ROUND TABLE
DEF: Which aerial shot are you most proud of pulling off – and what made it so special? JM: We’re most proud of shots that combine complex choreography, technical precision and narrative purpose, such as long, continuous aerial moves integrating ground action, actors, vehicles and even animals. What makes these shots special is how we coordinate across departments to achieve a visually immersive and story-driven result while maintaining the highest safety standards. We recently accomplished two very complex shots involving hand catching a drone, carrying it through structures on the film set while working with ground action, live animals and a 100+ person cast. Both sequences lasted well over two minutes, involving continuous action
and complex choreography. At the end of shooting, the drones were released back into flight. Our expert drone teams pulled off two extraordinary shots that were seamless from start to finish. The production teams were amazed at what both drone units achieved. DR: The aerial sequence I’m most proud of is the biplane sequence for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning ; it was easily the biggest technical and creative challenge of my career. We were given a brief from Tom Cruise and the director Christopher McQuarrie that essentially said ‘put cameras anywhere on the plane’. The problem was these planes were forties Boeing Stearman aircrafts, never designed with contemporary cinematography in mind! It required a complete reengineering of the airframes:
reinforced wings, removable exoskeletal camera frames, vibration isolation, IMU telemetry, power distribution and long- range camera control. We worked closely with the DOP Fraser Taggart, stunt coordinator Wade Eastwood, engineers, pilots and the stunt team. Every camera build was bespoke, and since each of the four Stearmans were hand-built, no two were exactly the same, so consistency was a constant battle. Depending on the shot, we mounted anywhere from one to six cameras per plane, managing up to 20 cameras and 40 lenses with a small but exceptional camera team, alongside a brilliant rigging crew who were always adapting as demands evolved. Everything had to be airworthy, engineer-approved and often re-rigged in a matter of hours in remote locations and extreme weather. What made it special wasn’t just the technical achievement, but the trust and collaboration involved, pushing the limits of what’s possible, such as building entirely new systems and then seeing that work play out on the big screen. I’ve been lucky to work on multiple Mission Impossible films and see places most people will never, from flying over an empty Venice at night during lockdown to operating on sea ice in Svalbard with glaciers and polar bears nearby. But the biplane sequence stands out. DEF: How will the future of aerial filming evolve over the next ten years? JM: We anticipate even more integration between hybrid aerial platforms that combine drones and autonomous vehicles with deeper integration of virtual production and VFX pipelines. AI-assisted flight and camera control has already enabled repeatable, complex moves, and we anticipate further development. Accurate repeat drone and camera moves are already utilised regularly by our teams, simplifying what traditionally would have required extensive and complex VFX tracking. These and other features will be more widely applied as AI integration improves. Regulatory frameworks will continue evolving to support urban and night operations. Aerial cinematography will be an increasingly integrated storytelling tool rather than a stand-alone spectacle.
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DEFINITIONMAGS
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