In this Modern Artist segment, we feature Andrew Sudyk, an aspiring student from Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School about his passion for drone filming.

What inspired you to learn more about video/editing?
In 8th grade, I was assigned a project to use video to brand myself. Everyone liked it so much, that I knew I needed to further pursue this. I was always tech-oriented, but I never knew that video production would be something I liked so much.

How long have you been doing it for?
4 years.

What are some obstacles you've faced while learning about video shooting/editing?
Money was the biggest issue as modern technology can be an expensive upfront investment. Over the next two years, I saved enough money to buy myself a drone.

What's the most rewarding aspect of what you do?
A drone can start all sorts of conversations, can be rewarding, too. However, the ultimate reward is being able to see and present the beautiful 4K quality video footage in the end. It provides angles and altitude that are rare to an average person.

How has this new skill positively impacted your studies?
Sometimes I’m working on a project looking through 2.5 hours of raw footage, before I begin editing. Organization and time management a key skill that can be passed on to everyday life.

What was the first thing you shot with your drone?
The first shot I (mistakenly) recorded with my drone was actually the concrete road, because I didn’t point my camera in the right direction. I was more worried about taking off from the ground, as I wasn’t familiar with the controls yet.
My second attempt was an areal view of my neighbourhood

If I could put you anywhere in the world to shoot drone footage, where would it be?
Arizona, would be an awesome place to get the coolest shots, including the Grand Canyon.

What advice do you have for others who want to learn a new skill?
Everyone has to start somewhere. It is important you set a goal for yourself, and if you have any questions along the way, everything’s online.

Where do you see the future of drone video shooting going?
They currently play a big part in the film industry, but every year they expand into other fields. For example, a new thermal camera was developed, that enables firefighters to fly a drone over a burning building and accurately extinguish the fire according the the heat patterns on the map.

Who are three of your favourite video creators?
Peter McKinnon, Casey Neistat and George Lucas.