Filming around a helicopter was intense, high-stakes, and completely unforgettable, especially on an indie film. I just uploaded this BTS episode in which we take you inside the experience of orchestrating a character’s grand arrival, where every second mattered. Have you ever filmed something that had to be perfectly timed? How did you tackle it? Watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/8sGBmzZ1c7w
Filmmaking / Directing : Behind the Scenes: Filming Around a Helicopter – Precision & Pressure by Charlotte Verminck
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Wow, Charlotte Verminck! A helicopter in a short film! Fantastic BTS episode! I think it's going to help other filmmakers prepare and film helicopter scenes. And scenes in general.
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Hi Maurice Vaughan! Thank you so much! It was an incredible experience to incorporate a helicopter into the short film, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the BTS episode! If it can help other filmmakers prepare for similar scenes, that makes all of it even more rewarding. Appreciate your support so much!
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You're welcome, Charlotte Verminck. I'm excited to see Mind of Thoughts! I subscribed to the Above The Nerve channel, signed up for updates on your website, and followed the film page on IG.
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My one time in a helicopter was to get aerial footage of our city. I was just along Defoe the ride— it was our cinematographer that had the harder job of leaning out with the camera. Unforgettable experience (and stomach churning).
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For perfect timing, I run into that all the time with special effects shots. Often have to do things multiple times.
Also, coordinating action with cars is a real pain. Communicating with the driver, getting them to hit marks at the right speed. Tricky.
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That seems like an absolutely exhilarating experience, Charlotte Verminck! Filming around a helicopter, especially on an indie film, must have required such precise coordination. I can only imagine the pressure to get everything right in the moment.
Timing is such a crucial element in filmmaking, especially when working with complex logistics, stunts, or live-action elements that you can’t easily reset. I’ve been on projects where we had only one chance to nail a shot whether due to weather, permits, or limited resources, especially while I was in film school, and the energy on set during those moments was unreal. Thank you so much for sharing this!
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Haha, yeah, filming with helicopters is always a tricky thing, especially when you only have one chance to get the shot right.
In this case, you could try a trick and shoot it in separate passes.
For example, you could film the helicopter landing separately and then do as many takes as needed with the actors without the helicopter if it's no longer available. With these two layers, you can composite them together in post-production so that the audience won’t notice the difference. We have done this many times in different situations.
It’s also crucial to use a wind machine to blow on the actors so that their hair, clothes, and the grass react to the effect of the rotor wash. By the way, the wind from a real helicopter is quite strong, making it difficult for actors to perform well under those conditions. However, using a controlled wind machine allows you to create the wind effect while giving the actors a more comfortable and safe environment to perform in.
The advantage of this approach is that you don’t need to synchronize everything perfectly in one take. You have the flexibility to shoot both the helicopter and the actors exactly the way you want.