Meet Anthony J. Mack | Licensed Drone Pilot & Camera Operator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony J. Mack and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony J., can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
The most important lesson I’ve learned from having a career in the Film Industry is that no matter what you do, as long as you stay persistence you can achieve any goal you set out to do. It’s so easy to just give up when things aren’t going the way you would like them to, and the thought has crossed my mind a time or two with all the strikes and work slow-downs we’ve had the last few years. I would ask myself if this is the best thing I should be doing right now, but knowing that I have the talent and resources for telling stories, along with a very supportive group of friends and family around me, that really keeps me going.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Flying drones for the film industry was never really the goal, honestly, just working in the film industry in general was never a real plan of mine. All through high school I thought I would be making video games for a living, but as fate goes, I ended up holding a camera. And the drone thing came about from a natural curiosity of how they worked and what could actually be done with them. I started working professionally in the industry after film school in 2016 and I got my first drone the beginning of 2018. It amazed me the types of shots you could get with such a small platform, something that required you to have a full helicopter crew & camera crew just a few short years before. During the pandemic I started watching a show called “Ozark” out of boredom. Up until then, anytime I saw drone in a production it would be transition shots or basic aerial coverage. Ozark was one of the few shows that actually used drone shots to help effectively move the story forward. Once I finished that show, I really wanted badly to work on a production like Ozark that knew how to harness the power that drones could give you, and in that same year, I actually got that chance. Long story short, I made a few connections and found myself working on Ozark season 4 in the drone department and I must say that was really a dream come true that I never saw coming.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If you’re in Atlanta for just a week I highly suggest checking out the midtown, EAV, or Buckhead area. From good eats to beautiful sights, there really is so much to do. You can practice your swing at Top Golf, let out your inner child at Your 3rd Spot, or taste the world at Politan Row. Atlanta has a little bit of something for everyone.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to take the time out to shoutout my parents for always believing in me and supporting me with ANYTHING that happened to catch my attention. I’ve had a lot of hobbies over the years from karate to collecting yo-yo’s to skateboarding, and my parents have been there cheering me on every step of the way. From them I learned that anything is possible with a little luck and determination.

Website: https://anthonyjmack.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliteaerials_ea/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCffXNi-ujPvBYqjgz2iUnQA

Image Credits
Marco Gutiérrez, West Chambless