Event Management Course Trends: Drone Videography
Event management has had a huge makeover in the last few years thanks to advancements in technology. From live online events to complicated and fantastic AV setups, there are so many incredible ways to use tech to upgrade your events. A new trend has been the use of drones to capture stunning video footage!
Keep reading to find out why and how drones should be in your event management course and how they can be used in your events!
Why Use Drones?
I’m sure you’re mostly all familiar with what drones are. They’re small aerial devices that capture photos and videos from perspectives that a grounded photographer would have difficulty achieving! They allow photographers and videographers to capture event moments freely without dealing with physical obstacles on the ground. It also means that you can get shots of your event without obstructing the view of your attendees. Your videographer doesn’t need to haul around equipment all night and detract from the guest-experience; instead, you can get high-definition footage for a few hundred dollars! You’ll capture better footage in a way that is both time-saving and less distracting to clients.
Because drones have been around for a while now, the technology has drastically improved and the prices have dropped. They’re now affordable options for your events! However, having the option to use drones doesn’t mean you should in all cases. They should be used as a tool to help achieve your client’s goals. Do they need to use the footage for advertising? Do they want it for memories? Or do they not really want it at all? Don’t get swept up in a technological fantasy. Make sure there’s a point behind using it.
Where Use Drones?
There are so many opportunities to incorporate drones into your events meaningfully! Here are just some of the instances where you might want to use them.
1. Graduation Ceremonies/Alumni Events
Post-secondary institutions are one of the many employers of corporate event planners. To celebrate their students and encourage funding from alumni, they host many events. By using drones to capture video footage at these events you can create an amazing memory for the people involved.
Graduations can be particularly difficult for recording video simply because of the physical setup. There often is no place for your videographer to stand so that they can actually seamlessly move through the graduates (and parents!) and be completely out of the way. If you manage these events, it might be time to give drones a chance!
2. Festivals and Concerts
The most popular festivals around the world make great use of drone footage. By creating a recap video, you can make sure that your hard work gets experienced again and again. And because festivals and concerts are usually large and crowded, there is no better way to capture your event than from an aerial perspective.
3. Conferences /Galas
Conferences and galas usually have lots of stakeholders. You can show off how successful your conference or gala was by using drone footage! If your client’s stakeholders do not live in the same city as the event or they simply do not plan to attend, this can be a great tool for showing those people value in participating. You can also highlight your speakers and performers by creating a video showing off their successes. These types of events are often annual affairs. Your clients can use the footage to promote their event the following year to stimulate more ticket sales.
4. Venue Tours
If you work with or for a venue such as a hotel or resort, drone footage can allow you to show off your event space and events you’ve planned in the past. It gives the audience a quick overview of the grounds and venue hall, and promotes it to increase business! When people see the footage, they’ll be able to have a better idea of the venue. If they were teetering on deciding between your hotel/venue and another, this visual information may tip the scales!
5. Weddings and Parties
You don’t need to have a particularly large event to use a drone. You can create long-lasting memories on video of some of the most special events in their lives. Drones up the production value of your client’s dream wedding video.
6. Live events
Live streaming events has become a high-demand service. By adding drone footage to your live event, you can switch away from close ups. Add variety by capturing other interesting shots of people on stage, whether it is a keynote speaker or a musician on stage.
Think about adding the amazing bird’s eye view of sports broadcasting into your events!
7. Marketing Your Services
Last but not least, use drone footage to market your services. Similar to the venue tours listed above, no matter what event you‘re planning, aerial video footage looks amazing in your portfolio. It can set you apart and showcase your planning abilities in innovative ways.
How to Use Drones?
You can purchase a drone and take the footage yourself. It takes a lot of skill to pilot the drone, and you need to combine it with some videography training to capture flattering angles. And if you’re managing an event, you probably don’t want such an extremely involved role during the big day.
Thankfully, drone videographers are reasonably priced in most areas! You can research the average cost and then scout out the operators works best for you. They should want to see the location in advance, find out about lighting conditions, develop the perfect shots your clients need, and provide information about editing.
Although pricing for these services have come down a lot, make sure you aren’t stepping into a deal that seems to be too good to be true—it probably is!
Did we miss any key facts about the drone-videography trend? Let us know in a comment below!
