DENVER (KDVR) — Drone video from Denver-based cinematographer Will Strathmann takes viewers on a thrill ride up and over one of the Mile High City’s tallest buildings, the Wells Fargo Center.
The nearly 700-foot-tall skyscraper is known by Denverites as the “cash register building” because of its resemblance to an antique cash register.
Strathmann, an FAA-licensed drone pilot and filmmaker, captured the Denver landmark on his drone camera during an early-morning shoot earlier this month. His video was posted online days ago and has been viewed thousands of times.
“The shot I had in mind was as the sun was rising and reflecting off those windows at the top of the building. Then as (the drone) goes over the side, to be able to do a dive down, was something much more dynamic and interesting and different than (what) people are used to seeing,” Strathmann told FOX31.
Using goggles and a remote control, Strathmann flies what’s known as a first-person view (FPV) drone. The custom drone is more agile than most consumer drones, and captures breathtaking video.
“I film everything from promotional things for small businesses, to travel work. I do a lot of underwater photography. I’m a commercially-licensed drone pilot, so I do a lot of aerial work,” Strathmann said.
Because of the coronavirus closures, he’s been spending more time in Denver lately, where a seemingly vacant city provides new-found inspiration. It also creates ideal safety conditions for taking flight.
“You have to think about the people. You have to think about people in streets or in cars, or just walking around. And legally, you’re not supposed to fly over people. So with the stay-at-home order, there’s virtually no people out,” Strathmann said.
Strathmann says he followed all the FAA rules and even had a trained spotter along with him at the time of the unforgettable flight earlier this month. He even figured out the perfect angle and the perfect time of day to launch. The result was a jaw-dropping view of the very top of the Mile High City.
“It’s always really fun to have a vision in your head of a certain shot, and then put in the work, put in the research, and then go and execute it. And then to see it onscreen and have it be almost exactly what you envisioned, or even better, is one of my favorite things about what I do,” Strathmann.
Strathmann has posted more of his work to his Instagram profile.