ABSTRACT
Aerial shots showcase broad exterior locations, landscapes, or events from a highly elevated perspective that can range from hundreds to thousands of feet in the air; although they are similar to overhead shots, aerial shots feature much higher vantage points. Filmmakers exploit the emotional distancing by strategically placing aerial shots immediately before or right after particularly intense scenes, as a way to create drastic shifts in mood that heighten their combined dramatic impact. Beyond establishing the geography of large spaces, aerial shots can also communicate specific ideas about a location’s character that can help set the tone or mood of a scene. Aerial shots required renting a helicopter with a large gyro-stabilized camera rig, and hiring both a pilot and a specially trained aerial camera crew, making getting these shots a very expensive proposition even for major Hollywood productions.
