OCTOBER 2018 - A new Gopro, wasn't sure if I'd ever get another one

A while since I have bought one of these! Hero 4 black was the last one when 4K and slow motion came to play and the Gopro 1, 2 and 3 before that.

The Gopro hero 7 Black looks like the best advance in these in a long time. I had noticed filming on a boat this summer in rough seas on the way to St Kilda that my mate with the Gopro hero 6 black was getting much better footage than me with the little stabiliser inside the 6. My hero 4 was just bouncy, jerky and poor as the boat slammed the waves.

Obviously gimbals like my DJI Osmo wouldn't like salt water at all and waves occasionally came over and there was constant spray.

This new Gopro 7 black seems to have very advanced stabilisation inside so I thought I'd give it a go:) I will see how it does, I do have high hopes.

SEPTEMBER 2018 - Salmon fishing film

It was great to film some fly fishing on the River Tay and spend some time with the Gillies and fishermen. Filming from the air here was great and the drone always works well with the fly cast.

The film will be up soon on the website: https://www.salmon-fishing-scotland.com

Great review from Jock Monteith who runs the company:

“Having vast experience of some of Scotland's brilliant TV producers on the riverbanks of Scotland it was a true breath of fresh air to gain the professional eye and experience of Kirk Watson who is indeed a 'true' master of drone flight and has 'real' flair for creating true masterpieces at a reasonable cost. Any of my future salmon river filming requirements will be directed only to him and I cannot recommend Kirk highly enough.”

SEPTEMBER 2018 - Mink Camper Advert

I spent a few Days with Steven and Lisa who run Mink Camper Scotland. We had a brilliant time travelling about the west coast of Scotland in these cool little campers. The job was to get a large variety of landscapes and different situations for the campers to be in over a few days and obviously make it all look beautiful and interesting:) We involved, kayaks, mountain bikes, beaches, mountains, bridges, swimming, ferries…….The film will be out later in the year and some short clips for instagram too.

A few clips from the film above:) The Ferry Captain, Q, said personally he hated drones. But my drone and my paperwork and flight planning which took into account, licence, insurance, RAF, Sea Eagles, power lines, buildings, boats, airports etc made him love mine. Always good to change folks opinions on these craft.

AUGUST 2018 - Filming for Russwood in Newtonmore

A fun few days filming and learning about cladding, flooring, decking and how it all goes together and what wood its made from and how it is finished. Combine all these things and you have some very high quality products produced for sites all over the UK. Always interesting learning new things while filming them. Down to editing this now:) www.russwood.co.uk

August 2018 - Aerial filming for a Runrig documentary

I listened to a good bit of Runrig in my school days and at the dances at the Highland games.  So it seemed fitting I was filming for Jack Cocker (Director).  I went to school with Jack (the year above me) and haven't seen him in about 20 years and in that time he has had a few BAFTA's:)  The forecast was drizzle and we didn't get rained on once and got quiet roads for filming some Runrig fans in the Northwest of Scotland.  The crew were very happy with the shots.

July 2018 - An amazing boat trip on Ocean Swift

What an experience finally stepping onboard the Ocean Swift.  A boat built entirely by a mate John sat in the middle above.  He even built an oven to bend the windows!  It is one of the fastest catamarans of its size in the world if not the fastest.  So from Crinan we made it to St Kilda in the first twenty four hours.  Minus my breakfast and lunch:)

We visited some mates there and then journeyed around many other islands on the way home filming on the way and flying the drone from the back of the boat which is always exciting:)  Film to follow some point.

JULY 2018: Faroe Islands with DJI Inspire 2 and NHK Japan

I have always wanted to go to the Faroe Islands and it was great to be invited by the Japanese to continue with the TV program on European Islands.  It is a fantastic place.  A bit like Northern Skye with bigger cliffs, waterfalls and more of it:)  Travelled on a Carnet with the DJI Inspire 2 and X7 Camera for this 4K TV Show.  In the Faroe you must be insured but no licence required and they have their own rules which are a bit different from UK Laws.  Inspiring place to film though.

DRONE SHOWREEL 2018

A new aerial showreel for Perfect View productions from jobs working as a Drone pilot in Scotland over the past year.  I had a bit of spare time this week so good to put this together.  I hope you enjoy it:)

New drone showreel of Scotland for www.perfectviewproductions.co.uk. This showreel shows a few highlights from the last 12 months of work with my drones:) The first eight clips are the Cairngorms near home. This was my first trip out on my own with the new DJI Inspire 2 with X7 Camera before a few jobs I had with it so I could get used to it. The best new thing apart from the great footage from 14 stops of dynamic range is the fact I have four prime lenses. You’ll see from the clip of myself walking on Facial Ridge the 50mm (35mm equivalent to 77mm) is great for giving a different look from the standard wide angle drones all have. Brings the background closer to me in this shot. Same lens was used with the shot of the top of Shelterstone crag and the couple on the summit of Ben MacDui. The next five clips are of the Strathspey Steam engine (based in Aviemore). This was an awesome day on the job where I had sole use of the train for my filming:) I used the DJI Inspire 1. Then we head to the Western Isles for seven shots with the opening shot of the CalMac ferry coming into Stornaway. This is within the ATZ of the local airport so I had to co-ordinate this flying with Air Traffic control to do this. They were super friendly like everyone out on the Western isles:) Some great beaches and seascapes out here. A wave sport kayak clip from the Moray Coast was thrown in here to from an advert I made. Into a bit of Rock Climbing next while filming for Glenmore Lodge and their youtube channel. First two shots are at Reiff climbing then onto Stac Pollaidh for a mountain day. The long shot of panning round into Dave and Jon climbing is one of my favourite. The shot was too long to play in full for a showreel. It does make for a very atmospheric shot though. These were all filmed with the DJI Mavic Pro. (easiest drone to climb a hill with:) The 32nd shot with the old tree, is a sunset shot of Cairngorm with the 50mm lens on the X7 Camera. 3 shots of an Army truck for a TV program. With the Mavic and Inspire 1. The third shot was in an amazing corridor of trees that were super tall. This was filmed on an estate in Aberdeenshire where the crew stayed and filmed for part of the show. Two tree shots to swap from summer to winter. Summer shot from the X7 camera and the winter one from the Mavic. I do love the trees covered in snow in the winter. Few winter shots of Glenmore lodge filming of Mountaineering skills and Ski mountaineering. We then finish on several shots from the summit of Sgor Gaoith in the Cairngorms. These shot were with the Mavic Pro for a Casio GPS watch advert. The tops of the hills were clear for only 30 minutes that day (I know this from friends running ski mountaineering courses up on the tops that day) and we happened to be there on the summit just as it cleared. Great shots and would be very hard to re-create again but hopefully I will:) If you ever need a drone pilot for your shoot give me a shout and check out my website www.perfectviewproductions.co.uk

JULY 2018: Drone Filming on Sark Island in the Channel Isles

Off to Sark island with the DJI Inspire 2 and X7 Camera to be a drone pilot on a NHK Television show about European Islands.  This is my fifth Job with Japanese Television, most of which have been NHK and they are great to work with.  Brilliant team of folk.

Permissions were tricky here but got permission to fly from a boat no closer than 150m from the Island.  Fortunately I no longer just have one set wide angle lens I have four prime lenses so I can appear much closer to a subject.  One of the days I took to using the X7 Camera for a bit of steady cam cinematography on the Island and it work really well running alongside the horse and carriages (as no vehicles apart from tractors on the Island).  Also managed a whole bunch of dolly shots and crane shots with it.  The director was super chuffed as they had only the FS7 Mark 2 (great footage from this machine) with sticks for shooting and a bit of handheld but never quite the same as with a gimbal and a steady walking man:)

JUNE 2018: DJI Inspire 2 with X7 Camera arrives

Very exciting this month as the new DJI Inspire 2 with X7 Camera with four prime lenses and all the other bits arrives at Perfect View Productions Ltd ready to up the came of the company.   It is a real beast and some beautiful imagery from it hopefully in July I'll pop some of my own footage out as busy with a few jobs for Television with it first.

JUNE 2018: World Heritage TV Program on the Lake District

I headed to the Lake District to film for Japanese television about the World heritage site.  We travelled round a fair bit and visited a few key places of Peter Rabbit and his author.  We also filmed a wedding.

APRIL 2018: Blackrock Cottage Glencoe

Spent a couple of days and a night staying in Blackrock Cottage in Glencoe.  This was my great Grandads and Grandmothers housed they were the last people to live in it.  So I went along with my mum and mothers cousin Helen to take a bit of footage just for a wee personal project.  Was great for my mum to have slept in the same room her mother would have slept in when she was a kid.

MAY 2018: Wavesport Advert

Wave sport Kayaks are bringing out a new Touring Kayak and wanted myself to make an advert for them.  So over two days we filmed it using a variety of locations.  I used the Lumix GH5, go pro, steady cam rig and the DJI Mavic Pro.

The all-new Hydra from Wave Sport is a feature rich sporty tourer set to turn heads - whitewater DNA courses through the Hydra gelling with modern touring design - This is Touring: Wave Sport style! https://www.WaveSport.com/Hydra #WaveSportKayaks

APRIL 2018: Eagle Brae - Building a Log Cabin

I spent a very interesting day up at Eagle Brae filming the building of a Log Cabin.  A proper log cabin too with huge logs and put together by Canadians.

How to set an Eagle Brae log cabin in 2 minutes...

APRIL 2018: Ride Cairngorm opening

A mate Nash opens a shop in Boat of Garden called Ride Cairngorm so I go along to make a couple of wee films for the opening and his webpage.   Danny MacAskill and the Drop and Roll team were there to put on a show. Was a great day with over 4000 people there throughout the day.

Danny MacAskill and his team from Drop and Roll help open Nash's shop with a brilliant display of their stunts at Ride Cairngorm in Boat of Garten. Right next to the StrathSpey Steam engine. It was a brilliant day with over 4000 people coming through the village that day.

Ride Cairngorm Shop. Bit of riding here from Nash around Aviemore and a look inside his shop in the first month of opening.

MARCH 2018: PVP's most watched video so far! Casio watch Instructional/advert film

This little project came about back in January as myself and the Casio Northern UK Rep Warren Halliwell started putting together a story to film about the new CASIO Rangeman for www.casio.co.uk.  It's tricky planning days for filming when you want to get up onto the Cairngorm plateau at almost 4000ft with a drone and other cameras especially so far in advance.

The day we filmed the tops of the hills only cleared for 30minutes after several hours walking in the mist on the hill.  Those 30 minutes gave us our spectacular opening shots, these would be hard to repeat.  (friends were out skiing on the tops all day and said that was the only time it cleared for them too.  My drone filming, story telling, camera and mountain/ropework skills all came into play to bring this film to completion.  

It has done well with over 434K views so far:)

G-SHOCK UK RANGEMAN GPR-B1000-1ER from Master of G, LAND Collection Part of the MASTER OF G series of watches designed for use in the most extreme conditions, the all new RANGEMAN challenges the limits of what a timepiece can be in true G-SHOCK style - the World's First*1 Solar-Assisted*2 GPS Navigation for the G-SHOCK RANGEMAN.

MARCH 2018: Pokemon Mountain and Water Safety

Hollywood comes to Scotland for the new Pokemon film and we did the safety in many locations for them.  I stepped back into my MIC (Mountain Instructor) role to join the www.mountainandwatersafety.co.uk team of which there were quite a few on this big budget feature.

Click the right side of the image to scroll through the three shots:)

FEBRUARY 2018: Drone filming for Visit Scotland Advert

Spent a day around Speyside and the Moray Coat filming some shots for Visit Scotland.  We had to hit the drone shots in-between snow and sleet showers but we got it done in the end:)

Bow Fiddle rock near the end of the day