Aerial Filmworks Films Opening Scenes for the new Dallas Television Pilot

Ron Chapple of Aerial Filmworks worked with Director of Photography Rodney Charters to film the opening scenes for the new Dallas pilot. TNT is re-creating the world famous television series to premiere in Summer 2012. Audiences were treated to a sneak preview of the pilot in mid-July.

Southfork Ranch from the TV series Dallas filmed by Ron Chapple of Aerial Filmworks.

Rod Tinney of Air Center Helicopters provided the Bell 407 helicopter for the filming. Rod also arranged permissions for the crew to film directly over the top of Texas Stadium along with safety pre-scouting of the various locations including Southfork Ranch. The aerial unit was able to accomplish several complex scenes with cowboys, drill rigs, and herds of cattle all in one day. Rodney Charters posted on Twitter through the day showcasing the capabilities of the Cineflex V14HD.

Cineflex V14HD mounted using the Airfilm AFG-1 mount on a Bell 407 in front of the Texas Stadium during filming for the new Dallas television pilot.

About Aerial Filmworks

Aerial Filmworks provides high-definition video Cineflex V14HD camera systems and aerial filming services to the international entertainment, documentary and corporate marketplace. Highly regarded by award-winning clients, the Cineflex V14 HD provides the highest level of image gyro-stabilization. Our dedicated, experienced camera operators have thousands of hours using the Cineflex for clients including Disney, Discovery Channel, BBC, CBC, PBS/Nature, National Geographic, History Channel, Planet Green, Red Bull, Burton Snowboards, Amazing Race and Survivor. Aerial Filmworks is a highly responsive company with over 25 years of aerial photography experience. Dedicated to providing Cineflex V14HD systems and services, our experienced aerial filming crews specialize in location work all over the world.

Aerial Filmworks also provides Google Earth pre-flight visualization, GPS preparation and flight logistical planning; Geo-coded HD video and images for land survey or mapping; Google Earth integration of video, stills, 360 interactive panoramas, podcasts, historical imagery, topographic maps and data.

With in-house HD video suite utilizing Apple’s Final Cut Pro, Aerial Filmworks also delivers professional editing and color-grading, and BluRay/DVD output using the robust 12-core MacPro, 32GB RAM, Snell ArchAngel restoration, AJA Kona3, HDCAM/HDCAM SR Decks, and fast h.264 encoding.

New PBS Landmark Series “America Revealed” to Premier in 2012

Aerial Filmworks provided the aerial cinematography for the new PBS landmark series “America Revealed” that will premiere in January 2012. The 8 month project involved over 15 locations around the USA from Boston to Los Angeles, and from Tennessee to Alaska. The filming included air-to-air cinematography of Commander Chuck in Los Angeles, air-to-air of Alaska Airlines in Juneau, sky divers in Kansas, urban New York City aerials, to coal mining scenes in Wyoming. Each one of the programs involved complex “piece-to-camera” sequences with the host talking to the aerial camera unit.

Aerial Filmworks working on location at the wind turbine farms along the Columbia River in Washington State.

The entire project, per the request of Lion TV, was recorded to the NanoFlash recording device from Convergent Design. Aerial Filmworks worked with a video engineer to custom design a trigger to simultaneously record to two Nanoflash units for both primary and back-up recordings.

The “America Revealed” series, hosted by Yul Kwon and produced by Lion TV, promises to be the definitive view of the USA from the viewpoints of how the country manifests food, energy, transportation and manufacturing.

Container yards in Savannah, Georgia for the “America Revealed” series to premier on PBS in 2012.

Helicopter services for the aerial filming sessions were provided by Coyt Bailey of Mercury Aviation. Extra efforts were required to obtain both low-flight and security clearances for a several of the locations. In one scene, permissions were required from TSA, FAA, the Coast Guard and Massachusetts State Police to film a liquid natural gas tanker in the Boston Harbor.

About Aerial Filmworks

Aerial Filmworks provides high-definition video Cineflex V14HD camera systems and aerial filming services to the international entertainment, documentary and corporate marketplace. Highly regarded by award-winning clients, the Cineflex V14 HD provides the highest level of image gyro-stabilization. Our dedicated, experienced camera operators have thousands of hours using the Cineflex for clients including Disney, Discovery Channel, BBC, CBC, PBS/Nature, National Geographic, History Channel, Planet Green, Red Bull, Burton Snowboards, Amazing Race and Survivor. Aerial Filmworks is a highly responsive company with over 25 years of aerial photography experience. Dedicated to providing Cineflex V14HD systems and services, our experienced aerial filming crews specialize in location work all over the world.

Aerial Filmworks also provides Google Earth pre-flight visualization, GPS preparation and flight logistical planning; Geo-coded HD video and images for land survey or mapping; Google Earth integration of video, stills, 360 interactive panoramas, podcasts, historical imagery, topographic maps and data.

With in-house HD video suite utilizing Apple’s Final Cut Pro, Aerial Filmworks also delivers professional editing and color-grading, and BluRay/DVD output using the robust 12-core MacPro, 32GB RAM, Snell ArchAngel restoration, AJA Kona3, HDCAM/HDCAM SR Decks, and fast h.264 encoding.