Video: Capturing Raw Speed with Incredible Drone Footage in 'Perspective Of Flow'

Apr 17, 2021
by Steve Storey  


It's been a few years since I completed a trio of trails, the Verde Trilogy, and in that time it hasn't stopped paying dividends. Their initial introduction to the world was through a video I produced alongside a few talented friends. Shortly thereafter, I was inspired to release POV's of each of them through GoPro's Line Of The World competition on Pinkbike where they earned more notoriety and ultimately won Line Of The Year in 2017. Since then, Cerveza Verde and Roca Verde have made their way into the Red Bull Illume semifinals.

Outside of awards and virality, they've provided me with countless best rides ever. I've spent thousands of hours in these woods and they're some of the happiest moments of my life, be it alone, alongside co-builder Danny Martins, or a big group of friends. The Verdes have given me much more than I imagined possible. And of course, there's the satisfaction of hearing of other people's experiences and stoke on their own rides.

In celebration of 5 years of a whole lot of shred, I revisited the trails with multi-media wizard Mitch Winton for a new perspective. I loved the way POV portrayed the feel of speed and it was only a natural evolution to create a video that captured the speed, sound, and sensations of flying down the trails via FPV. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of filming this way as it pushed me to go just a little faster than my comfort normally allows. For whatever reason, I felt like I had to beat the drone on every take. A subconscious effort to stay ahead of its miniature death blades? Perhaps. Or the racer in me wanting to stay ahead of absolutely anything behind me? Most likely.

Either way, enjoy a new perspective of flow on the Verde Trilogy.


photo

photo

A massive thanks to We Are One Composites for supporting this project.

Drone, Edit, & Photos - Mitch Winton
Riding - Steve Storey
Trails - Roca Verde, Cerveza Verde, Salsa Verde

Author Info:
stevestorey avatar

Member since Mar 10, 2011
5 articles

64 Comments
  • 36 0
 This is a great technique - It somehow manages to perfectly capture the flow, while not diminishing the sense of vertical steepness like a GoPro often does
  • 11 0
 Cheers dude! We both enjoyed the challenge to capture the riding and trail this way. Fun to play around with this perspective. Learned quite a bit and we’re looking forward to our next edit this season
  • 3 0
 @stevestorey: awesome work!!! how have you recorded sound? where was mic/lavalier? no way to have it from the aircraft. very interested!
  • 4 0
 @donatmtb: Thanks! Sound was recorded with a GoPro 8 with a foam windscreen. I did top to bottom laps with it mounted to the chin bar of a full face helmet.
  • 2 0
 @stevestorey: ace! thanks for a tip!!!
  • 19 0
 Great little video, talented pilots of both the bike and the drone. I'd like to see a seamless edit of top to bottom of the trail. Not one continuous recording but wherever cuts in prospective are made its at the same point in the trail, you dig, lol
  • 6 0
 Thanks, man, appreciate the props! The edit was more or less a top to bottom of 3 different lines. There were a small few sections cutout that kind of didn’t work well video wise. That may have contributed to it feeling more cut up.

We have another project planned for this season and will keep this idea in mind Smile
  • 12 0
 That is really well done. It's what I wish all riding footage could look like. I wonder how long until the drone technology is refined enough to be used to capture WCDH racing in a similar fashion.
  • 5 0
 Many thanks my friend!

We were playing around with the idea of longer continuous shots but it gets tough in the tight trees. In some of the more open sections it’s definitely a possibility. So for some tracks the potential is there but you definitely wouldn’t want to do this with spectators around.

It would for sure would be an exciting to watch a race run this way!
  • 11 0
 Not a single looping or flip... this drone pilot must have NO clue what he's doing!
  • 1 0
 Clearly! haha Wink
  • 8 0
 Wow, easily one of the sickest riding videos I've seen in a while. Nice work!
  • 2 0
 Many thanks! Happy with what we created this go but already looking forward to the next project.
  • 7 0
 Best video Ive seen in a long while.
  • 2 0
 Thanks, Ben! Legit glad to hear this resonate with viewers so well.
  • 3 0
 Added to favorites! This edit is so smooth! It’s like I can feel the rider pumping rollers through the trail when I watch it. Great drone filming! So many videos now with drone footage are so crazy with the spinning and backflips it feels like trying to watch someone ride a bike down below from your seat on a roller coaster. This film though, perfect!
  • 1 0
 Thanks, Jordan. Glad it resonated with you so much. We wanted to stay away from drone acrobats and have it be more complimentary to the style of trail and riding. Appreciate the kind words, dude!
  • 5 0
 Awesome, the drone really shows off the awesome trail building Steve. Great riding.
  • 2 0
 Thanks man, anytime I get to film on these trails is a good day Smile
  • 6 0
 Great video but that song wtf
  • 1 2
 It's Refreshing that's what it is can't have cRap on everything!
  • 2 0
 Lol, this is a fair comment. I’ll push a little harder for my music preference on the next one
  • 1 0
 This is super cool, really well done and awesome pilot skills there.

Mind if I ask what your drone setup was? Based on the shadows looks like a cine rig with ducts, but curious on frame and size.
  • 2 0
 You got it, majority was filmed with a cinewhoop, some compromises were made but it was the best choice for most of the trail given the close proximity to trees and riders Diaton Taycan
  • 4 1
 Raw speed rimes much better with raw sound. It would have been perfect without that music. Nice job anyway!
  • 2 0
 Noted for the next edit. Will look at making the raw sounds more prominent for sure. Cheers!
  • 3 0
 How many drones were harmed in the making of this film? Nice flying kudos to the pilots(s).
  • 5 0
 Lol, only one camera throughout the whole project was destroyed. I learned that those drones are shockingly resilient. There were a few big hits for sure but nothing a repair or two couldn’t sort out.
  • 2 0
 With EWS athletes being limited to one run, I wonder if they would be allowed to have a drone pilot go out ahead of time to check things out.
  • 1 0
 Is the rear facing, head on to the approaching rider a two man drone operation, the pilot avoiding the trees and the camera controlled separately, or is it a fixed rear view and hope the rider is framed?
  • 3 0
 That is a fixed rear view. Every shot was a single pilot operation in the video. It was just a matter of figuring out drone speed and then trying to keep up to it or not crash into it haha
  • 2 0
 @stevestorey: not distracting at all then!
  • 1 0
 Great drone cinematography, hope to see more with this filming technique. Brendog's line from deathgrip in south africa would be interesting in this perspective, or the brendog and amoury line.
  • 1 0
 Plans are in place for a part 2 later this year....
  • 4 0
 This is wild
  • 2 0
 Drone shots for MTB are the way to go. Gives the viewer the real sense. Well done, minus the song. But that’s no big deal.
  • 1 0
 Obviously slightly biased but I tend to agree. As long as the pilot doesn't get too acrobatic anyways!
  • 2 0
 Really awesome Steve!! Love it when a trail builder rides his own trailwork so fast... and what amazing drone footage!!
  • 1 0
 Thanks! Only had a few thousand runs worth of practise haha
  • 4 0
 Siiick
  • 3 0
 Amazing trails. Nice work!
  • 1 0
 Thanks for the props! Stoked on how the trails turned out and they've only gotten better with age
  • 2 0
 This is one of the best videos I've seen on here in a long time, kudos to the filmers/rider! Makes me wanna go ride.
  • 2 0
 Wow, thanks so much! Happy to provide some Ride inspiration anytime too. Stoked to hear this kind of feedback, cheers dude
  • 1 0
 This is incredible. The trail is totally wow, the riding is so tight, and the drone control blows my mind. Amazeballs Thanks for sharing!
  • 2 0
 Glad to hear you enjoyed it! We had a great time creating it so we really appreciate the positive feedback, thanks.
  • 2 0
 This is the best video to hit pinkbike in a while! Amazing footage, riding and trail!!
  • 1 0
 Many thanks, my friend! Comments from trailbuilders count the most. Wish I could prop this 1000 times Wink
  • 1 0
 Nice work @stevestorey best vid yet. Makes me want to mission out there to see if its melted out yet haha
  • 1 0
 Thanks @zwade, happy with how this turned out. I’m almost positive Salsa and Cerveza will be clear. The road out there though....bring snow shoes haha
  • 2 0
 I can watch this over and over.. Awesome work,guys!
  • 2 1
 Yeah great footage BUT why bother with the lame music in background ..keep it raw Smile
  • 9 0
 You like the sound of drone?
  • 3 0
 Slick
  • 2 0
 Sick the verde trail network looks sick!
  • 1 0
 Appreciate it man! Put a lot of hours in on them. I get that warm, fuzzy feeling anytime someone compliments them haha
  • 1 0
 I am curious, what was the Fpv setup that was used to film this?
  • 1 0
 Majority was filmed with a Cinewhoop, not ideal for all situations but based off how close it was to the rider and trees it was the most durable / safe choice
  • 1 0
 @mwinton: Thanks, what was the brand cinewhoop and were you using a digital or analog video module? Just wondering because I am interested in starting a channel with my brother devoted to cinematic FPV videos of mountain biking.
  • 1 0
 @Sethsg: Most of it was a modified Diatone Taycan with a custom Tune.
half was analog then updated to Digital just before finishing the film

Big learning curve, expect to be doing some repairs if you are just starting out
  • 1 0
 @mwinton: Thanks for the help and replying to all my comments.
  • 1 0
 Awesome video!!!! What is the name of the song?
  • 1 0
 Thanks! Song is Body On Fire by Maya Isac and Tomer Katz
  • 1 0
 Inb4 its cool







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.047988
Mobile Version of Website