Essential Camera Settings for Drone Cinematography
The first step in capturing quality drone footage is understanding and applying the best camera settings. Use a flat picture profile to achieve the most dynamic range, which is crucial for grading and post-production. For DJI users, this can be done through the custom style option by setting sharpness to -1, contrast to -2, and saturation to -2. Utilize the D-Log color option to extract more color data from the camera sensor.
Avoid using auto white balance as your white balance can vary between shots. Instead, manually select an option like cloudy or sunny. To control exposure in low-light conditions, adjust the ISO or camera gain. Be aware that a high ISO can introduce image noise, so aim to set your ISO as low as possible.
Shutter speed dictates how quickly each frame is captured. For clarity, opt for a higher shutter speed, but beware of strobbing. A base shutter speed of 120 is recommended. This can be increased for high-altitude shots or reduced when flying close to objects or during night flights.
Aim to shoot at the highest recording dimensions possible, such as 4K or 2K. You can then downscale the footage to fit a 1080p or 720p project. Filming at lower dimensions is only advisable when you intend to capture high frame rate footage for slow motion.
Cleaning Up the “Jello” Effect or Frame Warping
The “Jello Effect,” also known as frame warping, occurs when objects interact with the camera sensor at different times, creating a wavy effect. To reduce this, film in the highest resolution possible and then downscale during production.
You can also utilize the “Rolling Shutter Repair” effect in AfterEffects. This effect is render-intensive, so testing on small clips before application is advised. Alternatively, the Warp Stabilizer from the Tracker Panel can be used to stabilize the camera and reduce rolling shutter effects.
Lens Distortion Repair
Lens distortion is a common problem with small cameras like GoPros. Terrain captured in the distance can appear distorted, taking on a fish-eye effect. The Optics Compensation effect in the AfterEffects suite can help rectify this by stretching and warping the pixels at the edge of the frame.
Color Correction
Correct color levels in footage shot under a flat picture profile is crucial to returning the footage to a realistic state. You can adjust color levels using the Levels effect, enhance colors using the Vibrance effect, and make granular adjustments to specific color channels using the Hue/Saturation effect.
Slow Motion and Speed Ramping
Achieving a slow-motion effect requires interpreting high frame rate footage at a lower frame rate. Speed ramping, on the other hand, involves increasing and decreasing the speed of your footage at certain points to build tension and highlight certain parts of the clip.
Faux Slow Motion and Motion Blur
Faux slow motion involves slowing down a 30 fps clip so it appears to have been shot at 60 fps. Motion blur can be used to compensate for discrepancies in the capture of the foreground and background in aerial footage, often resulting from a rolling shutter effect.
Stabilizing a Shot
Finally, stabilization is crucial in drone cinematography, especially in scenarios where the drone’s movement isn’t smooth. The Tracker Effect panel can be used to stabilize motion, keeping your target in the same location throughout a movement by adjusting the actual footage. For scenes where you’re progressing forward through the shot, use Warp Stabilization.
Filming Techniques
Firstly, there’s the importance of understanding your equipment. Not every drone is suitable for every shoot. Some drones are better suited for slow, steady shots while others excel at fast-paced, action shots. Understanding the strengths and limitations of your drone can ensure you capture the best possible footage.
When shooting, a good rule of thumb is to keep it slow and steady. Fast shots can be exciting, but too much speed often results in shaky, difficult-to-follow footage. Slow and steady shots offer smoother, more immersive experiences.
Angles also play a significant role. While it can be tempting to fly high, lower angles often offer more interesting and relatable perspectives. Tilting the camera gimbal downward slightly can provide more depth and context, making the viewer feel like they’re part of the scene.
Color Grading
After capturing the footage, it’s time to enter the post-production phase, where color grading plays a pivotal role. Color grading is the process of changing or enhancing the color of film to achieve a cinematic look, also known as color timing when performed at a photo lab.
The color grading process starts by creating an Adjustment Layer on top of our clip in the composition panel and applying our effects to that layer. You can adjust contrast using curves in the diagonal line, where the lower left corner of the diagram controls the shadows, while the upper right corner controls the highlights.
Switch from the RGB channel to a color channel to manipulate specific colors. For example, to create a cool color temperature effect often used in Indie films, introduce blue in the shadows with a positive curve. Adding red to the highlights can create a warming effect, resulting in a cinematic blend of cool shadows and warm highlights.
Different effects can be used to achieve desired looks. The Photo Filter effect mimics the use of a photo filter on a camera, enabling quick warming or cooling of a clip, or even providing a color filter of your choice. Gradient Ramp can emulate a gradiated filter often used in cinema, adding a color tone to the top of the frame that gradually degrades.
Third-party plugins like Colorista or Look Up Tables (LUTs), universal color presets applied to footage, are popular tools for color grading. LUTs can be downloaded online and applied using the “Apply Color LUT” effect in the effects panel.
3D Camera Tracking
3D camera tracking is a powerful post-production technique. For example, it allows you to create text that moves with the drone, creating an immersive, dynamic visual effect. To execute this, you need to track the camera, then create a 3D camera above the footage that’s keyframed to exist in the same 3D space as your scene.
3D tracking can be complex, but remember, it works best on clips with straight-forward or gradual movement. And don’t forget to apply motion blur to any 3D text for a more pleasant visual effect.
Conclusion
Transforming drone footage into a cinematic masterpiece involves not just mastering the flight but also nailing post-production techniques. With practice and a firm grasp of techniques such as color grading and 3D camera tracking, you’ll be well on your way to producing breathtaking drone cinema. Keep experimenting, keep learning, and don’t forget to share your incredible clips!