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Preproduction and Shooting a Little League Game Preproduction and Shooting a Little League Game From "Making Home Movies" episode DMHM-104

Making an interesting home movie is within everyone's reach. And perhaps the single most important factor driving the sale and use of home movie cameras is the desire to document out lives. But as anyone who has ever picked up a camcorder can tell you, the process involves much more than just picking up a camera and hitting record. In the end, you want to have something that is watchable, and with the basic techniques explored in this episode of DIY's Making Home Movies, you're certain to create lasting memories.

Host Alan Berg enlists the help of two photography professionals, Matt Franklin and Austin Anderson, to discuss their approach to shooting basic home movies, including a wedding (figure A), a child's birthday party (figure B) and a Little League baseball game (figure C).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

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General Preproduction Guidelines

Regardless of what you plan to tape, there are three basic questions you should ask before filming any event:

• Where is the location? If it's indoors, what is the size of the room? How many electrical outlets are available? Are there windows, and if so, how many, and where are they placed in relation to the layout of the room? Typically, natural and artificial lighting don't match, and electronic cameras are very sensitive to the blending of both types of light.

• What is the schedule? Knowing the schedule of events in advance allows for the planning of shots and needed equipment and supplies to ensure all events are carefully captured.

• Who are the stars? If it's a party or a game for a family memory, does the star have a best friend playing or in attendance? Will grandparents or special friends be there?

These rules guide what professionals call preproduction, which is the planning done before the start of the shoot. Every shoot will have unexpected factors, and the better prepared you are, the better off the video results. Try to arrive at least an hour in advance of the event. Trying to minimize the amount of guesswork you will encounter will also reward you when the video is complete.

Preproduction and Shooting a Little League Game

Professional photographer Austin Anderson set up the steps for the preproduction and taping of a Little League baseball game highlight reel using a handheld video camera.

1. Put together a list of needed shots.

2. Ask the coach if it's okay to talk to the players during the game.

3. Ask the umpire where you can and cannot be on the field during the game.

4. Before filming, move your equipment bag away from the field to a secure location to ensure it's not in the way once taping begins.

5. Have the players step in front of the camera one at a time -- facing the sun -- and introduce themselves (figure D). Move in close to capture good shots. This guarantees everyone appears solo at least once in the video.

6. Listen to and tape the coach's pregame talk (figure E).

Figure D

Figure E

7. Both the coach and the umpire have given Anderson permission to be on the field during the game, so he decides not to use a tripod. This allows him to move quickly while covering the action, but he has to be careful to stay out of the path of the players.

8. Since he is shooting without a tripod, he keeps the camera close to his body to reduce shakiness in the video. At times, he cradles his shooting elbow in the palm of his free hand to provide additional stability (figure F).

9. He also rests the camera on the ground for some shots (figure G). In addition to providing rock-steady images, it offers dramatic framing for the action.

Figure F

Figure G

	Wide shots set the scene.
	Medium shot of batter.
	Shot of pitcher.
	Shot of batter from first-base vantage point.
	Cutaway shot.
	Setting a low ground shot.
	Figure H

10. Move in close with the camera to capture close-ups. This is a critical step for good shots. If you zoom in from far away, you're narrowing what the lens sees, which in turn magnifies every shake and jitter of the camera. When you stand close to your subjects, they appear more stable.

11. Once the game begins, roll some wide shots to visually set the scene for the viewer.

12. Move around the baseball diamond, changing the shooting spot every five to 10 minutes.

13. Change the camera angle as you move around the field. This will help keep the finished tape visually interesting.

14. Roll the tape with editing in mind, making sure you shoot sequences. A sequence is a series of shots that when edited together look like one continuous flow of action. A typical sequence might begin with a wide shot of the baseball field, then cut to a medium shot of the batter, followed by a shot of the pitcher, with a final cut to a shot of the batter from the first baseman's vantage point. These shots are videotaped from different locations around the field. They were not recorded during the same time at bat, but rather over the course of the game.

15. Allow the action to come to you. Set a shot and let it roll for at least 10 seconds.

16. A baseball game by its very nature is unpredictable, and patience pays off. You don't know when the batter will hit the ball or where the ball will go when hit, but you do know eventually it will happen. One shoot strategy is to set a medium shot of the batter, hit record and let the same shot roll for an entire at-bat. By holding your shot you increase the chances of capturing the action. Also, shooting from a position such as behind home plate allows you to easily follow the action.

17. Don't forget cutaway shots, which are shots that literally "cut away" from the action. A cutaway allows you to smoothly condense footage during editing.

Example: It can take a player 20 to 30 seconds to round the bases after a hit. If the player is your own child, you may want to hold the shot, but if you are making a team highlight reel, it will slow the pace of the finished video. One option is to show the hit and then cut away to shots of cheering parents. Then you can return to the action as the player crosses home plate, and it seamlessly condenses the game.

18. Cutaways don't have to be matched to the actual player. Tight shots allow you to "cheat."

Example:If you want a cutaway of a foot hitting the base (figure H), set the shot and wait for someone to run across the pad. Since it's a tight shot, no one can tell whom the foot belongs to, which means it can be edited in after any wide shot of any player crossing the base. Remember, this is a highlight reel, allowing you to mix and match shots as long as you stay true to the game.

19. Don't be afraid to experiment. It's the only way to grow as a photographer. Move the camera around -- you'll be rewarded, and so will the viewer.

20. Finally, remember to get plenty of footage of all the team members, not just your child. He'll want to see his teammates as well as himself.

RESOURCES :

IMAC Computer
POWERBOOK laptop computer
IMOVIE editing software
Apple Computer Inc.
Website: apple.com

Tripods
3433 Fluid Head
755B MDVE Video Tripod
522A Sony LANC Remote
700RC2,756BK MDVE Tripod w/head
714B Digi Tripod
Bogen Photo Corp.
Website: www.bogenimaging.us

Canon Digital Camcorders
Canon USA Inc.
Website: usa.canon.com
canondv.com

Video cameras
PD-150 camera and accessories
Vaio laptop
Flatscreen TV
Mini DV tapes
Sony Electronics Inc.
Website: www.sony.com

Media 100 editing software
Media 100 Inc.
Website: www.media100.com

Electronic equipment
Precision Camera
Website: precision-camera.com