Flowstate: The FPV Drone Documentary

I was lucky enough to get invited to the pre-release private premier of this. And I walked away so impressed with it as well as everyone else present. It does a wonderful job of showing what this is all about, where it stood at the release, the people and community, the scene, and some of the prominent figures in the scene. It does as best as possible to fit it in a documentary length film as well. There is of course so much more it could in no way cover in a movie length film but still had me leaving proud to be a part of the hobby and scene in every way. It also serves as an amazing tool to inspire new would be FPV enthusiasts and pilots I think as well.

In my view, the cother reviewer's (jmfrazer) perspective on the film is shortsighted and misses the deeper context and narrative the movie provides. While he slams the film's structure and content, I believe he overlooks the documentary's aim to immerse viewers in the unique subculture of drone enthusiasts.

First, I think the film's use of well chosen short clips and snippets from various flights is a deliberate choice, reflecting the diverse experiences of drone pilots and builders. This approach highlights the collective spirit and collaboration within the drone community.

I also believe dismissing the political segments on regulations as "odd" misses a crucial point. These segments provide essential context about the challenges the drone community faces, particularly with legal and regulatory hurdles. This context is vital for appreciating the community's struggles and contributions, balancing innovation with safety and regulation.

His claim that the film is only for those already engrossed in the culture seems fundamentally mistaken to me. While the film resonates with insiders, I believe it also serves as an introductory window for outsiders, showcasing the excitement, technical skill, and camaraderie of the drone community. He I am new to this scene, and found the community's back story as show quite a relevation.

In short, I think his narrow focus on the film's format and content overlooks its successful portrayal of the drone community's challenges, innovations, and spirit. The documentary celebrates the achievements while educating and inspiring a broader audience about the intersection of art, engineering and science. In my view, he misses the film's potential to engage both enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

P. S: I usually don't comment on movies, but found the other reviewer's critique pretty unfair and felt some points needed to be addressed.

First I'll say that this film was so badly created. It features mini clips (2-3 seconds) of random flights mixed with numerous, nameless pilots and fabricators. I have no idea what the ultimate point of this film was or what their goals were in making it. The narrative from the people is ridiculously repetitive 'It's the closest thing to flying without flying...', 'It's so cool...', 'We started from nothing and hanging out in forums...'. The video content is nothing more than little captures and snippets from previous flights etc so there is literally no actual filming of the drones or flight recordings specifically for the purpose of the film.

Then they throw in the odd political mini segment regarding the regulations that were being discussed and brought is at the time (around 2020).

I just get the feeling that the only people that would appreciate the contents of this film are those already engrossed within the culture, at which point there is literally nothing new or interesting about this. While if you are new to this hobby, activity, sport, whatever you want to call it, the film itself is dull and boring with little to encourage you to investigate further.