The interview first appeared in ProductionHub
John Falchetto, the award-winning cinematographer and CEO of Quest Films, has pioneered a transformative approach that leverages AI-powered drones coupled with LiveU technology. Falchetto encapsulates the essence of this innovation, stating, "Less-is-more in live remote production and A.I coupled to 5G promises less. The less gear needed on location, the less there is to pack up, carry up, set up and power up to quickly capture live aerial video footage."
This paradigm shift not only reduces the logistical burden but also enhances the efficiency and immediacy of capturing breaking news. In this article, we delve into Falchetto's groundbreaking method and explore how AI-powered drones are revolutionizing news and television production, bringing audiences closer to real-time events than ever before.
PH: Can you share the inspiration and development process behind integrating LiveU technology with AI-powered drones? What sparked the idea, and how did you bring it to life?
John Falchetto: I have a background in TV journalism, starting with AP in the early 2000s in the Cairo, Egypt office and covering the Middle East for years. In 2012 I was a freelance DP and saw the emergence of drones as a great solution for affordable and easy to deploy aerial video, at a time when expensive helicopters were still the norm. I always tried to find novel ways to lighten the equipment required to allow crews to work faster.
During my Masters in Journalism and in my following professional experience I focused on ENG (Electronic News Gathering)/EFP (Electronic Field Production). This allowed me to understand the needs and challenges of live news broadcasts. Both my technical-oriented classes and my experience on the ground gave me the basis to innovate new technological solutions for live news broadcasts.
In addition to my formal academic training, I also hold a commercial pilot license. During my training, I acquired knowledge in flight operations, performance, flight planning, navigation, aerodynamics, and communications technology. This expertise in understanding flight operations blended with a knowledge of ENG requirements allowed me to successfully build the first HD video drone in the UAE in 2012. This home-built drone carried one of the first HD Dslr, the Canon 5D Mk3 with a flight time of 15 minutes.
I captured the Red Bull team base jumping into the world’s second largest cave. Then numerous brands approached me to shoot their TV commercials, the 100th anniversary of Aston Martin with the landing of a car on top of Burj Al Arab helipad in Dubai, the launch of the new Jaguar XJ with a race between the Jaguar and the flying Jetman, the crossing of the Saudi desert with the Bentley Continental GT V8.
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