A rookie Air Force drone pilot finds himself increasingly attached to a target he watches from halfway around the world.

In a world where drones take more and more prominence in the skies, Justin S. Lee and the USC School of Cinematic Arts bring us the story of a controversial warfare topic. Drone stars Daniel Sharman (Teen Wolf) and Michael Trucco (Battlestar Galactica) — produced as part of the graduate film program at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Working on this film has been an extremely fulfilling experience for us as storytellers. The topic of drone warfare is an important and controversial one. Most people know very little about it, but it has become a rather heated subject of debate. When I first read the script to “Drone” and completed the initial research, I realized we had a journalistic responsibility to tell the story the right way.

Just Point and Click

The most impressive thing about the film is the attention given to detail, especially on a human emotional scale. Justin highlights the intensity and distress that such a job can carry on a man, and really makes us sink this in as an audience.

That only came into fruition when retired airman Brandon Bryant, an actual drone sensor operator who has spoken publicly about his experiences, offered us his support and consultation. His blessing allowed us to embark on a mission to show audiences the world that these drone pilots live in, and how difficult it is for them to do their jobs. We hope that on a human level, it raises awareness on the topic and asks important questions for society to think about as we move forward into the future.