11 April 2017 IceBridge 360 Video

Today I didn't fly with the crew but I got a chance to have an exciting day packed with interesting experiences and thoughts for the future. I started off this morning having coffee with the JPL crew. They are making a 360 video for NASA IceBridge. The film will come out this summer and I can't wait to show it to my students next year. The JPL crew consists of Matt Luem, Larkin Donley, and Jim Round. Before talking to the JPL crew, I thought making a science movie is all about shooting the film. I didn't realize how much science is used in its creation. Matt told me all about the "science in filmmaking." Obviously a film crew uses cameras to do their work. If you're like me you think, set up the shot and then shoot it, what else could be involved? I was surprised to find out how much preparation had to be done for this shoot to take place.

The film crew used drones to film their scenes. All of the equipment had to be tested before it could be used in the field. Cold eats battery power. Before all of the equipment could be used it was tested at extreme temperatures and it was also tested at a thinner atmosphere. The equipment was tested at -35C to make sure it would work in Greenland. These conditions mirrored some of the extremes that the cameras might face out in the field. Each piece used in the film making had to be tested. Just like any other science experiment the equipment was tested and the results were analyzed. The JPL crew used the information to ensure the success of their video. While filming, the crew came up with a hack to preserve some power. The drone houses several GoPros to get a 360 degree view. All of the cameras film at the same time. To squeeze as much time as they can out of the cameras, the film crew packs hand-warmers around the cameras. The crew gets about seven minutes of video. This film is going to be amazing. The JPL crew works extremely hard and I am impressed with how much thought and planning had to go into the undertaking of making this video.

This is the JPL Film Crew's drone filming the P-3 Orion coming out of the hanger at Thule Air Force Base. This is some of the data collected after the JPL Film Crew tested their equipment. The equipment is being used to make a 360 video for Operation Icebridge. Photo courtesy of Matt Leum. The JPL crew's equipment being tested before they go out into the field. Photo courtesy of Matt Leum.