Filming of The Final Atonement

It had been a hot minute since I last stepped onto a film set as a cinematographer, but in May, I finally got to do it again! And man, what a feeling it was. I definitely had a few butterflies, which I expected, but once we got rolling, it was just like riding a bike. Even without a super detailed shot list, I knew exactly what I wanted for each scene, all thanks to Val Frances’ brilliant script. This project was actually the third in her trilogy of short films, which is pretty cool.

I couldn’t have done it without an incredible team. Michael Korican was a wizard with lighting and camera setup, and Brent Lanyon handled sound like a pro while also lending a hand with directing. And of course, Val Frances was at the helm directing it all. We also had Phil McOrmond capturing some awesome behind-the-scenes photos, and Kass Knull was a fantastic Second AC. The cast was truly amazing – we had some first-time actors who totally blew us away, and our returning cast members from the trilogy absolutely crushed it.

Don’t want to strain your precious eyeballs? No worries, I’ve got the whole chaotic adventure (and maybe some extra dad jokes) waiting for you on the latest Foolcast episode!

Lessons Learned: When Your Drone Takes a Dive

I took it out over the water, and the first few shots looked great. The obstacle avoidance seemed to be working flawlessly – I was really impressed. For my last shot, I wanted to fly backwards over the water. In the past, with my old drones, I’d never even consider doing that near trees. But I was feeling pretty confident with the new obstacle avoidance. So, I started flying backward. The drone started blaring warnings about detecting obstacles – mostly branches. I figured it would correct itself, and it seemed to at first, but then… clip! One of the props hit a branch, and down it tumbled into the water.

My heart sank. I thought it was going to float downstream, so I started running. Luckily, Val Frances, our director, was with me. She saw it, played the hero, and jumped right in, shoes and all, to grab it! She saved my drone. I seriously thought my new toy was a goner. We got it back, and I immediately buried it in rice with a fan blowing on it for a few days before even attempting to turn it on. I was so nervous, but I’d read a few Reddit threads where people found their drones after a year and they still worked, which gave me a tiny sliver of hope.

A few days later, I dusted off the rice, popped in a battery and microSD card, and crossed my fingers. To my absolute amazement, it flew! The relief I felt was indescribable. For a few days there, I genuinely thought I’d lost a drone I’d only bought a few weeks prior. What a scare!