Sports Filming - Correctly Filming a Game

As everyone who has ever tried to film a sporting event for review later, there have been many frustrations and lots of bad footage. Ever try to film soccer from the sideline and miss a play because the ball was kicked to close to you and you couldn't get everything in the frame? Or tried to film your son's little league game and see plenty of the outfielder, but none of the pitches? I'll address some of the best ways to film a particular sport and what to do with it after you've got what you want.

First Things First - A check list for your equipment

1.Your camera
2.Your power supply and battery charger
3. Three batteries minimum - charge your batteries as soon as you get home
4. two brand new tapes
5. Tripod and the plate to attach the camera to the tripod (if one). I have to stress the importance of a tripod - spending $100-$200 for a good tripod will be well worth the price. The number of people who think all tripods are the same, and buy the least expensive one is amazing. They end up with a tripod that is no good at all and actually defeats the purpose of using a tripod.
6. Extension cord - have an adapter to fit a two prong plug in - incase you are somewhere with older ungrounded wiring.
7. a 15 or 20 foot long extension cord.

This list of equipment is the basic, I recommend you put together this list and keep it together. You will find every thing listed here useful and necessary

Filming your Sport
Baseball/Softball - Usually the best vantage point for this is from the centerfield in with the pitcher and batter/catcher in the frame. You can follow the pitch and see both mechanics and results, and still follow the ball when it is hit. If you don't want to stand in centerfield, the next best place would be from behind home plate in what is referred to as a "high home" location. For the same reasons, you can see most of the action for later film review. Most coaches want to scout how a pitcher tips a particular pitch, where they set up on the rubber, ect. and what the delivery looks like. For the batter, you want to see where they are in the box, and what the swing looks like. A centerfield in or high home location also allows you to easily chart pitches to pick up and tendencies or patterns in the pitches.

Basketball - Usually near the press box area or top of the bleachers so you can get at least 1/2 the court in at all times. You may need a tripod since people frequently may stand up in front of you when you pan left or right, but if you are high enough, you get the players numbers and all the court action. If you are focusing on coaching a team and teaching strategy, this is the ideal place. Make sure you have at least 1/2 court in the frame at all times.

Soccer/Lacrosse/Rugby - Again, you want to be high enough that you can zoom in and out and still get at least half the field. The challenge with soccer/lacrosse is the zooming. Frequently the ball is kicked/passed long from one end to the other and the less you have to zoom out or pan, the better your footage will be. I would also recommend using a wide lens if possible.

Football - You really want to get the formations and alignments if you are scouting football, more so than an individual play. That's why on TV there is a sideline and two end zone cameras. If you only have one camera position, the end zone view will yield the most. Make sure you can see both wide outs on the field, but don't zoom out so far that you miss the details of the line blocking. This view will give you alignments and formations, as well as help you quickly develop tendencies. When you edit, you want to splice in the sideline view after the end zone view and make sure you get from the huddle breaking so you can see any tells such as a lineman running to the line or a back linining up at different distances from the QB on certain plays.

Volleyball
You want to film volleyball from a location behind the players. Ideally you would be in a high position looking down the lines so that you can see where each team sets up their rotations and the specific plays that they run throughout the match. The teams will switch sides after the first game, so if you only care about one team, you should switch with them. It will be easier to see numbers of the players and the plays develop from the "near" end line.

If you take a few minutes to think of what the most important aspects of your video will be (scouting, tape for recruiting, individual highlights, ect) you can more effectively film and get the best angles while every other dad in the stands gets the same old shots. If you are over budget or just want better film, teach parents or volunteers how to film the way you want it and explain why you are shooting from a specific angle. It helps teach them what you will look for on film later and helps them feel like an important part of the game!

Recruiting for Parents

There are a ton of confusing stories and difficult to decipher information for parents and athletes about getting recruited. Everyone has seen the "Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete", but what exactly does "once between June 21 and 30th in your Junior Year" mean to coaches and athletes. Many parents spend thousands of dollars with recruiting services sending out tapes and having their kids "ranked" by some service. Having talked to hundreds of coaches and recruiting coordinators, parents and athletes need to understand a few things:

1.) You are not entitled to a scholarship, just because your kid plays on an expensive travel team. These recruiting coordinators you seem to have on speed dial are doing a JOB. They get fired for not bringing in the best players, so chances are that when you are at a tournament with your club team and see fifty recruiting coordinators in the stands, THEY ARE ALL LOOKING AT THE SAME KID!

2.) College should be a Win-Win, best fit process. If you take a scholorship offer just because it helps recoup some of the money you spent over the years, you are robbing your athlete/kid of an education and collegiate sports experience that is a good fit. Your kid might very well be able to get a scholarship at the top school in the country for their sport, but they may never see the field/court, etc. You might also get stuck with a staff that didn't recruit you. Coaches move very frequently these days, so don't go to school just for the coach. While they are an important part, they might not be there when your kid is. Make sure you keep contacts open with other coaches and don't burn your bridges! You never know who you'll end up with.

3.) If you don't have scholarship offers by your Junior year, you need to consider other options. Most recruiting coordinators know exactly who their first choice is, then their second, third and fourth. By the time your Junior year rolls around, the college coach recruiting coordinator has already talked to the high school coach, club coach, and academic office. They know whether your kid can get into their school and what their needs are.

4.) Official visits are going the way of the dinosaur for recruits. If you think you'll wait until you are offered a paid official visit, you're going to lose that scholarship. Most offers are made after the coach or recruiting coordinator asks you to come to campus for an "unofficial visit". The paid offical visits are saved for the kid who has already committed.

5.) Scholarships are NOT a 4 year comittment! Just because you get an offer, does not mean it is for full tuition OR for all 4 years. Many sports only have a limited number of scholarships and have to spread them out over their athletes. Find out what that number is (its different at each conference and each school) and how much of it you are being offered. Scholarships are renewable every season. If the grades aren't good, or your athlete isn't showing improvement or dedication, they can be released from their scholarship or have it reduced.

There are a ton of other topics that need covering here, so let me know what your questions are, and I'll try to help you navigate through the recruiting maze.

Digital Cameras - All Not Equal

Lately I've been working with coaches on expensive editing systems, great highlight film and recruiting software, and gearing up for the fall athletic season. One major thing I've noticed is how poor the video cameras are that some big time programs are using. Now in this day and age, everyone's budget is getting cut, but skimping on a decent camera is not the way to save a few bucks. You can get so much more from your video with three simple but overlooked features on your camera that very few people pay attention to:

1.) How the Mini DV tape loads into the camera - If you get a bottom loading camera, you have to unscrew it from the tripod to change the tape. Sounds simple, but you wouldn't believe how may times I've seen it ruin a decent scouting tape.

2.) Stand By Mode - This one is a killer. Some cameras TURN OFF and go into Standby mode if you are not recording to a tape. So if your tape runs out or if you are trying to record to a computer with a digital system, you have to change the tape or make sure that you are always recording to something, making redundant copies.

3.) Digital vs. Optical Zoom - Digital zoom works by magnifying a part of the captured image using digital manipulation. This is the same as how a graphics program resizes an image to a larger size. The process involves taking a certain number of pixels and creating a larger image, but because the new image is based on the same number of pixels, the image loses quality. Optical zoom is provided by the lens (i.e. the optics) and does not lose image quality. You want the highest Optical Zoom you can get ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE FILMING FIELD SPORTS.

As always, I'll give you a couple of cameras and prices that fit the above mentioned, but others offer these as well. Best thing to do is try one out and make sure it has what you need before you get in the middle of your season and find out it doesn't.

Canon ZR500 Camcorder $399.00
Panasonic GS-35 camcorder $499.00
Panasonic GS-180 3-CCD camcorder $599.00

Internet Video Exchange

Recently there have been quite a few companies popping up talking about video exchange over the internet. The technology is there to do this relatively inexpensively, but there are a few things to consider. You'll want to know how much internet bandwidth is allocated to the area of your department that you can use and how your digital editing system works to take true advantage of the technology. The biggest pitfall right now is that so many people don't understand what format the video needs to be in to be exchanged, and how much time it will take them to send the video file. I've seen everything from 20 minutes to send a game file of 3GB to over 22 hours! You can mail a tape and have it delivered overnight, so what good does 22 hours do you?

First, you must decide how important video quality is to you and what format/size your video is recorded in. If your video system records in DV, then a typical game of basketball will be about 12-15 Gigabytes. That is a HUGE video file. If you want that type of quality, then most video exchanges will quite frankly not work for you. They will require you to convert your file to another format using a compression program and thus you will lose video quality. While that quality may be ok with you in the end, the time it takes to convert that file may be up to 4 hours! Add to that the 2-3 hours it will take to transfer the video, and it may not be worth you or your staffs time.

The second, and perhaps most important thing to consider is, "What do I do with the video file I receive once you have it downloaded?" Most video editing systems only read a specific format. So, using the example of recording in DV from above, if you get a file in another converted format, you may have to do something to it just to get it into your system. You could convert it back to the format you need, but that could take a few hours. The most common thing and quickest way is to play it out of the computer you downloaded it to, to another computer. In any case, you still won't be able to save the time it takes to get the video to your editing system, which is really the point isn't it?

So if we use the above example, it takes 2 hours for the game to be recorded live. Then let's say 2 hours to convert it to the file needed to send over the web. Now it takes another 2 hours to upload it to the other team. That's now cost you 6 hours of staff time just to send to someone else. If you need a game from another team to scout, the process is even longer. You have to download the video, let's say 2 hours. Now you have to play it out of the computer to your VCR/DVD player to record a copy or convert the video to the format you need - another 2 hours. Then you still have to input it into your editing system, so figure 2 more hours plus the time to break down the film.

In reality, if you want to do internet exchange, you need to have the ability to take the raw video file that you record and exchange it quickly with little staff involvement. you also need to be able to make sure you can import the raw video file into your editing system immediately so you can skip the time consuming steps and start scouting!

Motion Analysis Software

There are a couple of tools out there to do motion analysis with and depending on your budget and what you want out of your video study, a few options. The two leaders right now seem to be Right View Pro and Dartfish. For different reasons, they are both good alternatives. While RightViewPro (www.rightviewpro.com) focuses on Baseball and Softball, they can also be used for other sports. Their software takes two or more videos and allows you to compare them using distance calculations, timing, ect. so that you can find for example the difference between a swing in baseball. They also have a unique partnership with Major League Baseball in that you can compare your swing or pitch to a major leaguer. It is a powerful product, but takes a bit of time to learn all the nuances and features . You can create lesson plans that allow you to use a microphone and talk over the video comparisons to create an instructional DVD for camps and tutorials. The software starts at $750 for the coaches addition and goes to $2500 for a full-featured product.

Dartfish (www.dartfish.com), the other big player in the market, has been around since 1998 and is most well known for the video comparison technology used by broadcasters of skiing, etc. in the olympics. They compare two or more videos and allow you to use telestration and overlays. Similar to a video editing application, they also give you limited ability to tag games with custom criteria (ex: all run plays in football). Their software is a bit more complex to use and more pricey, but is more adaptable to different sports such as hockey, rugby, soccer, ect. Pricing for the Dartfish software runs from $980 for the analysis and drawing features without the video editing to $4500 for a full version product.

A smaller player, but one gaining some great credibility is Sports Motion (www.sports-motion.com). Used by the World Champion Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, the Mayo Clinic, and a host of others, they only do video analysis software, but it allows you to capture and compare up to 8 camera angles and draw, plot curves, take angles and distances, etc. It is an extremely easy to use application that will allow you to quickly make comparisons of video in seconds without much training. You don't have to use their software to capture your video clips either. Just import them from anywhere on your hard drive and start your lessons. Can be used with most video editing systems since it looks for AVI files, MPEG files, etc.. By far the best value for video analysis software out there starting at only $169. You can buy their software and a video camera from the website for only $800 and it will do just about everything the Dartfish software does (without the video editing) for much less.

Ipods allow video review for athletes

Article taken from ESPN.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2486924

DENVER -- Three hours before a start against Florida, Colorado Rockies pitcher Jason Jennings sits in front of his locker, puts on his headphones and stares at his video iPod.
Jason Jennings
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Jason Jennings uses his iPod to scout opposing batters before game time.

He isn't watching the latest Coldplay video or catching up on an episode of "Alias" as a way to relax before the game.

Jennings is doing some last-minute cramming: The Rockies' video staff has downloaded every Marlins hitter into his iPod, and Jennings is figuring out how to pitch to them. He watches frames of himself delivering the pitch, followed by the result of the play. Everything else is weeded out.

"It's a good way to refresh yourself on how you got guys out," Jennings said. "It's an amazing concept."

The Rockies have taken the iPod beyond entertainment. And the idea has caught on -- teams such as Florida and Seattle have called the Rockies to explore their innovative use of the iPod.

"It wasn't like we invented the wheel," said Rockies assistant video coordinator Brian Jones, who came up with the idea after the video iPod was released last November. "We're using Apple's technology as best we can. We figured if you can watch music videos by rock 'n' roll and by country, why can't you watch at-bats by San Francisco and pitches by Jason Schmidt?"

Over the past two decades, video has become common throughout the league, as it is with football. Teams have tons of film to help players study their opponents and their own quirks. In the last few years, players have been able to take home DVDs to watch on their laptops.

Now, all that information is in the palm of their hands.

"They can do it on their time, they don't have to be here or they don't have to be behind a desk watching a laptop. They can be at home, on the airplane or even in their locker," Rockies video coach Mike Hamilton said.

Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin said he isn't sure the trend is a good one.

"Improved the game for us pitchers? No," he said with a laugh. "There's only so much you can do to get the guys out. These guys have a better idea and a better understanding. You have to rely on your catchers. You had to before video."

New York Mets manager Willie Randolph doesn't have a problem with a player analyzing video, but it wouldn't have been for him. Randolph, a former All-Star, preferred extra batting practice to extra film sessions.

"I think it's overrated personally, but that's just me," Randolph said. "I'm from a different school."

The Rockies have downloaded video clips into the iPods of 14 players so far. For the hitters, they'll store every at-bat and download performances of upcoming pitchers. A 60-gigabyte iPod can hold roughly five seasons' worth of a player's at-bats. Pitchers can get all their performances, along with opponents' at-bats.

Jones has permission to take iPods from players' lockers to update them, and when the Rockies are on the road he compiles DVDs of their play and loads video onto the iPods when they return home.

"I take care of it all," Jones said. "It just takes a few minutes. It's like putting a song on from iTunes."

After seeing what the Rockies were doing, the Marlins left town with their own iPod ideas.

"I've never heard of that," Florida pitcher Dontrelle Willis said of storing starts on the iPod. "Oh man, that would be convenient."

Rockies second baseman Jamey Carroll overheard Hamilton talking about the concept at spring training and showed up the next day with his video iPod, ready for it to be stocked with footage.

"I don't put movies on it," Carroll said. "I want to save all the space for hitting."

The club doesn't buy the iPods for the players. It's a $399 investment for the 60-gigabyte model [the 30-gigabyte version costs $299]. The Rockies have, however, purchased five iPods for general manager Dan O'Dowd and several scouts.

Colorado's minor league hitting coordinator, Jimmy Johnson, has an iPod filled with video of players in the farm system. If a player is struggling, Johnson can compare his swing from the past with his current swing, and fix it accordingly.

The iPods came in handy before June's baseball draft, too.

"That way the scouts could compare a prospective draft pick in North Carolina with one in California," Hamilton said. "You'd have a real good comparison. The game is so visual now. This helps."

The small screen size -- 2.5 inches -- hasn't been a problem, either.

"Six or seven guys can't sit around and watch it," Hamilton said. "But if you watch it yourself, it's not that much different from watching a large screen."

Boston slugger Trot Nixon said he watches standard video when he needs to, but doesn't obsess over analyzing his swing.

"If something doesn't feel right I'll look at the video or ask some of the teammates that have played with me for a long time," he said. "I've seen guys go back to the video after every at-bat. I was guilty of doing it at times, but I was only upsetting myself more and more: `Look at that pitch the umpire called. Why did I do this, do that?' I've got to go out and play right field. I've got to leave it there."

Jones thinks his iPod idea soon will be used across college and professional sports.

"We're always trying to figure out the easiest way to help our players," he said. "In the old days, when you had a VCR, you had to go through so much tape. Now it's so much easier and portable. You don't have to search for two hours to find that one swing on that one day."

Rockies slugger Todd Helton has every hit since 1998 stored by month on his iPod, which he uses to help him find his stroke whenever things start to go bad at the plate.

"When the swing doesn't feel right, I look at it to capture how I was feeling or which one of my 300 stances I was in at that point," Helton said. "Baseball is such a messed up sport and it's so hard, sometimes you need to go back and look at the good things."

Helton frequently checks out his August 2000 file, when he had 50 hits and batted .476 for the month.

"If you look at my swing then, it didn't look like I was swinging too hard, and it didn't look like I was trying to do too much," Helton said. "I was putting the head of the bat on the ball, and that's what you're trying to do."

Helton was leery about showing too much enthusiasm for the Rockies' cool new toys.

"We're trying to get all the advantages we can," he said. "We don't want anybody else to get this."

Too late.

Willis left Coors Field excited about all the possibilities of this new application of technology.

"Anything you can do to help yourself get ready for [games] is a good idea," he said.

If you'd like to convert your own videos to play on the apple video ipod, you can visit a number of the sources below that have conversion tools. You can choose how large or small you want the files and what type of video quality.

A few links to convert video to play on the ipod video as well as a video tutorial by CNET:
http://www.m2convert.com/ipod-converter.htm
http://www.cnet.com/4520-7899_1-6377352-1.html

Welcome

new software and tools to help athletes perform better, scout players easier, and win a few extra games. With all the stuff that's out there, we'll try to discern just what's good and what's a bunch of crap. I'm a former college athlete who used a bit of this technology both when I was playing, and afterwards as an assistant. I've been involved in video technology with the movie industy and now work in the sporting world, so I've got a pretty good idea of what a coach can use to get just what they want, and a $100,000 system that you have to hire a computer wizard just to use. I'll post links and answer questions about what compression technology is and how it affects your bottom line, how to get a qualified student assistant to help your team with video, and what your budget should look like when considering video coaching technology.