I saw the film crew the day they were in front of the reference library - they told me to stop looking and keep on walking. Though I understand the filming process was time sensitive, if they didn't want people to crowd around, then they should have set up at another location. Alternatively, they could have told people that they could watch, but they have to stand further away from the drone because it's dangerous.
***** Hi Maria, thank you for your feedback. We definitely had your and the public's safety in mind as our first priority when we were filming our video. We apologize if this message was not communicated to you as effectively as it could've been. We will be more mindful for future filming projects. Thanks for watching the video.
Yeah right by Bloor Station where Downtown Toronto starts and of course is right by all the condo towers and has 5 stories filled with books on everything you need.
A cool video, but it needs to be noted that this filming operation was most likely illegal under Transport Canada regulations. The safety of the library occupants was also greatly undermined as even a small drone as the phantom (which is most likely used in the video) can seriously injure and potentially even kill a person. A much safer alternative would have been to use a handheld brushless gimbal system.
As far as I see nothing was "illegal" as you say. - The phantom weighs less than 35 kilograms - Was not used for a commercial purposes. - Was under 400 feet and within line-of-sight of the operator.
Thank you Joe for watching our video and for your feedback. We did check beforehand that our non-commercial use of our DJI Phantom 2 model aircraft (aka drone) falls within regulations. We share your concern around safety. It was our number one priority when we undertook this creative project and we took many safety precautions in our planning and implementation. Our operator is experienced in flying the Phantom. Filming took place on our property. The majority of scenes were shot indoor and numerous scenes were shot when the library was closed and empty. We let customers know at all times what we were doing and we had additional staff on site for supervision. We also purchased prop guards to shield our propellers. For some scenes, such as the Hinton Learning Theatre scene from 2:13 to 2:15 and the Appel Salon scene from 1:50 to 1:51, we took extra precaution by shooting the scene “handheld” - similarly to what you had suggested - rather than flying. We also want to point out that the opening aerial shot of the Reference Library from 0:01 to 0:02 is a still photograph taken from an individual’s office - and not shot with the drone. Thank you again for your feedback, Joe. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to email Ab. Velasco at avelasco@torontopubliclibrary.ca.
