How to shoot a sports video

In an extract from the book CNET Do-It-Yourself Home Video Projects, we show you how, with a bit of effort, you can make sports videos so good that your kids will want to show them off to their kids one day.

When it comes to video camera use, shooting sports events probably ranks up there with shooting school plays and choir concerts. Capturing your child on the field, creating an archive that you can dust off later after he or she has won the World Cup or an Olympic gold medal, is just a part of being a good parent these days. Of course, there are other reasons to shoot sporting events: you might want to review the games or matches with your athlete, to improve performance, or maybe you want to record your own weekend football league, to make a highlights reel for the end of the season.

Whatever your reason for capturing the action, you have the choice of simply recording the game or making a compelling movie out of it. Dutifully taping the proceedings from your seat in the nose-bleed section will create a record of the event, but it won't make a movie that anyone will want to watch. In this project, you'll learn how to get the best results out of your camera when shooting sports. Then, you'll learn how to shape the results into a compelling movie using standard consumer-level editing software. It'll take a little more work, but you'll get results that you'll be proud to show off.

A good sports video will ensure that your kids' special moments will still be watchable when they have kids of their own

Part 1: Adjusting your camera
Getting great sports coverage starts with correctly adjusting your camera. Filming sporting events has its own set of challenges: often dim or too-harsh lighting, fast action, and players moving close in and then far away. You need to set your camera so that it's equipped to grab the action and produce the best results.

If you can't find the button or menu items that we've described below, search through the index or contents of your camera's manual.

Sports mode
All video cameras have a sports mode, which is useful when working with fast movements. Experiment with it to see if you like the results. The final image might appear a little jerky, depending on your camera.

Step 1: Choose the mode
Turn on your camera and make sure it's not in auto mode. The controls vary from camera to camera, but many have an auto mode that does all the work for you .... but doesn't let you change any of the settings. You want to be in program mode. Look for a slider switch on your camera to go into this more advanced mode.

Step 2: Find the settings
Call up the various shooting settings on your camera. This can be surprisingly tricky to do, because some cameras don't have the controls marked. If your camera has a selection wheel for moving between and choosing onscreen options, turn the camera on and then click the selection wheel. You should see a list of shooting settings appear on the screen. Scroll to the sports mode and select it. Remember to return to auto mode when you're done shooting the event.

Shutter speed adjustments
You also have the option to adjust the shutter speed manually. This might sound difficult if you're an amateur who is unused to changing the exposure, but it's not that hard if you remember some basic numbers:

• If you're shooting outdoor sports with good natural light, you can use a fast shutter speed, such as 1/2000 or 1/4000. This will keep the action crisp.
  
• If you're shooting an auto race, you need to make your shutter speed a little slower. Try 1/1000, 1/500, or 1/250.
  
• Indoor sports can be the most challenging of all for your video camera, since the lighting is often dim but the action is fast. Choose a slow shutter speed to compensate for the indoor lighting, such as 1/100.

To find and adjust the shutter speed controls, follow these steps:

Step 1: Enter program mode
Turn your camera on and make sure it's in program mode, as described earlier in this section.

Step 2: Choose menu options
Click the Menu button and look for a Camera Set Up option. Select it.

Step 3: Set your speed
You should see an option for Shutter Speed. Select it. You'll then get several shutter speed options, including Auto and a variety of speeds. Scroll to the one you want and select it.

AE Shift
All cameras have an option called AE Shift, which stands for Auto Exposure Shift. Using this option lets your camera better control how much light enters the lens. You can use it at any time, but it's a strong option for shooting indoor sporting events, since the lighting can vary greatly as you follow the action. It's also a good way to avoid problems from strong backlighting or overexposed scenes. To activate AE Shift, follow these instructions. The actual controls vary from camera to camera, so yours might not be exactly the same.

Step 1: Enter program mode
Turn your camera on and make sure it's in program mode, as described earlier this project.

Step 2: Enter sports mode
Press the selection wheel to see your list of shooting modes and select the sports mode.

Step 3: Turn on AE Shift
Press the AE Shift button, which is probably located on the side of your camera that has the control buttons. This turns on AE Shift.

Step 4: Make an adjustment
Now that AE Shift is turned on, you can adjust the exposure setting with the selection wheel. Turn the exposure down, into negative numbers, to allow less light in and dim the image. Turn the exposure up to allow more light in and brighten the image.

Choosing an interesting angle will add a dash of spice to your video

Shooting the Action
Once you've adjusted your video camera to optimise it for shooting your sports event, you're ready to film the action. You don't want to just plant your camera and shoot everything from the same position (leave that to the other parents). Follow these steps to get more than just an overview.

Step 1: Talk it up
Record a little pre-game talk. Sure, you know the specific details about the game now, but will you next year or ten years from now? And what about other people viewing the video? Tape yourself and someone else giving a little pre-game chatter. Tell which teams are playing, where they are in the season, and what the expected outcome is. Give a few stats, like the win-loss record for both teams so far, and name the players to watch (starting out with any related to you, naturally).

Step 2: Pick your spot
Stake out a good position before the game, and that doesn't mean in the bleachers. Find a spot closer to the action, but one where you're not blocking anyone else's view. Be a good citizen and ask the coach's permission, if you suspect you might be in the way.

Step 3: Change your viewing angle
Change your viewing angle, if possible, frequently during the game. Sports videos are more interesting when there are several different angles on the action. If the area permits, follow the action physically, instead of relying on your camera's zoom.

Step 4: Avoid zooming
Speaking of zoom, try not to use it much. You'll be tempted to zoom in on the players at the centre of the action, especially if one of them is your kid, but then the action will shift and you'll be jerking your camera into place trying to follow it. You're better off relying on wide shots to cover a larger area of the court or field. Get in close to the action by standing as close to the players as possible, not by zooming.

Step 5: Get the right slant
Tilt your camera for exiting action shots, but do so sparingly. If you can see that someone is coming up for a basket and you're under the net, for example, tilting your video camera can make the shot more dramatic.

Step 6: Mum's the word
Stay silent while you record. You might feel like the worst parent in the world if you do not cheer for your kid, but staying silent will result in much better video. When someone who is holding a camera cheers while recording an event, their voice overwhelms any surrounding sound. The result is distracting to anyone who is watching the video.

Step 7: Get B-roll footage
Get some B-roll footage to mix in with the action shots. Shoot the crowd cheering once in a while, and mix it up by shooting the ref or the umpire in action. Capture some of the team's half-time chat. Also, it's a good idea to take a shot of the scoreboard after every score. This makes it much easier for anyone watching the video to follow along.

Here are a few other tips for shooting sports:

• Watch what's going on around you. Sometimes the action leaves the field, and if you're standing nearby, you could get creamed. Keep one eye on your camera and the other on the action around you.
  
• If you're coaching a game or a practice session and you want to use the footage you record as a training tool, look for a camera that has slow-motion playback built in. Then, you can record a play and instantly show the results to your players, slowing the action down to better illustrate the point you're making.
  
• Shooting sports is one of the few times when you're better off not using a tripod. Sure, a tripod will steady the image, but it also slows you down when you're trying to move the camera or change the shooting angle. If you need to brace your camera, consider buying a monopod, which is a telescoping pole that you can use to steady your video camera. Monopods fold up small and start at around AU$40.
  
• If you're simply holding your camera without a tripod or monopod, hold it as steadily as possible. Use one arm to hold the camera and the other to brace the first arm by pinning it tightly against your body. If you need to zoom in on something, you'll need to find something to rest your camera on, since there's no way you can keep your camera steady while zooming in.
  
• If you want to capture swimming or diving, check out the waterproof video camera cases that are available. Obviously, you can't record the action underwater during a swimming and diving meet, but you can shoot some interesting footage during practice sessions, if you're willing to get wet.

Resist the urge to cheer your kid on -- it will make your production sound more professional

Part 2: Editing your footage
You're not done with your movie when you're done shooting (at least, you shouldn't be). You need to edit out the dull spots to tighten it up, and to intersperse some of that B-roll footage to make the video more interesting. Here are few other ideas for making better sports videos.

Slow-motion replays
When you've captured a really great scene, do like the professional sports programs do and replay it in slo-mo, so that your viewers can savour the action.

Step 1: Cut it out
In Adobe Premiere Elements, cut around the moment you want to repeat, so that you can isolate just that bit. Put the playhead at the start of the play in the timeline and click the Splice Clip button below the Preview window. Then, put the playhead at the end of the play and click Splice Clip again.

Step 2: Make a copy
Click your newly spliced scene. Choose Edit | Copy. Then, choose Edit | Paste. You'll see a copy of your clip added in an unused video track of the timeline, just above or below the original.

Step 3: Stretch it
Click the Time Stretch button, which is just above the timeline and to the left. It has a circular button with a wavy line through it.

Step 4: Such a drag
Drag the right edge of your copied clip to the right, to lengthen the scene and slow it down. A pop-up window will let you know how much time you're adding. Preview the results. You can always shorten or lengthen the clip again, to get the right results.

Step 5: Make room for the slow-motion scene
Click the Selection Tool button (to the left of the Time Stretch button) to get out of Time Stretch mode. In the original video track, drag to the right the footage located after your cut, to make room for the slow-motion scene. Then, drag your slow-motion clip into the original track.

You can use the same Time Stretch tool to compress a clip, thereby putting it into fast motion, if you're going for comedy.

Add narration
The time to narrate the game isn't when you're recording it, but rather when you're creating the movie. Follow these steps to add your own play-by-play and commentary.

Step 1: Mic your computer
Connect a microphone to your computer, if necessary. Many laptops have one built in, but most desktops don't.

Step 2: Pick your moment
Place the playhead in the timeline at the moment where you'd like to begin your narration.

Step 3: Talk Time
Click the Add Narration button. In Premiere Elements, this is located just above the timeline. A small window with recording controls opens. Click the red recording button to start recording. The movie will play as you record.

With a little effort, your sports videos will have all the excitement of sports on television, with the advantage that you know the players. Take a few moments to prepare your camera before the sports event, and then edit your footage afterward; you'll be rewarded with videos that are just as exciting as the real events.