DJI and Hollywood's Finest Go Big on Ronin-M Film

DJI and some of the film industry's finest set out to produce a short film showcasing the new Ronin-M System. The project featured an A-list actor, seasoned director of photography, and a world-class stuntman turned director.

A few weeks ago I got a call to work on a job in downtown Los Angeles. I was told that it was a short film with a big budget. When I showed up on rehearsal day, I learned quickly that it was a promotional piece for DJI and the new Ronin-M System. The Ronin-M is a camera stabilization system and a direct competitor to the MōVI. The project featured actor Joel Edgarton of "The Great Gatsby" and "Warrior", world-renowned stuntman turned director Lin Oeding and "Casino Royale" Director of Photography Phil Meheux. The short is beautifully produced and highlights the dynamic range and versatility of the system.

This film was shot in seven hours due to the child labor law. According to Meheux, the Ronin-M System is designed for small cameras and is very effective because it allows a team to pull off many shots in a short time. Because DJI was on-site, the production team had the versatility of an RC Car and the S1000, their Spreading Wings System.

After seeing the pieces all come together, I must agree with Meheux. It is very possible to pull of beautiful shots with a small team and a short amount of time. The experience left me to consider investing in their technology. The DJI engineers were on site troubleshooting gear and really take pride in their products. Head over to the DJI website to learn more about the Ronin-M.

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2 Comments

I'm keen to try the Ronin M. Been shooting a bit with the M15 and it's great, but curious to see how this compares. What were you involved in on the shoot Carmine?

I noticed the some of the hand-off's were cut, like the jib to the hand held of the boy and the Drone hand-off before the steps, I wonder if the mounting off was too shaky, I figure those long one take shots were what Ronin was trying to showcase. It was a nice short.