Drones changing way TV is made

Drones with sophisticated cameras are now changing the way TV is made and reducing production crew from 30 to just four or even two.

The Australian arm of the international National Geographic channel revealed on Friday that a new series was largely shot using aerial drones instead of helicopters and multiple cameramen to capture footage.

The TV show, Tales by Light, was filmed entirely in high resolution and follows five photographers as they explore their craft through little-known corners of the globe.

Producer Abraham Joffe said he used drones in a way that meant his filming crew, usually a team of 30, could be reduced to just two.

"It's a difficult thing when you're filming among remote tribes for example," he told Technology Spectator.

"We were a real skeleton crew, we had four people at most but sometimes just two. But what we got was a big budget look, with a low impact.

"If you're walking the streets of Kathmandu with 30 people, big trucks and a lot of heavy equipment, you lose spontaneity and things could be really difficult." Endi