Live FPV Filming Through Craig David’s Performance for Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen’s CNN New Year’s Eve Show

Live FPV cinematography through Craig David’s performance at Twickenham Film Studios for CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, filmed by Emmy-winning FPV pilot and drone cinematographer Lewis Whyld. The sequence used close-proximity FPV camera movement to move through and around the performance in real time, adding energy and immersion to a major live international broadcast where timing, reliability and precision were critical.

Live FPV filming through Craig David’s performance at Twickenham Film Studios for CNN New Year’s Eve, using close-proximity camera movement to move around the artist and performance space in real time during the broadcast.

Project Details

Client / Broadcaster: CNN
Performance: Craig David - live New Year’s Eve performance
Location: Twickenham Film Studios, London, UK
Broadcast: CNN New Year’s Eve Live
Hosts: Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen
Filmed: 31 December 2022
Role: FPV Pilot & Drone Cinematographer - Lewis Whyld
Filming: Live FPV performance cinematography
Flight Style: Close-proximity FPV, live tracking and continuous camera movement around the performance
Environment: Live studio performance with performers, crew, lighting and broadcast equipment
Operation: Planned FPV filming for a major live international broadcast
Challenges: Precise timing, performer movement, live production cues, signal reliability and repeatable flight paths
Specialism: Live Broadcast / Music / Performance / Indoor FPV

Designing the Live FPV Performance Flight

The Craig David sequence was built around the demands of a live performance, where the camera had to respond to the artist, music, lighting and studio production in real time. Unlike a controlled commercial flythrough, there was very little room to pause, reset or simply repeat a movement once the broadcast was underway.

The FPV route was planned to move around Craig David and through the performance space while maintaining safe separation from the artist, musicians, crew and broadcast equipment. Timing each pass with the performance helped the drone feel like part of the show rather than a camera simply observing it from the edge of the studio.

Live FPV also places extra emphasis on reliability. Signal strength, pilot position, battery margin, route timing and coordination with the production team all had to be considered in advance so the camera could deliver dynamic close-proximity movement when the live broadcast called for it.

Specialist FPV for Live Music & Broadcast

The Craig David performance is part of a wider body of FPV work across live music, television and event production, where timing and reliability matter just as much as the camera movement itself.

I use specialist FPV systems to create close-proximity movement through performances, studios and live-event environments, working around artists, crew, lighting and production infrastructure while maintaining precise control and repeatable flight paths.

For live broadcast and music productions, FPV can add a sense of immediacy that conventional cameras struggle to match - moving with the performance, changing perspective in real time and placing the viewer much closer to the energy of the event.

Related Case Studies

Explore more FPV and drone cinematography across live performance, sport and fast-moving productions:

Kobe: The Making of a Legend — Specialist FPV filming through sporting venues for CNN’s 2026 Sports Emmy-nominated documentary series.

MPS Motorsport / British Superbike — Castle Combe — High-speed FPV tracking alongside British Superbike riders at race pace.

King’s Lynn Circuit — Close-proximity FPV drift filming through tyre smoke and rapid changes of direction.

Warner Bros. Discovery London — A technically demanding three-floor indoor FPV flythrough using the first-generation Moonshot platform.

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Planning FPV Filming for Live Music or Broadcast?

Through Whyldthings, I provide specialist FPV drone cinematography for live music, television, studio productions, events and performance-led content.

From route planning and rehearsal through to signal management, risk assessment and live production coordination, I design camera movement around the timing and practical demands of the performance.

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