Fort Worth Drone Pilot Brings a New Perspective to the Texas Gulf Coast

Stateside at the Paramount Theater-Photo courtesy of Lisa Jobe

On Aug 2nd 2019, I had the privilege of attending the premier of Montopolis’ The Living Coast at the historic Stateside Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas. Montopolis is a multi media production group spearheaded by musician and Fort Worth native, Justin Sherburn. Sherburn composes original pieces performed by his indie rock chamber orchestra. These musicians are comprised of former members of the Austin Symphony, Okkervil River, Tosca String Quartet, and the Polyphonic Spree. Working with Justin is award winning film-maker, Anlo Sepulveda, who was recognized in 2014 at SXSW for his film Yakona that yielded him an Audience Award for Best Documentary in the Visions category. The production group branched out on this project and included drone pilot, Reagan L. Jobe, also a Fort Worth native, whose aerial cinematography brings an entirely new perspective to the Gulf Coast.

Sargent, TX-Photo courtesy of Reagan L. Jobe

The Living Coast performance is thought provoking and emotional. The film explores the Texas coast in a very intimate way through first person storytelling and interviews. It brings attention to the diversity of coastal wildlife as well as its fragility. It explores the complex relationship gulf residents have with nearby businesses that provide employment for their families. The film juxtaposes innocence and industry by including children playing on a beach playground as a huge tanker ship slips by in the background. The show features climate scientist, Wendy Gordon Phd, and conservationist, Megan O’Connell, from the University of Texas who are on hand to educate the public and answer questions before and after the show.

Pelicans at Surfside Beach-Photo courtesy of Reagan L. Jobe

Though the film is teaming with all things beautiful about the coast, it also shows how quickly Mother Nature can wipe everything out in just one storm or hurricane. The production brings history to life by having a live narrator. Robert Kraft tells the story of the Galveston hurricane of 1900 while archival photos of the destruction appear on the screen behind him. At just the right moments, the percussionist interjects sounds of rolling thunder via a vibrating metal sheet. This show brought me to tears multiple times with sea turtle rescues and sound bytes of the human struggle to survive. However, it ends on an upbeat note with footage of Mardi Gras celebrations.

 Corpus Christi Bay Bridge-Photo courtesy of Reagan L. Jobe

NPR Texas Standard describes The Living Coast as a "multimedia love letter to the Texas coast, with voices and images from the Gulf set to an original score." The visuals are absolutely stunning. In addition to his gorgeous land based images, Sepulveda's underwater cinematography compliments Jobe’s aerial drone footage perfectly. Texas Monthly said, "The music, imagery, and spoken words come together in a fitting tribute to the beauty and contradictions of Texas places." Mark my words. This show is going to win awards. It is worthy of PBS. I have a feeling Montopolis has more great things ahead of them. If you get a chance to see The Living Coast while it tours,go! The show will be touring Texas in 2020 and is currently booking performances throughout the state. The Dallas Sierra Club is hosting a show at the Texas Theater on March 22 at 7pm. You can purchase tickets for the Dallas show here. A Fort Worth show has been confirmed for Saturday May 16 at the Scott Theater at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center.

I was able to catch up with Fort Worth local Reagan L. Jobe recently and he graciously agreed to an interview.

Photo courtesy of Lisa Jobe

How long have you been flying drones? 

"I got into flying FPV racing and freestyle drones about three and a half years ago. Then, I got into cinema drones."

How did you become involved with The Living Coast project? 

"I've known Justin Sherburn for 27 years. We went to Arlington Heights High School together. I always try to keep up with what he is doing. When I saw the The Legend of Big Bend show, I immediately called Justin and told him about the advantages of adding aerial shots. That's when I first heard about The Living Coast project. Justin and I had a meeting discussing the project. It was more like an explosion of ideas bouncing back and forth. At the end of the meeting, we knew that not only did we want to add aerial shots but we also wanted to use the racing drone. Racing drones are pretty small but are capable of carrying 4K cameras and shooting in the most extreme of situations. Unlike standard filming drones, a racing drone is completely manual. There is no stabilization, no help from satellites, no GPS. If you make one mistake, you crash."

Why does your drone footage stand out from other pilots?
"I think it's because most people have a certain amount of fear when flying a drone. For me, I go for it. It's a way of expressing myself. I constantly want to push the envelope. Maybe do something that people thought wasn't possible. By using cinema drones and the racing drones, I am able to give people a perspective they have never seen before."

What was the most challenging part of the project for you?

"Most places that we shot along the coast had a constant 17 to 20 mph wind. Many drone pilots might tell you that getting a good result in this type of wind is impossible. The wind highly affects the drone which can cause a shot to have unwanted motion in it. On top of that, I was flying inches away from moving objects and people. There were about 7 flights where we launched from a small boat. When it was time to land, I literally had only two feet of space. Twice I landed it on my feet. We finally put a life vest at my feet so the drone wouldn't fall and hit so hard. Yeah. I was landing a completely manual racing drone on a boat within the area just the size of a life vest. That was challenging." 

Why should people come see The Living Coast?
"Justin's musical composition is truly amazing. When you hear the music playing to the images on the screen, you can't help but be moved. The show offers a truly unique perspective of the coast. A perspective that you just can't see on your own. Anlo's cinematography is top notch. Anlo even used scuba gear and underwater enclosures for his camera to capture amazing underwater images including a sea turtle rescue. Combining that with the different types of drone footage I was able to get makes for a truly unique experience. If you love Texas and everything about it, you will love this show."

Corpus Christi Bay Bridge and USS Lexington-Photo courtesy Reagan L. Jobe

You can view some of Reagan's work below or on his Youtube channel Outkast FPV.

If you are interested in hosting a performance of The Living Coast, contact Montopolis HERE.

Premier of The Living Coast Aug 2, 2019 in Austin, TX-Photo courtesy of Montopolis

The Living Coast project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.