Telling the truth, this info surprised us. We thought that the recent Transformers 7 movie (Rise of the Bests) was shot on the ALEXA Mini LF, but it appears that the RED Komodo played an essential role in shooting those complicated aerial shots. That was possible thanks to an FPV drone called Cybertron that was developed by Revered Cinema.

Cinematic FPV

The term ‘Cinematic FPV’ describes FPV drones that are capable of lifting a cinema camera. That means a lot for high-end productions, as they can execute epic aerial shots without the need for a helicopter. Although a drone doesn’t replace a helicopter and vice-versa, there are major advantages of using drones even in Hollywood productions. It’s important to emphasize that helicopter still has valid strengths compared to drones, but this is for another dedicated article. Anyway, a drone that can lift a cinema camera, is considered a heavy-lifting drone, since these cameras are heavy, especially when paired with cinema lenses. However, compact cinema cameras make that execution much easier, due to their compactness and reduced weight, which are crucial factors that buy precious flying time. That would be more essential when the mission is to fly an FPV drone for cinema applications, which demands lightweight cinema cameras.

The advantages of Cinematic FPV

FPV drones excel in their high maneuverability which leads to ultra-kinetic shots. One of the first to implement these advantages on the big screen, in Michael Bay with his Ambulance. Bay treated the FPV drone as a new toy, and used it extensively in the movie, shooting car pursuit and high-octane action sequences. That was possible thanks to the RED Komodo, which opened up new aerial cinematography possibilities and implementations. As explained, Netflix applied an FPV drone with RED Komodo before, but Bay aimed it on the big screen. And it looked awesome!

RED Komodo on Transformers 7

A video posted by RED Digital Cinema shows how the aerial shots in Transformers 7 were crafted. It appears that those shots were possible thanks to a drone titled Cybertron, which was developed by Revered Cinema. That surprised us since all resources state that the Rise of the Beasts was shot on the ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Therefore, the RED Komodo had a vital role in the movie, especially in the aerial shots. And there were tons of those shots. Revered Cinema is Canada’s premiere specialized camera and drone film company. These guys are skilled professionals. As mentioned, the FPV drone used to shoot Transformers 7 titled Cybertron FPV Drone Version 2 – has two configurations: Under-slung dual-operating FPV mode and top-mounted dual-operating FPV mode.

Highlights of  Cybertron 2: Overslung and underslung

The Cybertron carries a full-size payload (Camera, FIZ, Ultra Prime Lenses, and so on), through the tightest spots and rips at 100 miles per hour at 15,000 feet for a 7-minute flight time. Cybertron Version 2 allows for quick changeover from over-slung to underslung in just minutes. The gimbal options are RS3 Pro and Movi Pro. The main specifications are Light Weight of Carbon Fiber, Multiple Safety Redundancies, Max Weight of 55 pounds, Max Payload of 15 pounds, and Max Speed of 100 kilometers per hour. Those are very impressive capabilities!

Closing thoughts

As Transformers movie enthusiasts, we didn’t like Rise of the Beasts. We think that this is the weakest Transformers movie ever. Indeed, it was a failure at the box office. Luckily, there are two more parts, which we hope to be directed by the great Michael Bay, or even better, Travis Knight who directed Bumblebee which we love the most. Anyway, focusing on the aerial shots, Rise of the Beasts is the first Transformers movie whose aerial sequences have been shot on an FPV drone. It looked great on the big screen. That means the Mini LF was perfectly paired with the Komodo. Furthermore, it was filmed in 2021, which makes it one of the first Cinema FPV implementations ever.

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Product List

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

• Red Digital Cinema Komodo-X S35 DSMC3 Camera
  • BUY on B&H
  • BUY on ADORAMA