There are many different types of sports, and each one requires a different approach to video recording.However, no matter what type of sport you're making a video about, you always want to get good shots of the athletes' action and the fans' reaction.
Here's How:
Why Are You Making a Sports Video?
There are many reasons to make a sports video. Your purpose for making the video will help determine how you should go about recording the sporting event.
If you're interested in documenting a particular game, it helps to have multiple cameras that can get lots of different angles and close-ups without missing a moment of the action.
If you're making a sports video because you want to highlight a particular player, you'll want to be sure to get lots of footage of the player individually and as a teammate, but you don't need to document every play.
Equipment for a Sports Video
If you have a professional video camera with manual settings, there's a lot you can do to make your sports video look better. Using a faster shutter speed (1/60, 1/100 or even 1/250) will give you crisper images and avoid motion blur. Also, closing the iris of your camera will give your shots a greater depth of field, so you don't have to worry about changing focus as much when players move around on the field.
A good zoom lens is important for sports videos, especially if you're focusing on a particular player. And make sure you have a tripod, so the camera stays steady when you zoom in, and so you don't wear out your arms holding a camera for hours. You'll want one with a fluid head on the tripod so you can easily pan across the field and follow the action.
Setting Up for Your Sports Video
Get to the sporting event early so you can grab a good spot for yourself and your video gear.
If you're trying to film the game itself, go up high and in the center. This way you should be able to get a good wide shot of most of the field, and it's easy to follow the action as well as zoom in on individual players. Do what you can to ensure no one will come and stand in the way of your shot.
If you're trying to tape some creative action shots or some general sports footage, you might want to be down on the sidelines. You'll be able to see facial expressions and get much more interesting action shots. However, you won't be able to follow the game as well because there will be a lot of things you can't see from this perspective. Get permission before trying to film on the sidelines.
If the sporting event is outdoors, be aware of the sun's location. Keep it at your back as much as possible, but remember that it will move over the course of the game.
Audio for Sports Videos
It's difficult to record good audio for a sports video. If you're on the sidelines, with an external microphone you should be able to pick up some good sound. But if you're up in the stands, you'll hear nothing but crowd noises.
If it's important to get good sound from the game, you'll need to position a microphone close to the action. Either use a wireless transmitter and receiver, or use a separate audio recording device and sync the sound during editing.
Another interesting option is to put a microphone on the coach or a player. This requires cooperation - and the risk that your mic may get busted - but it can yield some excellent soundbites.
Shots for Your Sports Video
Set the scene for your sports video with shots of the location where the event is being held, and a wide shot of the field of play. If you can get some footage of the athletes before the game starts, you can really create a nice story arc.
When you're shooting the event itself, it helps to know how the game is played. You can set up your shots by anticipating the plays and knowing where the action is going to move on the field. If you don't know the game well, you're better off keeping a wide shot so you don't miss anything.
Get shots of fans cheering, and players and coaches on the sidelines. These can be great emotional shots, and they're also very helpful during editing when you need a cutaway between two shots.
Likewise, closeups of athlete's faces - or even their hands or feet - can be dramatic, and also useful during editing.
Finish off the video with shots from the end of the game, including the scoreboard and the athletes shaking hands.
Editing Your Sports Video
There are lots of ways to edit a sports video.
Use titles to let the viewers know about the video, and about the event and players.
If you're cutting together various highlights from the game, you can intersperse shots of fans and closeups of players to make the action flow together. Or, you can use transitions and video effects between the plays to make the video look flashier.
If you didn't record good audio during the event, you'll need to fix that during editing. You can add music or voice over to the video, or find your best 15 seconds of generic "game sounds" and create a loop to run under the video, and "cheering sounds" to add to the exciting parts.
Tips:
- Use a professional video camera with manual shutter and iris settings.
- Use a fluid-head tripod to get steady shots and follow the action.
- Shoot from up high with the sun at your back for the best view of the game.
- Position a microphone on the sidelines if you need good audio.
- Get lots of close-ups and cutaway shots of fan reactions.
What You Need
- Video camera
- Tripod
- Microphone
- Video editing computer and software
