A drone did that?
Video of a bowling alley in Minnesota has wowed social media for providing a rare peek behind the pins.
Rally Studios, a creative agency based in Minneapolis, debuted the fascinating footage on Monday, employing a stealthy drone to explore the layout of Bryant Lake Bowl and Theatre in the city’s downtown neighborhood.
Drone pilot Jay Christiansen takes viewers on an exciting tour of the classic bowling alley, revealing the inner-workings of its complex, niche machinery. Beginning outside the building, the aircraft zooms through the front doors and down lanes, following balls in-play as they knock through pins and make their way back to players’ hands.
The drone also eavesdrops into customers’ conversations — primarily boasting of their bowling prowess or arguing over game technicalities.
The 90-second clip has reeled in more than 225,000 views on Instagram alone since it was first shared on March 8. Brian Heimann, a producer at Rally Studios, told The Post that overwhelming reaction “took us by surprise,” especially coming from celebs such as Patton Oswalt, Elijah Wood and “Suicide Squad” director James Gunn.
“Oh my God this drone shot is stupendous,” Gunn tweeted on Tuesday, alongside the video of Bryant Lake Bowl.
“I want them to come with us to London later this year when we shoot Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” he added in a thread — essentially putting out his bid to hire Rally Studios in the near future.
And rightfully so, perhaps, as Heimann confirmed to The Post: “It was as difficult to film as it looks.”
But the project was more than a calling card for Heimann and Rally Studios director Anthony Jaska. Bryant Lake Bowl’s location on West Lake Street is central to the site of where violent protests erupted nearly a year ago, following the wrongful death of Minneapolis man George Floyd while in police custody. Combined with the coronavirus pandemic, that area “saw their lives and businesses transformed overnight,” said Heimann, adding that recovery has been “slow.”
“Bryant Lake Bowl is a Minneapolis icon,” he said of the 85-year-old establishment. “It’s something we felt super comfortable supporting.”
Alongside the valuable publicity that Rally Studios has garnered for video, their intent to honor their hometown mainstay was also a success, as many left comments on social media to share their fond memories of Bryant Lake Bowl.
“Clearly bowling alley nostalgia is real,” said Heimann.
