If you’re beginning with filming sports videos, you can not expect your work to be close to what experts do.
You will make several mistakes as you proceed with the learning curve of filming sports videos.
Mistakes are not necessarily bad. Instead, they give a chance to make learning more efficient.
While mistakes are important to learning, we all want to lean towards perfection.
Learning from others and professional advice can help prevent you from making mistakes.
To have someone tell you what to do and what not to do and which camera is best for filming sports is what a newbie aspires to.
So here are the top 5 mistakes you must avoid if you start with sports filming.
1. Arrive Before a Game Starts
One common mistake videographers as beginners make is to reach the destination right at tip-off.
Just like a wedding photographer arrives a few hours early to include the interiors, entry of guests, and the couple getting ready, the same is the case with sports filming.
Reaching your filming spot at least a few hours before the game begins gives you enough time to take video shots of the stadium, the entry of players, or the players doing their routine warm-up before the game starts.
A sports film is not just about a few matches and rounds between the two opponent teams. But it is a story of the entire sporting event.
So the best you can do is to make a story that is interesting to watch rather than just focusing on the matches between different teams.
As a videographer, getting to the shooting location beforehand gives you ample time to capture all sports events.
2. Filming Not Too Long Videos
For beginners, another great advice while filming a sports video is to avoid filming clips that are too long.
Record a particular moment from the sports event, cut it, and then record a new one. This pro tip is extremely beneficial for the post-production of sports videos.
Let us understand this better with an example. Exporting a short clip to an editor is far more convenient than a file that is five minutes long.
It does not look that complicated, but in reality, exporting specific video clips after marking and setting the in-out points.
Another benefit of comparatively longer clips is that it becomes much easier to label and find specific moments from the sports event.
3. Record from Different Angles
Another mistake that you must avoid as a beginner in sports videography is to film the entire event from the same spot.
The problem with having only one angle throughout the game is that it is likely that the audience will skip your video within the first 10-15 seconds.
Now you must be asking, why? The reason is that the video lacks a visual interest for the viewers.
You make the sports videos more engaging with different angles by giving the viewers new perspectives and various vantage points.
It is not only about making the videos more engaging but also making them look dynamic and increasing the retention time of viewers on your content.
The baseline, sideline, and corners are a few spaces that will allow you to record the event from different angles.
Additionally, you can capture the videos from a distance and from the highest possible level you can find there.
4. The Use of Manual Mode
A tip for all videographers, not just sports videographers, is to avoid using your camera on auto.
With the auto settings, the camera fails to determine the right exposure of images or the parts of an image you want to go with.
Manual mode for recording videos for sports events to make the most out of it.
With manual mode, you have more options to expose and focus on the right features you want on your screen.
The auto mode should especially be avoided for auto ISO & auto white balance.
The white balance and ISO settings while you are recording will alter drastically.
The camera you will use for recording will not know the exact settings.
To counteract the problem, the best solution is to avoid using auto settings.
Using custom settings will help bring the white balance and exposure to what you are filming.
5. Depending Too Much on Autofocus
Autofocus becomes a handy tool in videography because it lets the camera adjust focus automatically.
However, for beginners who use autofocus more often, you must understand its workings.
One way to know it is to check the autofocus settings beforehand, test it, and set up the right preferences as needed.
With the right settings, you can tailor the performance of autofocus that works best for you.
Wrapping Up
Whether a person is a beginner or a professional, everyone will make a mistake.
But knowing what mistakes you can make as a beginner in sports filming can save you from a derailed workflow.
The first mistake you must avoid is arriving late because you will miss the important moments before the event that gives life to a game.
Additionally, your videos must not be too long and use different angles to engage the films.
Carefully monitor what camera settings work best for you to create your sports films.
Share your mistakes as a beginner by commenting below!
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