Amazing Aerial and Frankenstein Go to Hollywood

Poster for the movie Frankenstein, for which Amazing Aerial member Andy Smith contributed footage. Photo credit: Netflix

By Rebecca Duras

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein was one of the most anticipated blockbusters of 2025. Fans of the director were eagerly waiting for the day another of his adaptations of dark fairytales and classic horror stories, with his trademark fairy tale vision and twisted sensibilities, would be released for streaming on Netflix. The cast is studded with some of the biggest actors of today, including Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac, and Mia Goth, whose fans wanted to see their collaboration with one of the best directors of the present day.

For Andy Smith, Scotland-based photographer and Amazing Aerial member, the premiere of Frankenstein was also exciting, but for different reasons. He could finally share that some of his footage was used by the Hollywood production and get to see his own work on the big screen and on Netflix. A few years ago, the production team approached Andy and asked him to shoot some footage which was used in the movie.

It’s not every day that an Amazing Aerial member’s work is part of one of the biggest Hollywood movies of the year. We caught up with Andy to chat more about the process of working with Hollywood, how he adjusted his work to meet production standards, and what he hopes will come out of his Hollywood collaboration.

Seacliff Beach in East Lothian, Scotland. Footage from this location caught the attention of a VFX company working with the Netflix production and they reached out to Andy © Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

Tell us a little bit more about how the collaboration with the Frankenstein movie came about?

A VFX company in Canada found a personal project I had created at Seacliff Beach in 2023, a local private beach near me in East Lothian Scotland. They had scouted this exact location for the Frankenstein movie.

I created a short experimental film of the beach to test the capabilities of a new drone. Shooting in high frame rates (50fps), H-LOG colour mode and in as wide a range of shots as possible, editing a short video of the findings and posting it on Vimeo.

Andy at work capturing footage for Frankenstein. Photo credit: Andy Smith © Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

Why do you think the production company chose your footage?

I think it was partly because it was the right location, so they had someone with local knowledge, and maybe also because I shot the personal film in a deliberately ‘cinematic’ style. Although they didn’t ever tell me why they chose me, so I’m just guessing

Aerial view of Scotland’s rugged coastline.© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

What challenges did you face trying to meet the demands of film production, which requires a higher production standard than average drone flights?

I normally fly small to medium sized drones, DJI Mini, Air and Mavic Pros. However, this project needed 8K footage, so I needed to hire a higher spec machine.

After the first meeting [with the production company], I also knew that I was out of my depth in terms of feature film terminology.

The solution was to hire an Inspire 3 drone with the maximum spec, and bring in a veteran TV and Cinema camera operator, Hazel Palmer, to partner with me. We got this equipment from Heliguy in Newcastle, England.

We decided that I would operate the drone and she would operate the camera.

The storyboard and shot list we were supplied with was not straightforward. A lot of complex movements were required.

It took a lot of practice for Hazel and I to get on the same page. I’m used to drone and camera movements being unified, but with the Inspire 3, the camera is completely independent from the direction of the drone, so that was a headache for me at the start. Once we got used to it, it became clear that there is a whole added dimension of shots available with a two-person drone with an independent 360 camera.

Getting the Inspire 3 drone ready for flight.© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

What was the experience like working with a Hollywood production? Besides the technical specifications, what other adjustments did you have to make?

I guess in modern, post-covid times (we shot in February 2024), the experience was almost entirely remote.

Apart from a location scout, who also acted as a great minder for us on the set, we were on our own. We checked in with regular meetings with the crew in Canada. But other than that, it was no different from any other assignment.

Aerial view of Seacliff Beach.© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

How does your work fit in with the larger production of the movie?

It’s very hard to see exactly which were Hazel and my shots as a huge amount of CGI and post-production has been applied to it. But (spoiler alert) anything you see with the outside of the tower could be ours. Some of it definitely is, I recognise it, but other things are harder to be exact about.

As well as Hazel and I operating drones, there were several other people capturing the area by drone, LIDAR and ground cameras to build up an entire 3D world. So exactly who did what is difficult to attribute.

Aerial view over Seacliff Beach, Scotland.© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

What do you hope will come out of your collaboration with Hollywood for this project?

It’s strange for me as it was nearly two years ago. Yet, until the film was released I couldn’t mention that I had worked on it. Now that I can, I am hoping it will lead to more projects like this. That would be great! And also a general increase of profile for myself would be good.

The tidal pools along Seacliff Beach, Scotland.© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

Do you have any advice for photographers who might be hoping for similar opportunities?

Do some personal projects, whether they are video or photography, purely for your own artistic satisfaction.

Don’t worry about likes, reach, going viral or any of that nonsense. Focus purely on making art that makes you happy and that you are proud of and put it out there. Then forget about it and go and make some more art. You never know what might happen.

It’s not at all true that projects like this are reserved for only a few elite professionals. If a guy like me, living in rural Scotland, flying drones as a side business can end up doing this, then anyone can.

Waves crash against the rocky shoreline.© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

What is your main takeaway from this experience? How do you think it will impact the way you approach your work going forward?

I will continue to make personal projects that satisfy creative urges, without trying to second guess what will sell. I think not trying to produce commercial work is, counter-intuitively, the best way to stand out.

See More Stunning Photos Below!

The interplay of water and shore at Seacliff Beach© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

Rocky islets off the Scottish coast.© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

Rock off the coast of East Lothian, Scotland.© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith

The shore stretches out along East Lothian, Scotland.© Amazing Aerial Agency / Andy Smith