Drone pilot and cinematographer creates next-level video effects

A post by DJIGlobal grabbed us tonight. The post-production work was spectacular. We wanted to share it with you… and learn what we could about the creator.

Here at DroneDJ, we really like spotting and highlighting talent from the drone world. It might be an amazing pilot, or perhaps someone who designs and builds drones. In this case, it’s someone with a combination of creativity and astonishing technical chops. So sit back, and prepare to watch a few clips that will really blow your mind.

Seriously.

Remember Inception?

Of course you do – that 2010 movie with the wild special effects. The one where cities seemed to turn inside out, and you were left wondering what it was you’d just seen. Well, the first clip from Christoph Benfey is kind of like that.

Chris is from Canada; he’s been shooting pro photos for about 20 years and flying drones for about eight years– really diving into FPV just over a year ago. An accomplished pilot, cinematographer, and creative, he’s won a number of awards in fields ranging from marketing to filmmaking. And when you see this clip, you’ll understand why: This is one crazy loop that will challenge your perspective:

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This is a crazy good piece of work..

DJI reposted it…

Shot with a Mavic 2 Pro and with @DJIGlobal tagged, the drone giant was quick to share it on Instagram. Within eight hours it had racked up nearly 35K likes and 368 comments.

Well-earned, Christoph!

We wanted to see what else Christoph has done

So we went nosing around his Instagram and YouTube accounts, as well as his LinkedIn profile. (We also shot him a note to see if we could ask some questions. He hadn’t seen it by the time we published, so hopefully we can still catch up with him another time.)

Here’s how his LinkedIn profile describes him:

An award-winning director and cinematographer, Christoph Benfey has been using cameras to capture moments as they happen around him for almost two decades. Since having his work published at age 15, he’s been driven by a desire to tell stories and showcase subjects in new and exciting ways, changing people’s perceptions of otherwise mundane content. His unorthodox approach to his commercial work has resulted in several national marketing awards including the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Marketing. Christoph’s obsession with new technologies in pursuit of unique perspectives lead him into the world of drone cinematography two years ago, and he is now a highly sought-after drone pilot for commercial work all over North America. Not one to shy away from danger, his work has taken him on some crazy adventures, from 6 levels deep in the belly of a Bolivian mine, to 18,000 feet above sea level, to having his eyelids freeze shut in Canada’s far north. 

Christoph Benfey’s LinkedIn Profile

Let’s check out a few more of Christoph’s posts!

For sure! This boomerang/hyperlapse is, well, kinda delicious. (The car’s not bad, either.)

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Here’s some nice FPV work from last fall. No special effects here, just some great piloting:

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And this? Definitely some hyperlapse action going on, while moving in on an interesting subject in really low light. Once again, Benfey produces memorable work:

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And let’s not forget this gorgeous FPV loop:

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Wanna learn from Christoph?

Who wouldn’t? His YouTube channel features some great clips, including this tutorial offering 10 tips for beginners hoping to up their cinematic FPV game. Check it out:

And here he is…

In his natural environment.

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Follow this guy… we just did.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbenfey/

YouTube

We’re hoping to pick up some tips when we get a chance to speak with Christoph. So stay tuned!

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