole New Perspective
Each of these clients leveraged our aerial cinematography services to add a whole new dimension to their storytelling. Explore these projects to see examples, learn more about aerials, or find inspiration for your next video production.
Ready To Get Started With Your Production?
Looking to have an exploratory call about how to get started with your video, animation or photography project? We can step you through our creative process, pricing and more. Your journey to the red carpet begins with Richter Studios. Contact us now to learn more!