Now also in RC scale: agricultural technology and construction vehicles epically represented
With "Epicfarming", Jan Aden has specialised in filming agricultural machinery. He regularly presents the videos on his YouTube channel. Now, functional model construction is coming into play as well. In future, not only grass will ferment in a miniature biogas plant - here even the fertiliser will be spread with RC machines. Amewi has provided a wheel loader and a tipper for the construction site. The cinematography is impressive. In the article, we take a closer look at the background.
In Varel, a municipality in Friesland in Germany, something is making itself felt in the backyard. The birds are chirping in the fresh air and still in the best sunshine. Rattling tractor noises can be heard from afar. The neighbours, however, are mainly curious to hear the energetic activity in the garden next door.
Here an alternative shot, there another angle... 28-year-old Jan Aden, who has set up his own video production company, is looking for another "epic shot" - and with full commitment. After all, two Sony FS5s, five drones and other latest-generation action cameras always want to be put in place. With his high-quality equipment, Jan no longer only films agricultural machinery in the field, but now also some on an RC scale in his home facility, which was specially developed for this purpose. Just watching the filming is fun.
Model making around new biogas plant in miniature format
Jan has enjoyed the wide range of agricultural technology since he was a child. His father, a farmer with a master's degree, not only gave him a taste for large-scale machines, but also awakened his interest in small-scale model building. When his dad asked early on, "Jan, how cool would it be to mow your own lawn with a remote-controlled 'BigM' or a 'tractor with mower'?", the seeds of dreams were sown. And sometimes, if the will is right, an initial fantasy actually becomes reality later on.
From the prolonged desire to be able to drive agricultural machinery in his own garden, and driven by a few lucky circumstances at the right time, a tangible idea - combined with the second great passion, film shooting - finally developed in 2020: the construction of a full-fledged miniature plant in the home garden as a setting.
Killing several birds with one stone when it's "... and action!" again, exciting RC vehicles provide the right "epic feeling" in front of the camera lens in a richly detailed environment. Here it's fermenting and driving. Visible not only for the team and the neighbours on site, but also for the community on YouTube.
The action is eventful: harvesting grass and ensiling it, loading manure and driving it out, just like in real life - a biogas plant with a functioning pre-mixer, screening and pumping system for manure creates a closed circuit that integrates all components in a meaningful way. A plant of such dimensions and functionality is unparalleled, Jan says proudly. "The BGA produces solid and liquid materials, which are spread with RC machines for fertilisation. I can harvest the grass and use it to feed the BGA. Plus the construction area with the excavators and trucks... simply ingenious."
Spontaneous idea becomes long-term project with big ambitions
The realisation of a smaller project to build a corner in the garden for tractors soon turned into a much bigger building project. What Aden Senior originally suggested was to be realised by the boy, now in adulthood himself - but now for real. And the whole thing will continue to grow in the years to come, according to the master builder.
Initially planned for about 20m², the non-paved area is also to be developed and integrated. In addition, there will be a lot of fine-tuning with further exciting details: feed augers, containers, funnels, pipe systems, power supply and fences. The pure material costs for "Epicvill" already amount to a five-figure sum - well done! Above all, the coming slurry lagoon, which is currently under construction, requires further space and a corresponding budget. Once you have discovered a love of miniature worlds together with a passion for filming, you can hardly be stopped.
Encouraged by his circle of friends, some of whom have been enthusiastic farmers and model builders themselves for years, Jan initially got to grips with the 3D graphics programme "Blender" overnight. In it, he first developed a rough sketch of the plant. Then the concrete planning for implementation, including the exact calculation, got underway. "A short time later, the first ordered truck with construction material was announced. From then on, there was no turning back." If you want to realise your dreams, you must not shy away from a certain risk, you need courage, and at a certain point you simply have to go through with it. In case of doubt, a hobby and profession of this size and quality is not always cheap.
Every film project is complex in itself. For, according to Jan Aden, a video film never begins with the mere filming, but always with a sparkling idea for an effective narrative. This idea not only has to be constantly refined in terms of content, but also reworked and adapted until it is feasible for everyone involved: i.e. it has to be right for both the filmmaker and the drivers. The weather also wants to mean well.
First use with Amewi utility vehicles on Epicvill RC
Energetically supported in the shoot by Emma and Janko as drivers with remote control in their hands, Jan Aden shows full commitment not only behind the camera but also in front of it. In his professionally produced videos, most of which contain vlog elements, the personal is not neglected in addition to epic impressions.
"I have a lot of fun babbling a bit, showing what I do, also behind the camera, and I don't always just want to present the finished films," Jan explains to us in his pleasant, slightly North German dialect with a view to past and upcoming projects. Feedback is always welcome, he says, and direct contact with the audience is important to know what people like. Fun and interest are the focus for him.
His "epic film style" is characterised by effective close-ups from different angles as well as interspersed slow motion, fast cuts and the use of drone technology in the bird's eye view. This makes the sequences real eye-catchers. The possibilities of his layout, the functionality of the vehicles, the interaction in a narrative story are brought to the fore. Visually appealing and musically accompanied, the viewer not only gets a clear picture, but also feels like he is right in the middle of the action. At the same time, this makes them want to try out the models themselves.
"The audience wants to see," says Jan, "how the machines and models move and speak for themselves when used in their natural working environment. That is the motto - now also in small." After the positive response to the first videos on large agricultural machinery, his style is set to make modelling hearts beat faster from now on. With the BGA, there is already enough scope for exciting storytelling. A larger series is planned soon that will showcase new types of RC machines in this unique layout. This should be of particular interest to modelling fans with a preference for commercial vehicles. However, he is not revealing any more about this at the moment. One can be curious. However, the small construction site film on his recently published second channel "Epicvill RC" offers a first foretaste.
Wheel loader and tipper for earthworks on the Epic construction site
In the first video, the area where a muck plate will be placed in the future must first be properly cleared and the earth removed. There was quite a bit left behind during construction. Our wheel loader G484 SE Petrol 1/14 scale – dessen Ausleger, die 190mm breite Schaufel und Teile des Aufbaus aus echtem Metall besteht – hilft mit seiner feinfühligen Steuerung das Erdreich zusammenzuschieben und aufzuladen. Our Mercedes-Benz Arocs dump truck 6x4 is used for transport from A to B. Thanks to the soft tyres for better grip, the numerous features and the full off-road capability, the licence model not only cuts a good figure visually. Especially the payload is convincing. Emma and Janko give their expert statement at the end about how they liked driving the two RC construction vehicles.
We hope you enjoy watching the complete video film. Turn up the sound. And as always - be sure to give it a thumbs up! The other epic clips with the big agricultural machines on Jan's main channel are also definitely recommended.
If you have any questions, please comment here or directly under the video on his channels. Jan will be happy to answer them. Or we will be happy to present you with more information in our next blog article on the "Epicfarming/Epicvill" project.
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Epicfarming Youtube-Channel
Epicvill Youtube-Channel
Amewi Youtube-Channel
Epicfarming Homepage
