Only a few shorts years ago, helicopters and a specialized film crew were necessary to achieve incredible aerial footage. Today, with the drone market in full swing, companies like DJI are making it a fast, affordable and efficient endeavor. Extreme winter sports, in this case skiing, have certainly noticed and are taking full advantage of the new technology.
FLOW is such a project. Sam Favret, an elite freeride skier, recognized a unique opportunity during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. During the 2020/21 ski season when the French government closed down all ski resorts, Sam and his team set out to create this glorious documentary. Without the usual high traffic and tourism, the world renowned peaks of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc were once again untouched, raw and breathless.
It is rare for a film of this nature to leave an impression and effortlessly communicate an emotion, at least for me. However, perhaps Maxime Moulin (director) said it best, “… scenery was pure, almost untouched. There was a feeling of freedom in what we could do. It was calmer than usual, more relaxed”. That is certainly one of the many feelings I felt while watching the film. It was like a short 5 minute cleanse. I forgot about the world around me and completely lost myself in the moment.
As mentioned before, the film was shot entirely with 3 drones, the DJI FPV drone, DJI Inspire 2 and the DJI Mavic 2 Pro. As Maxime describes it: “Filming with a ground camera, we can communicate directly and visually. When filming with a drone, the distance requires having a detailed discussion before the shooting and to liaise with a radio or phone during the action to adjust the shots.” While the technical and physical challenges (having to physically climb the mountains repeatedly) were there, the results speak for themselves.
If your French happens to be up to snuff, feel free to check out the behind the scenes as well.