Discover Top Drone Operators in Hayward, California, USA

Constantine Papanicolaou grew up in Ridgewood, NJ. Upon graduating from high school in the spring of 1994, he moved to Berkeley, CA to attend the University of California. It was during his time at Berkeley that he became interested in film and video production Constantine graduated Berkeley in the spring of 1998 with a degree in Applied Math. The following winter, he produced and directed his first ski film, titled “Chapter Three”, which received strong reviews from the ski and snowboard community. After completion of “Chapter Three”, Constantine spent four years working as a software engineer, including two years with Amazon.com designing and building Suppy-Chain Optimization Software. He then returned to school in the summer of 2003 for a Master of Business Administration at the University of Southern California, and to pursue his long-time interest in filmmaking. Since completing graduate school at USC, Constantine has gone on to produce and direct ski and outdoor sports films for companies such as Oakley, Red Bull and ESPN. Constantine is based in Truckee, California.

• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Colorist

Monterey Peninsula-native cinema camera operator/owner since 2014 with extensive experience as 2nd camera/BTS camera on docs, docu-reality, fashion, narrative films, and lead producer of many live video events. Owner of camera systems generating digital film up to 6k 60fps or 2.5k up to 120fps. Drone pilot/cinematographer with 6 years experience. Expert SlingStudio user with Vimeo Premium & WebinarJam Executive subscriptions for live streaming, private broadcasting, or remote/local video village solutions. Silverstack Offload Manager user for all your DIT needs. Proud father of three boys, former professional athlete, actor, healer, motion picture educator, and performing arts center technical director. Through his company, House of 8 Media, Mike enjoys contract work as a DP or B Camera Op for commercial, documentary, and narrative digital content ranging from TV commercials, docu-style brand videos, short-feature films, infomercials, and especially live events. He thrives under the pressure of live streaming as a single crew member running multiple-cameras, audio mixing, projections, on-screen graphics, and switching cameras....sometimes all at the same time. As a department lead, Michael nurtures the spirit of ensemble in a positive, fun, safe environment with demonstrated experience at advanced A/V Setups and successful crew engagement while maintaining a peaceful, enjoyable workplace even under the most time-restrictive, public circumstances. In conversation, Michael keeps great notes. In preparation, he is an eagle scout. During the shoot, Michael is a knight in arms who uplifts the crew and always makes the client happy.

• Documentary DP
• Full-Service Live Production
• Corporate Videographer
• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Copywriter
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Drone Operator
• Fixer

I am an Emmy nominated producer and director with experience developing, producing, directing and editing more than 400 hours of content. My portfolio includes docu-series, documentaries, original branded digital programming, digital series, VR, feature films and commercials. From 2007-2010, I served as the Producer of New Media at 51 Minds Entertainment. My leadership and responsibilities included overseeing on-air special programming and all stages of creative series development, strategy, production and post for digital and social media platforms. Under my leadership, 51 Minds Digital/Vh1.com produced 3,000+ episodes totaling over 350 hours of digital content. During this time, 51 Minds’ digital platform initiatives set landmark standards for their distribution partners. After 51 Minds Entertainment, I went on to produce a number of on-air projects, for production partners such as Facebook Watch, Amazon Prime, MTV, VH1, Discovery, Bravo, A&E, We TV, Lionsgate and others. Recently, I served as the Co-Executive Producer for the Discovery Channel documentary ‘The Swim’, chronicling a long distance swimmer’s attempt at crossing the North Pacific from Japan to San Francisco. I currently serve as Co-EP at Sharp Entertainment, overseeing the production and post production on a variety of shows. With a keen cinematic eye and sense of visual storytelling, coupled with vast experiences in digital content, non-scripted, traditional TV space, feature length film and documentary production, I have a uniquely extensive skill set encompassing the development, content creation, production and post-production of a wide variety of formats to execute the highest digital standard across all platforms.

• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Fixer
• Field Producer
• Translator
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary

After more than two decades telling stories, sharpening my skills and leading others in the craft — I’m still inspired myself by the power of the medium. Most recently, as Managing Editor for Video & Audio at McClatchy, I led a team of journalists producing impactful daily and long-term projects. The team was a scrappy startup inside of a legacy media organization. We developed new workflows, trained staff and tackled technology challenges. Our video producer team worked with reporters, editors and photographers at the Miami Herald, Sacramento Bee, Kansas City Star — reaching new audiences in powerful ways. Our high impact team told the story behind the Miami Herald’s investigation of Jefferey Epstein - Perversion of Justice. The team also explored the conditions at the U.S./Mexico border with the Emmy award-winning Wait at Matamoros for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. In Sacramento, the documentary S.A.C. tackled the fallout from a police shooting that led to protests and community soul-searching. Prior to McClatchy, I was part of the America’s Heartland production team for KVIE Public Television. America’s Heartland chronicled the story of American agriculture for more than a decade. I traveled the U.S. (and world) as a producer and reporter for the show. Awards 2020 Lone Star Emmy Award: The Wait at Matamoros 2016 Northern California Emmy Award: Yes! We’re Open 2015 Northern California Emmy Award for Documentary: A Likely Story

• Drone Operator
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Field Producer
• Content Strategist
• Executive Producer

Gina DeGirolamo has been working in the film & television industry for over 30 years. She received her degree in communication & television production at Ohio State University and began her career in New York City at a high profile commercial production house, Michael Ulick Productions/Geoffrey Mayo Films. The 3 years spent there were an excellent introduction into the fast paced and high demanding world of film production. She worked as a production assistant and became very familiar with the ins and outs of a multi million-dollar production company. Once Gina chose to focus her career on the cinematography aspect of production she moved to Los Angeles. She spent 1988-1994 working as a camera assistant on television commercials along with dramatic and comedic television series. Gina took the leap to camera operator on the hit HBO television series DREAM ON. From there she lensed numerous shows including PROVIDENCE, ARLISS, MURDER ONE, THE CLIENT, ANDY RICHTER CONTROLS THE UNIVERSE and many others for ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. She has been a passionate Director of Photography on several independent films, documentaries and short films since 1997. Gina has spoken at numerous universities including USC and AFI about the role of the cinematographer with the intention of bringing practical knowledge to the classroom. She has also helped many first time directors get their careers off the ground by shooting short films and first time features. In the last 15 years, Gina has broadened her scope of filmmaker to producing, editing and directing. Gina has been honored by the International Cinematographers Guild 2005 Short Film Showcase for her work on BROTHERS and has shot literally hundreds of short form videos for the web. She continues to work in the documentary film world along with sharing her passion for helping small business owners and corporations broaden their video presence on the web. Recently, Gina has been accepted as a Master in The Arcanum which is an online learning community based on the old world style of Master and Apprentice. She is now mentoring photographers and videographers world wide. The project closest to Gina’s heart right now is Healing Heart® TV which is a company dedicated to creating and curating films and media that is conducive to healing.

• Production Company
• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• On-Air Reporter / Host

Matthew Boyd is an award winning cinematographer-filmmaker based in the Oakland working in feature film, short film, documentary, television, commercial and music video spaces. Boyd's recent feature work as cinematographer includes "Mine 9", (Netflix, Showtime) winner of Best Feature Film: Drama at Cinequest, The Festival Grand Prize at the Arizona International Film Festival and Best Feature Film: Thriller, Best Ensemble Cast and Best Director at the Bare Bones Film Festival. And "Hazard", a dramatic feature starring Sosie Bacon, Alex Roe, Steven Ogg based on the Appalachian opioid epidemic is currently in post production. Complementing Boyd's work as a cinematographer are self directed, shot and edited short documentary pieces including this submission, "A Boat for my Brother", and "El Pastor", a short film about a Peruvian goat shepherd's work in the Bay Area, currently in post production. And "The Space Between Us" about artist Janet Echelman.

• Commercial DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Production Company
• Non-Fiction Film Director

With over 20 years of experience in video production, I’m an accomplished DP, camera op, editor, and post-production specialist. My goal is to be the best at what I do, always striving for perfection and delivering it. I’m a dedicated and hardworking team player that always tries to keep it fun. I pride myself on being equally technical, creative, and resourceful. I have experience in documentary, commercial, corporate, and event production among others. My combined talents provide a full stack video production offering. As an editor and post specialist, I offer full-service post-production services. I can take a project from ingest to finishing and delivery. Color grading, motion graphics, compositing and cleanup, mixing/mastering, pretty much all of it. Additionally, this crosses over into production as a DIT. Behind the camera I have worked ENG, docu-style, events, fitness, action sports, and commercial to name a few. My recent work has been on Sony's FX line, Blackmagic and Canon cinema cameras. I am also a seasoned gimbal operator, with rigging and operating knowledge of the entire Freefly and DJI ecosystem.

• Corporate Videographer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - News
• Colorist
• Senior Editor
• Drone Operator
• Post-Production Manager
• Commercial DP
• Sound Designer
• Animator / Visual Effects Artist

Polar Productions is a Bay Area based production company that specializes in turnkey style projects. We collaborate with our clients on every aspect of the process, optimizing their ability to give input, while we do all the creative and technical heavy lifting – Pre-production through Post-production. With 12 years of experience in filmmaking, we bring cinematic techniques to every project to create engaging videos at the highest level. In following with our philosophy of creating the best videos possible, Polar Productions uses the highest quality equipment in the cinematic world, including our RED Epic Dragon 6k camera (the same camera The Hobbit films were shot on). We pride ourselves on going the extra mile to fully understand our clients and their business, and in doing so we create strong lasting business relationships that are grounded in trust and success.

• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Immersive/Spatial Video Capture
• Drone Operator
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial

I'm an Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker based in San Francisco, California. I have a passion for telling the untold stories, and for telling them in a way that lets the viewer into the lives of others in an intimate and view-altering way. My feature-length documentary "Waking Up to Wildfires" was nominated for an Emmy in 2020, and my short doc, A Brush With the Tenderloin, won an Emmy award in June 2013. I also create videos for editorial, non-profit, and corporate clients, favoring those clients who want 'story' to be the backbone of their video. Before embracing documentary film about seven years ago, I was a print journalist and investigative reporter. I worked on newspaper in my native Iowa and in California, and also worked as a foreign correspondent in Mexico City, Mexico for five years.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Field Producer
• TV News Producer
• Production Company
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Assistant
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Corporate Videographer
• Drone Operator
• Non-Fiction Film Director

My name is Henry. I recently graduated from The American University of Rome having received a Bachelor of Arts in Film. During my time at AUR I worked on a number of projects, primarily non-fiction narrative both for my senior thesis and the Film Festival Club. My primary role in all of these projects was director while also doing cinematography, editing and sound. In both Rome and here in California, I have pursued film photography as a hobby. In Europe my focus was architecture, and in the Western United States it was landscapes. I use Adobe Lightroom for editing. For video editing I use DaVinci Resolve Studio, though I am also proficient with Adobe Premiere Pro. Prior to college, I was a Boy Scout, having received the rank of Eagle. This instilled within me a strong work ethic, a trustworthy character, and the constant desire to learn new things and try out new ideas.

• Event Photographer
• Landscape Photographer
• Production Assistant
• Portrait Photographer
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Video Editor - Commercial
• On-Camera Talent
• Drone Operator
• Grip
• Audio Storyteller
• Sound Mixer
• Creative Director
• Executive Producer
• Senior Editor
• Motion Graphics Designer
• Commercial DP
• Colorist
• Art Director

Patrick Burns, founder and CEO of Still N Motion, has been creating innovative video and photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the globe. Patrick received a degree in Radio Television Broadcasting with an emphasis in Film and a minor in Journalism from San Jose State University. He started Still N Motion in 1982 after extensive experience as a Cinematographer, Aerial Image Special Effects Artist, studio and location Photographer and Producer for 5 years. He has worked with many of the top corporations and technology companies in the Bay Area and beyond. Patrick has extensive experience with green screen compositing in Studio and on Location in single and multi-camera configurations. He has worked as DP/Videographer for ABC, CBS, PBS, BBC, ESPN and many other broadcast agencies.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Fixer
• Video Editor - News
• Sound Mixer
• Reporter / Journalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Company

I am a documentary filmmaker and photojournalist based in Bay Area. Currently I am attending Graduate School of Journalism, University of California at Berkeley. I bring more than ten years of experience in documentary photography, producing, directing and editing documentary films and video productions. My work spans diverse subjects, ranging from human rights and environmental sustainability to community empowerment and cultural preservation. As a versatile filmmaker, I am adept at navigating various production environments and collaborating effectively with diverse teams. Additionally, my professional journey has taken me to fifteen countries, where I've had the opportunity to immerse myself in various cultures and work with diverse teams.

• Documentary DP
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Video Editor - News
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Company
• Drone Operator

Esy Casey's directorial debut JEEPNEY (2014) premiered on the PBS World Channel program FILIPINO AMERICAN LIVES, was nominated for Best Documentary at CAAMFest and won the jury prize for Best Cinematography at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. She is the recipient of awards and fellowships from organizations including The Princess Grace Foundation USA, The Ford Foundation’s JustFilms Initiative, The Center for Asian American Media, and The American Association of University Women. Her cinematography work can be seen in the films BORN TO FLY on Independent Lens (with DPs Albert Maysles and Kirsten Johnson, Dir. Cat Gund) and BEFORE YOU KNOW IT on America Reframed (Dir. PJ Raval). Her clients include The New York Times, Condé Nast, and Filmmaker Magazine.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Video Editor - News
• Sound Mixer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial

Connor Gallagher is a documentary cinematographer and director with focus on outdoor stories rooted in wildlife, natural history, science, and conservation. His latest work has primarily been for blue chip natural history series for Netflix, BBC, National Geographic, and Disney+. He has also partnered with Patagonia and Peak Design on environmental documentaries. From drone, underwater, and everything between, Gallagher has a wide breadth of skillsets and experience. He has extensive experience on long shoots (6+ weeks) including 3 trips to Antarctica, months in Alaska, Hawaii, Indonesia, Central America, Canada, California, Nebraska, South Dakota. He is well known for working effectively on the water from a variety of boats, as well as in water.

• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Production Assistant

ROB HUMPHREYS is a Zimbabwean-born cinematographer and director based in the US, working in dramatic narrative, documentary and commercial production. He has shot numerous features in the independent film festival circle, and numerous broadcast documentaries for major broadcasters including PBS, Discovery, CNN, History Channel and National Geographic. Including Design e2, the 30 Part Autodesk series for PBS. He has also shot and directed commercial and marketing spots for leading brands which include LEGO, PlayStation, Genentech, 2k, IBM, Poly, Plantronics and Adobe. The projects he has worked on have won awards at film festivals internationally, including Sundance, South by Southwest, Venice, Ouagadougou and the Zanzibar Film Festival and a Webby to name a few.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Drone Operator
• Full-Service Live Production
• Video Editor - Documentary

Here at Polarlight Productions, full-service production agency that shines a light on businesses, brands, and non-profits by creating one-of-a-kind visual stories that inspire viewers. We are dedicated to creating stories that drive exposure and growth. Our commitment to our clients is to create affordable, educational, and impactful visual stories that people want to watch and share. We offer everything from logo design to high-level creative pieces. Located in Sacramento CA, where we have a team of talented individuals who come alongside us as needed to create exactly what each client desires. We have a full filming studio, with top-of-the-line equipment, an editing bay, and studio space.

• Production Company
• Commercial DP
• Drone Operator
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Production Coordinator / Crewing
• Fixer
• Field Producer
• Documentary DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Creative Director
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Motion Graphics Designer
• Executive Producer
• Senior Editor
• News Shooter / Video Journalist

Orange County Native living and working in San Francisco as a producer, Drone operator, and videojournalist for newsgroup AIO Filmz. With over 7+ years of experience, I have been able to deliver high-quality content from the field to newsrooms across California. I have experience in delivering stories in the harshest conditions and under strict and tight deadlines. Traveling into unknown territory, I have been able to make an impact in communities with my storytelling. My work has been featured in many media outlets like ABC, NBC, FOX, CNN, DAILY MAIL, and TMZ, and has also been featured in countless documentaries.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Drone Operator
• Documentary DP
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Product Photographer
• Production Assistant
• Digital Content Creator
• Immersive/Spatial Video Capture
• Corporate Videographer

Tim Manning Productions is an award winning full service video production company with a focus on action sports, culture, and lifestyle, specializing in stabilized camera cinematography. Our services range from MōVI camera operation to full-service production: directing, filming and editing your completed content. We adapt to every situation promoting a creative collaboration to create compelling brand stories for our clients that resonate with viewers. Each project we work on is unique, with it's own requirements and goals. We are able meet strict deadlines and can accommodate any size project or budget.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Drone Operator
• Production Company
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Assistant
• Reporter / Journalist
• Fixer
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer

Swan Dive Media is a creative suite specializing in compelling, beautifully crafted video content. Our team is dedicated to developing our clients’ visions into high-quality digital media, enabling them to connect directly with more customers with ease, quickly and effectively. Based in downtown Santa Cruz and founded by local creative entrepreneurs, Swan Dive Media is passionate about working with Santa Cruz County businesses to help tell their stories and expand their digital presence. Reach out today to discuss your project!

• Production Company
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Fixer
• Commercial DP
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Assistant
• Creative Director
• Drone Operator
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - News
• Sound Mixer
• Sound Designer

​I'm an Executive Producer at Al Jazeera's AJ+, managing three short documentary teams. Previously I was a Senior Producer, traveling around the world to produce short documentaries. I've won numerous awards including a National Edward R. Murrow Award for a series I produced on Korea. I haven't been hired myself on SH because I mostly hire people on here and/or suggest people and teams. But I keep this profile in case opportunities arise. I'm extremely skilled at writing, script-writing, producing and I can film and basic edit.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Creative Director
• Field Producer
• Reporter / Journalist
• Video Editor - News
• Documentary DP
• Production Company
• Drone Operator
• Fixer
• TV News Producer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Full-Service Live Production
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Copywriter