Drones Let You See Rowan Oak Like Never Before

Countless photos have been taken of William Faulkner’s historic Rowan Oak home in Oxford, but a group of Ole Miss students used the innovation of drone journalism to create a video filled with sweeping shots of the 28-acre landmark. 
Jordan Alexander, Lauren Dominguez, Clayton Patrick and Cody Thompson produced the project for their “Drone Journalism” May Intersession class taught by Instructional Assistant Professor, Ji Hoon Heo. When the students were searching for an idea for the project, they knew they wanted to feature Oxford in some way. Heo instructed them to narrow their focus, and they eventually decided on Rowan Oaks historic landscape. 
Despite being hands-off for the majority of the creative process, Heo gave the students a piece of advice as to how to approach the home which has been featured numerous times before. 
“Let’s try to make Rowan Oak a character, instead of just a building.”
Drones offer the unique capability of showcasing any subject through high flying shots with an easy maneuverability. While the iconic shot of Rowan Oak may be the front of the house, Heo discussed how his students were able to give a new perspective to the 173-year-old home. 
“We knew that would be a great image for video, and we can go through it, go through the trees. They not only showed Rowan Oak but the other two houses, the kitchen, and the landscape as well. It’s not just one acre that the house sits on. You can’t show that through still images.” Heo said. 
Until recently, drones were off limits in the journalism world. While drones begin to be introduced to journalism, they remain restricted. At one time, a pilot’s license was required to operate a drone, but now the introduction of the FAA’s Part 107 regulation in August 2016, a license can be had after passing a knowledge test. Students in Heo’s class were given a chance to get their Unmanned Aircraft System license. Seven of 11 students opted to take the test, and six passed. 
While the Drone Journalism course will not be offered in the fall, Heo hopes to be able to introduce students to its elements in his Journalism 500 class.

Steven Gagliano is the managing editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at steven.gagliano@hottytoddy.com. 
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