A video that tells part of the story.

I’m extremely proud to be a small part of the team that created this Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce video. Created by the talented folks at Voortex Productions, this promotional movie combines ground and aerial footage, narrative, and original music to show and tell what Wenatchee is all about. Watch it and you’ll see why I made the move here from the dying Arizona town I lived in.

We are Wenatchee from Voortex Productions on Vimeo.

All of the aerial footage was shot from my helicopter. It required quite a bit of tricky flying. Because the videographer sat in the seat behind me shooting out the door, certain shots — such as the downtown flight — required me to fly sideways at about 30 knots. The final reveal from behind Saddle Rock required a smooth vertical climb with gentle but noticeable wind currents in the canyon behind the peak.

The air-to-air footage of Miss Veedol was challenging but fun. It required me to keep up with the plane as it flew around Wenatchee, putting the videographer in the position he wanted: above, below, in front of, behind. I’m amazed by how well the shots that day came out and tickled that my property in Malaga can be seen behind the plane in one long sequence.

Many thanks to the folks at Voortex Productions for giving me the opportunity to prove how great aerial video can make a production even better than it might otherwise be. I especially appreciate their understanding of the safety and performance aspects of the helicopter, enabling us to keep the ship light so these shots were possible.