Fast X Cinematography: Be Prepared for Intensive Aerial FPV Shots
Fast X Cinematography: Be Prepared for Intensive Aerial FPV Shots

Fast X Cinematography: Be Prepared for Intensive Aerial FPV Shots

2022-06-06
2 mins read

It seems that the high-speed car pursuits in the last Fast & Furious movie which is the tenth installment in the Fast Saga, (titled Fast X), will be crafted by FPV drones. FPV pilot Johnny Schaer has posted a video showing his drone paired with the RED Komodo during Fast X filming in Rome. Expect fast and furious aerial shots on this one. 

Fast X
Fast X

Cinema FPV drones are called for the mission

There’s no doubt that aerial FPV is considered a ‘hot’ filmmaking methodology. Nowadays, when cinema cameras are small, light, and compact, they can be paired with an FPV drone much more easily. Action directors have explored this tool and thus implement that very well when filming extreme car pursuits. And it works! We all saw that Michael Bay’s Ambulance was actually based on FPV drones which lifted RED Komodo action cinema cameras. Now, Fast X is going to implement the same concept in order to boost the intensity of its car pursuits.

BTS of Fast X. Picture: Johnny FPV
BTS of Fast X. Picture: Johnny FPV

Fast X: A flying Komodo to catch fast cars

FPV drone specialist Johnny Schaer (aka Johnny FPV), has uploaded a video from Rome (one of the main locations for filming Fast X). Johnny was responsible for the drone shots behind Netflix’s Red Notice. However, Johnny’s shots were not screened in a movie theater yet. Seeing an FPV (First Person View) aerial shot on the big screen is even not comparable to seeing it on a home TV. Furthermore, this is the first time that aerial FPV is being utilized in the Fast Saga. Anyway, in that video, we can explore one of Johnny’s FPV drones, plus the RED Komodo, which is one of the most popular cinema cameras to be used on FPV drones. The Komodo owns an ideal form factor that can be attached easily to an FPV drone, it’s relatively affordable (in case of crashing), and it has a global shutter that allows fast shooting by mitigating those jello artifacts.

Komodo & ALEXA cameras

When examining Fast X’s IMDB Tech Spec, the RED Komodo is not listed. In fact, it seems that Fast X will be shot on ALEXA cameras. BTW, main Fast Saga director Justin Lin, together with his cinematic partner, DP Stephen F. Windon, prefers shooting on film (Panavision XL2 and ‘friends’). Hence, it’ll be interesting to reveal how the RED Komodo will match with them. Nevertheless, we’re pretty sure we are going to see some aerial FPV ultra awesomeness car pursuits straight on the big screen. Fast X principal photography began in April 2022 and is scheduled to be released in May 2023. We’ll update you more on the making (obviously). Stay tuned.

Product List

Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers. 

Yossy is a filmmaker who specializes mainly in action sports cinematography. Yossy also lectures about the art of independent filmmaking in leading educational institutes, academic programs, and festivals, and his independent films have garnered international awards and recognition.
Yossy is the founder of Y.M.Cinema Magazine.

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