By: AERIALIS Kites

Featured Video: Will I Find The Wind? (YouTube: Fw3nK-aTO4U)

Category: Video Production, Audio Scoring & Field Photography

Introduction: The Visual Challenge of Winter Kiting

Shooting a compelling video on a sub-zero January day brings a unique set of technical hurdles. Between cold battery drain, harsh high-contrast winter light, dynamic line-tracking, and recording ambient audio in freezing breeze, creating “Will I Find The Wind?” was as much a exercise in run-and-gun filmmaking as it was a kite session.

In this behind-the-scenes article, I’m breaking down my workflow—from framing storytelling B-roll to tracking high-speed quad-line maneuvers and scoring the final edit.

1. Narrative Framing & B-Roll: Building Story Tension

One of the main mistakes in sport kiting videos is jumping straight to the action without establishing context. For this project, I wanted to document the genuine frustration and persistence required when hunting for coastal wind.

• A-Roll Vlog Elements: I used lightweight, handheld vlogging setups to shoot quick, candid updates straight to camera at each location. Keeping the camera close and accessible allowed me to capture immediate, unscripted reaction shots as conditions failed or succeeded.
• Scouting B-Roll: Before unpacking the heavy gear at Beach #2 and #3, I walked ahead with a handheld setup to capture establishing shots of frozen ground, overcast skies, and flat water. This visual contrast emphasized the calm before the storm and grounded the viewer in the icy environment.

2. Camera Setup & Tracking Precision Flight

Filming quad-line kiting single-handedly requires strict exposure control and smart framing, as you’re managing both the flight handles and camera gear.

• Exposing for Winter Sky & Golden Hour: On January 1st, low-altitude sun and reflective icy surfaces create extreme contrast. When the sun broke through the clouds during the flight sequence (05:01), I exposed specifically for the highlights to prevent blown-out skies and retain color saturation in the kite’s yellow panels against the golden horizon.
• Multi-Angle Coverage:
  • Wide Framing: A wide fixed-shot locked on a tripod captured the full flight window, keeping both pilot and kite framed against the fjord landscape.
  • Dynamic Tracking & Close-Ups: Telephoto tracking shots captured tight wing-turns, airframe tension, and smooth low-altitude hovers, giving the flight sequence a cinematic depth.

3. Audio Workflow & Custom Scoring

Cold, coastal wind is the ultimate enemy of clean audio. Balancing crisp spoken dialogue with ambient sea breeze and music required a layered audio approach.

• Wind Noise Reduction in the Field: For direct-to-camera dialogue along the freezing shore, high-density deadcat wind muffs were essential to isolate voice frequencies from low-end wind rumble.
• Musical Scoring (“Midnight Drift”): Music sets the pacing of the edit. Instead of fast-paced, aggressive music, I composed and layered an original melancholic/atmospheric track to reflect the quiet solitude of flying solo on New Year’s Day. The flight cuts were timed directly to rhythmic transitions in the music, elevating the visual flow.

Production Timeline Breakdown

Tech Takeaways for Solo Creators

If you’re filming your own flight sessions in cold weather:

1. Warm Your Batteries: Cold temperatures drain lithium batteries fast. Keep spares in an internal jacket pocket close to body heat until the exact moment you press record.
2. Expose for Highlights: Let the shadow areas fall where they may—protecting the sky highlights ensures your kite’s colors stay vibrant in camera.
3. Tell a Story: The struggle to find wind is part of the sport. Don’t edit out the journey; use it to build a narrative arc before launching into the sky.