Learn Drone Cinematography or Sound with an Historical Icon:
The 2926 Locomotive!
8 am to 5 pm Friday May 20th and Saturday May 21st, students must check-in at 7:30
Location: 1833 8th St. NW, Albuquerque (off I-40, south of the interstate)
Learn more about the 2926 at the Historial Railroad Society: website http://www.nmslrhs.org/
This unique opportunity will allow ten students, five learning drone cinematography and five learning sound recording, to capture rare stock footage of the restored 2926 locomotive as it roars back to life. Over the course of two days, students will learn on-set safety when working with locomotives, how to use drones to effectively and safely record footage, and how to effectively capture the sounds of a near 600-ton steam-powered engine waking up.
Drone video has hyped the game when it comes capturing all types of angles and movements of objects on the ground. In this course you will receive a guide to aerial drone flying along with traditional camera operating. If you’re exploring using a drone to capture footage and want to know how to capture footage in safe, legal, and proficient manner, this course is for you. This course also reviews traditional cinematography tricks of the trade. Whether you are new to droning and cinematography, or your seasoned pilot or cinematographer, in this class, Mitchell works with you to build your skills as a pilot and a filmmaker, calling upon Mitchell’s years of experience as a cinematographer. Whether you want to make money with your footage captured with a drone or other cameras, or just take your hobby to the next level, you NEED to know this stuff to differentiate yourself from the pack.
Each student will be required to have their own drone and asked to bring a camera, GoPro, or phone, and tripod, whatever other relevant tools they have. Panasonic S5 cameras will be provided for student use as well. Students with their own gear, will receive hands on instruction on exploring ideas about other things they can do using their gear. Students will be asked, if available, to bring a laptop, media card reader, and external storage device.
In addition to having a drone, it must be properly registered for use (See here for details)
Sound students will provided with all the necessary equipment to learn and perform recording including boom mics and poles, sound mixer, and plant mics.
Drone Instructor - Billie Mitchell
Billie Mitchell is a transformational artist, working through several mediums in a lifelong pursuit of visual art performance and as an acclaimed cinematographer, and experimental filmmaker. Mitchell accolades include an Experimental Student Academy Award (AMPAS), active member in Society of Camera Operators (S.O.C), and IATSE Local 600. Mitchell’s past years works include Camera Operator on “Big Sky”, “End of the Road”, “Old Dads”, and “Dark Winds”.
Mitchell also specializes in shooting with 9 cameras to capture background driving imagery that is used in several productions a year. Mitchell owns BlueSkyFootage.com, where he is always adding new imagery to the large library he has amassed over the decades. Much of the footage is captured operating drones, where Mitchell uses the tool to create cinematic moves. His drone work is featured in the PBS show “However Wide the Sky: Places of Power”.
Mitchell has benefitted in his life from the many people who helped him learn to be a better cinematographer, and now enjoys passing on his knowledge to others, and always learning from the people he interacts with to be better himself.
Sound Instructor - Brett Becker
Brett Becker has been recording sound for film & tv in New Mexico since 2006. With over 40 credits on projects such as Breaking Bad (S3), Lone Ranger, Cosmos (S2), Captain Fantastic & most recently, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, he has worked with a range of crews, talent, directors & cameras in a diversity of environments. Additionally, he has mixed sound for many independent documentaries & small film projects. He also acted as adjunct professor at SFCC teaching sound for film for several years. He has a BA in his own self designed interdisciplinary degree in 'Electroacoustic Ecology' from Fairhaven College in Bellingham, WA.
