Los Angeles 4K drone video (incredible footage!) - La La Land

This drone footage of Los Angeles was shot in the spring of 2017 and was inspired by Damien Chazelle's "La La Land."
La La Land is an ode to the golden era of Hollywood and this video attempts to copy the film's aesthetic... cut to the tempo, long takes, dissolve transitions etc. People are not featured in this video, only landmarks and LA's incredible natural beauty.
LICENSING: I have hundreds of shots that did not make this edit, if you're interested in licensing arial shots of Los Angeles and the surrounding area, please email me. I'm also available for custom shoots. evanthomas1[ at ] gmail.com. Clips start at $50 USD.
Stay up to date on Instagram: / evanthomas.me
If you're curious about a location, or what gear was used, please leave a comment below.
Drone used: amzn.to/2qC4uyW
Songs (edited into one single song):
- Mia and Sebastian's Theme - La La Land
- Epilogue - La La Land
- Planetarium - La La Land
All drone shots in this video were captured safely and flight plans were approved by all airport control towers within a 5-mile radius. All flight plans were deemed acceptable and unlocked by the DJI Go App.
Please keep droning safe and its future secure by:
- Flying in a safe and controlled manner
- Getting approval for all flight plans from the FAA
- Unlocking restricted areas via the DJI Go App
- Adhering to all local laws regarding drones
- Respecting private property
- Refraining from taking identifiable images of people
- Staying outside the restricted zone for landmarks, stadiums, museums and other public places.
- Keeping a direct line-of-site with the drone
- Loitering in residential areas

[@EvanThomas]

Checkout my most recent video from SPAIN! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJ3Cl2eYhsuIpbM

[@chillibeans7046]

Evan Thomas hey I am going to make an edit from this vid please look and you can have it when finished

[@TojikTech]

Can I use part of this video as my intro, I'll credit your channel on description?

[@finnlouisv]

Hey can i use a scene from that video ??

[@CesarJunior]

I'v been trying nature like you, thanks for sharing...please if you can check it out on my channel and say what yout hink about . kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIOwdJyve6qZbpY

[@emmanuelleo599]

I lived in Los Angeles for twenty-four years and fell in love with all of it. Had to leave five years ago, but I miss it every day. I watch this video when I am homesick for what I had to leave behind. Thank you for this poetic visual and musical ode to a place that holds so many memories for me.

[@Pablo-hi5wy]

They made GTA a real thing

[@honeysuckle]

wow LA never looked so amazing! Great job

[@EvanThomas]

LA is pretty amazing. thank you!

[@alexandertorro]

@@EvanThomas which drone and or camera you using?

[@echohotel7975]

You clearly aren't getting an accurate look at LA the homeless have taken over like the walking dead it's a cesspool but LA was once a great city probably one of the most exciting place to live next to NYC or San Francisco

[@hannahjoycheng]

GORGEOUS !! The color is absolutely perfect

[@LongJohnHolmes]

Los Santos

[@superswag3252]

Best city ever

[@jpeg.600x2]

u probably don't know any thing else about fucking Los angeles just saying

[@LivingWalks]

Hi there, we've been enjoying watching this. We film natural sight and sound walks in soulful cities, so it's lovely to see someone doing something similar but from another viewpoint (and in a place we've never been to), thank you for taking the time to add it. We look forward to seeing more and have subscribed.

[@EvanThomas]

Hey everyone, I started vlogging while in Spain. Checkout my vlogs here! goo.gl/6FLCWz

[@ColeMcCarthy]

Damn, that last shot. That one got me. Great edit, keep em coming

[@EvanThomas]

thanks Cole. I often post drone stuff on my IG: instagram.com/travelgrom/

[@LUPONELLASTEPPA]

Dope editing, just tune the color ( suggest you watch Yuri Palma and Neumann films channels)

[@VASTMedia]

Most incredible project start to finish I've seen. Great work man!

[@EvanThomas]

thanks Matt, I appreciate the kind words :)

[@JakeBoldtPoursPaint]

This makes me so excited to move there. Thank you man.

[@anthony3755]

insane! was a trip seeing everywhere i go in LA, but from a new perspective .

[@EvanThomas]

yes, it looks so different from above.

[@Andromeda2976]

Haha i secretly watch films about los angeles because I can't afford to live there, it's like a dream to me. This video translates it perfectly, thankyou xD

[@alexsamho]

Andromeda that’s really cute, TBH I live in LA and you’ll find the people here to be quite bitter and selfish. Traffic and all sorts of bad drivers. And crowded but even at that, you’ll meet the best people, celebrities are everywhere and it’s alright 🙏

[@histubeness]

@@alexsamho You've been hanging out with the wrong crowd. There are no more "quite bitter and selfish" people in LA, than anywhere else.

[@lukebandy516]

I love the record number of Iv users and homeless

[@tigerfang2099]

@@lukebandy516 the day I went to visit L.A. for the first time I was kinda disappointed not what I thought I would be, when I was walking the path of the stars with their names I didn't even knew it was already that area maybe it was not so busy that it made it look empty but I did saw some homeless people and I didn't enjoy the view.

[@antoniahamilton3201]

@@histubeness Bravo. We attract the kind of people we are.

[@RCLA]

WOW, fantastic video!!!

[@EvanThomas]

thank you!

[@VIKTORTRAPPSTEG]

Hi Evan, This is a very special film. A lot of creativity and talent went into it. The variety in the shots, the pace, the music made it all very interesting and a joy to watch. Well done! I hope you can make a nice drone film from Gothenburg eventually.

[@The5LazyNinjas]

i am absolutely in love with this

[@EvanThomas]

thanks!

[@brennanmaxwell6100]

Great video! Good editing and framing. I have a few questions. Are you a part 107 licensed op and did you have a waiver for flight in controlled airspace? It looks like you were in class B for KLAX and C for KBUR for a good potion of this video. You also flew over people a lot. Did you have to get a waiver for that? From what I hear the FAA is going after drone ops and fining people who post videos that include these violations. I’m genuinely curious and not trying to attack you. I just know these spots and I know the airspace in those spots so I wondered. Also, have you heard anything about the FAA getting aggressive with pilots? That’s what I’m hearing on the street. Be careful either way. Best of luck! And keep up the good work. Oh, one last thing, I also heard from someone that if your video has ads the LA film commission can back bill you for a permit. Again, I don’t know if it’s true, but it is not a cheap permit. So again, I’m curious if that’s actually happening.

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for your comment, yes I took all the necessary precautions and got authorization to fly in these zones.

[@kushakonak705]

Бляяя, видое огонь, снято не просто профессионально, а творчески уникально, музыка подобрана просто шедевр....... Не идеализируйте Лос-Анджелес, когда появится возможность, просто поедьте туда, и вы влюбитесь в этот город, он прекрасен, я хочу туда переехать, но не полюбив то место, где ты сейчас, не получится искренне стать счастливым в другом месте............ Лос-Анджелес действительно был построен интузиастами и мечтателями, он по праву носит название "Город Ангелов"

[@gracehoran1314]

Fantastic editing!

[@EvanThomas]

Thanks Grace!

[@thebabbler8867]

This needs more views!

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for the kind words :) Sharing on Facebook could help it get more views :)

[@GraceSanrioQueen]

this is so amazing I hope to achieve something this wonderful someday

[@EvanThomas]

just keep practicing and you will.

[@XpertCriminal1]

When I use this for my short film you get full credit

[@JakeBoldtPoursPaint]

This video is so great man

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching Jake!

[@James-gj3lb]

this is gold!

[@The1BlackPhoenix]

I know you used the Before You Fly website/app to help plan your flights, but looking up some of the locations like the Hollywood hills alone brought up more than 7 contacts for just that location alone. Did you call each of those locations for permission to shoot in just the one location or actually obtain permission from just one contact before flying?

[@EvanThomas]

the closest helipad/airport or the largest one. But the restrictions on flying have become stricter since I shot all this footage.

[@The1BlackPhoenix]

I can imagine, but I'm surprised you had any permission at all given that these are major landmarks. Were you FAA licensed at the time? Or did you say you'd be flying as a hobbyist?

[@EvanThomas]

I was licensed, but flying as a hobbyist.

[@CaptKewl]

Yeah. I can only imagine it would be a little more difficult to get those major landmarks presently with a drone. Cheers on the footage.

[@megababy80]

0:56 1:15 2:48 3:22 4:22 my home, great work

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching

[@JamieBanksTravel]

Hey found your channel through IG. Loved this video. Where was the one with the river taken? I'm also based in LA.

[@EvanThomas]

hey, that little stream was actually in Montecito just outside of Santa Barbara

[@EvanThomas]

thanks!

[@JamieBanksTravel]

Evan Thomas awesome, I'll have to check it out one day.

[@mangoryder7139]

Looks like the stream at my San antonio waterfall in Mt Baldy

[@PatrickConlon]

Nice video, a sub from me, truly an impressive shot. I hope to see more from you. Thanks for posting.

[@EvanThomas]

thank you!

[@farukbdesh8044]

Thank you so much for this video. Its look so splendid.

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching!

[@travelsofmunch1476]

Wow, that’s art

[@lordanonimo.6293]

Para mi es la mejor ciudad del mundo. Con problemas igual que todas, pero la mejor.

[@Zagayer]

Very Nice! I love your color grade :)

[@atrox9672]

this is amazing dude! Did oyu have any problem when flying the dorne? any recommendation to fly it? im gonna go there soon and i would love to take some of those awesome shots! :)

[@EvanThomas]

Atrox96 don’t fly over crowds or near the airport. Watch out for helicopters. Lots of them in LA

[@CaliwoodHills]

Evan Thomas did you need to get any permit for flying your drone over Santa Monica and LA city ? As I have heard it’s forbidden places for drones unless you have persimmon to fly ?

[@atrox9672]

@@EvanThomas thank you for the advice but, did you have any problems with cops when flying over downtown la?

[@arsgoetia182]

Can i use this video for my edit?

[@EhrenbruderJonas]

AMAZING FOOTAGE!!!!

[@dionnehamilton9398]

Hi Evan! I've lived in WeHo for 6 yrs. For the life of me I cannot figure out where you are at the 3:58 mark. Its so lush and green. Is that La Canada?? Thanks

[@EvanThomas]

That’s Palm Springs. 1.5 hours from LA

[@Victoria-ds2yk]

Loving this channel

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching, please subscribe

[@cadeoldchannel]

this was INSANEEEE

[@EvanThomas]

thanks Cade

[@BryceKuhn]

hey brother.. quick question.. do you shoot in 4k, then downscale it out to 1440p so it's easier to edit and then put it on youtube? quality is amazing

[@BryceKuhn]

also location at 3:10? thanks man

[@EvanThomas]

yes, and I also convert footage to ProRes and edit using proxies, it's much faster to edit that way.

[@BryceKuhn]

Evan Thomas damn i’ve been editing for so long and never heard about either of those, would you be able to explain to me those

[@EvanThomas]

follow this tutorial kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4WoZ3iPhNGJhrs

[@BryceKuhn]

what frame rate do you use to shoot? looks like 24fps

[@thebabe1184]

your video make me feel good

[@EvanThomas]

that was the goal! thanks for watching

[@benthatchervideo]

3:14 , where's this?

[@ChileThailandtravel]

Nice footage

[@EvanThomas]

thanks Alex! please subscribe to see future videos!

[@ChileThailandtravel]

Evan Thomas I already subscribed and hope you too will subscribe my channel. Thanks

[@gnagyusa]

Never been a big fan of L.A. (went there many times for work / conferences), but this video makes it look so nice!

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching

[@eagleridgehomes3589]

Great video, Evan! Two questions: 1. Which drone did you use to shoot this? and 2. Do you use ND filters?

[@EvanThomas]

thank you! I use this drone: amzn.to/2rqD0iZ and ND + polar filters which are needed to get the shutter speed down to 50 at 24 FPS. amzn.to/2rlxPPs

[@marioinfante807]

hey man I got a question would you be interested to make me a video I would pay lmk ASAP

[@JensEser]

Very beautiful! ;-)

[@EvanThomas]

thanks Jens

[@monkeyyo8972]

what type of drone do you have?

[@EvanThomas]

Phantom 4 Pro

[@holtzzy]

How did you go about contacting heliports and such in these super dense areas?

[@EvanThomas]

This is the best resource for finding all the numbers for heliports: knowbeforeyoufly.org/air-space-map/

[@holtzzy]

So you literally called 7+ different heliports in some of these shots?

[@EvanThomas]

Called more than 7. The video was shot over 3 days, so everything was planned meticulously before shooting. Including where to park the car and where to launch the drone, and where to pilot it from so as to have line of sight. Made a driving map of and used google maps for most of it, then transferred it to Air Maps to find which airports and heliports were in range.

[@ijustcreepupfrombehind1214]

Could I use this as a background for my song?

[@Enderkick]

is it okay if I use some of this footage for a few seconds in a video???

[@EvanThomas]

I license the footage, if you're interested please contact me.

[@zoezakson]

Hey Evan! Quick question, whenever I use my drone, I always find a portion of my footage to be unusable due to the drone’s wings (not sure what to call them) being in the shot. Any way stop them from getting in the way?

[@EvanThomas]

That's happening because you're flying with the gimbal at 90degrees (straight forward) and you're flying at full speed. When the drone flies at full-speed, the forward rotors dip towards the ground but the gimbal continues to look straight. Try tilting the camera down or don't fly so fast.

[@zoezakson]

thank you, i'll try that next time.

[@rahulrathod-vx6yv]

Grat job

[@sibinaayagam1838]

Hi, I'm a student from Los Angeles. I would like to use 5 seconds of Skyscrapers and Skyline footage from this video for my short film for my semester project. Can you let me know what I need to do for using it in my project? I have also emailed you about the same! Looking forward to your reply.

[@ABHISHEKKUMAR-ui9qw]

Nice editing bro

[@EvanThomas]

thanks Abi!

[@pewdiepieschair2693]

amazing job dawg!

[@EvanThomas]

thanks dude!

[@pewdiepieschair2693]

i have an instagram page i post cinematic shots of different countries, i used a minute of your footage you're also tagged hope thats okay

[@EvanThomas]

that's fine

[@doradaexploraduhh1550]

Can I use this in a intro?

[@EvanThomas]

yes if you link to my channel

[@land_session7804]

TOP VIDEO

[@TheGirlSkateBoardCo]

Nice! What drone did you use?

[@EvanThomas]

Jason Chavez DJI phantom 4 pro. Link is in the description.

[@TheGirlSkateBoardCo]

Thank you. Did you happen to use any filters? How about your settings? Love this Vid!! Keep it up!

[@MomanyiHarun]

Great work Evans! How do I get in touch with you for a project proposal?

[@EvanThomas]

please email me at evan[at]travelgrom.com

[@danieldulchevsky]

Where in LA is 0:56 - 1:01 ?

[@EvanThomas]

santa monica

[@danieldulchevsky]

Thanks!

[@hugo_rick9414]

Wow...

[@dorianrichard1287]

Bonjour, je prévoit d’aller aux USA cet été et je compte prendre mon drone (Mavic Air). Je voudrai savoir si vous avez eu besoin d’autorisation spéciale pour voler à Los Angeles. Merci et bonne continuation 😉

[@EvanThomas]

you must contact all of the airports in the area and let them know you will be flying a drone. I recommend going to the beach and flying it low. There are many planes and helicopters flying over the beach, so you need to be very careful.

[@superswag3252]

prévois*

[@joshuataliaferro]

Can I use this in a Church for a presentation?

[@EvanThomas]

how many seconds of the video will you need?

[@joshuataliaferro]

5 seconds.

[@EvanThomas]

sure go ahead

[@hencytjoe]

Never been there but I have 6000 hours of GTA V, so I feel like I could find my way around this city anyways.

[@nanaamarsaikhan6216]

Lovely la

[@EvanThomas]

:)

[@KingC418]

*Wow, they made gta irl!*

[@pagalsingh7595]

Keep it up

[@daddyssauce4587]

WOW! Amazing!!! I cant say enough!

[@EvanThomas]

thank you!

[@princeerick11]

Yaaasss😘😘

[@JulitoBernales]

Simply beautiful...nice footage my friend let’s exchange views of our arts

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching :)

[@katarinabrlic9147]

If you played GTA 5 then you know LA without mistake.

[@2hbbumshuntingtonbeachcali342]

Ha I’m building A building In Hollywood where you can see the Griffith observatory from It.

[@riowinaryo18_86]

LA is GTA 5 and Lucifer for me.

[@staterock1245]

GTAV bois

[@All4Bass]

good 2 k but not 4k lul

[@23tsl92]

Cool, really great shots! check out my videos on the Mavic Pro of england!

[@markvelli9018]

Not better then Moscow

[@EvanThomas]

that's up for debate.

[@cpark5613]

HA!

[@karoslif9818]

Where's the natural beauty in Moscow other than a few rivers? I don't see how Moscow can compare to L.A

[@cheongyei]

Got pretty boring after two minutes, plus musical theme started fine and then went to hell.

[@daddyinspanish]

this was incredible!! we should collaborate!!

[@EvanThomas]

thanks! I'm down.

[@dbk78]

When you are talented, you are talented. No matter what camera or setup. I could never make anything look half as amazing as this.

[@cyro621]

I Miss You California I'll Be Back

[@EvanThomas]

the best State

[@legariansteele3643]

+Evan Thomas LA my city both i rep the whole state of CALIFORNIA

[@jetdeveloping6623]

Nah man, England is my city. Jk it’s la

[@travelsofmunch1476]

same

[@Unelephant]

Great sound editing man

[@EvanThomas]

thanks, appreciate you checking out the film.

[@JEK]

Great job getting all of those challenging shots. I love LA!

[@EvanThomas]

thanks! It was a pleasure to get all the shots :)

[@KingAlphaOmega]

Great video footage, well done 👏🏻

[@EvanThomas]

thank you!

[@chinkeetorres]

I love the choice of music for this video La La Land 💕

[@antoniahamilton3201]

Beautiful sound and imagery. It's very painterly.

[@BossChronicles]

Reason why LA is such a popular city

[@mynameisdub6232]

Amazing work 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@dutchufo4real72]

Hi Evan you have done a great job in this film. Love it every part. Glad i joined your channel.Name is Ray a dutch composer. You can follow my soundtrack(s) editing for friends with drone's i asked if i could reedit their video material. Cheers Ray :)

[@cjsecondary3660]

People keep focusing on the same touristy side of LA..I wish they showed deeper sides of la .

[@melroze]

That's with any city.

[@mariaspesivt]

it's a masterpiece🔥🔥🔥

[@freejail]

Paradise

[@EvanThomas]

For daily drone content, be sure to follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/travelgrom/

[@TheGeramonkey]

did you needed some kind of permit to fly your drone over Hollywood and Los Angeles area?

[@DemocraticDictator]

This video was wonderful! less than 5 minutes, but the time stoped with me... beautiful, thank you! Special respect to don't skip the Memorial Colosseum!!

[@PrezSZN]

Can I use parts of this for a KZbin Intro?

[@bbtravelsupply]

La La Land captured the magic of LA so beautifully! Did you enjoy the movie?

[@akyshie]

sir can i use ur video, i sang city of angels by the miracles, hope ulll let me thank you sir

[@2ndEarth]

I have to ask, I had to get an FAA exemption just to fly near Santa Monica because of their airport. Some shots were less than two miles from LAX (shots of harbor and Venice canals). Are you hoping FAA won't catch on, or whats the deal, how did you manage those shots while averting risks or fines???

[@EvanThomas]

Yes you'll need to call the LAX tower and ask for permission. That was the protocal 2 years ago when this was filmed, it may be different now. The Venice Canals are 3.3 miles from LAX, and this section of the Marina is 2.48 miles to LAX. The Santa Monica Pier sign distance to Santa Monica Airport is 2.53 miles.

[@2ndEarth]

Hey Evan, thanks a lot. That clears up my confusion. I really appreciate you answering me. Beautiful video by the way, stellar last shot too. May ask what equipment, phantom 4 pro or Inspire 2, or something different?

[@EvanThomas]

Phantom 4 Pro

[@КаналЛуиджи-п3с]

not 4K video quality