Flowers
Jan-05-08, 01:31 PM
Before you read, please take note that this is all just my personal opinion on the matter. There are no rules to making a sampler.
What's dis all bout den?
This is a simple right to help you make a more enjoyable sampler.
Lesson 1: Camera Holders.
The best type of holder for your camera is another person. They can track and follow you during the move, making the shot more dynamic and less static (obviously). It's important for this person to understand when to start and when to stop. (I've had many a great trick been cut short just before landing) Try and have them give you some grace footage before and after that you can just edit out.
Tho, there won't always be a person nearby whose willing to hold the camera for you, so here are some other good alternatives.
Tripod. (Ideally the best solution for not having a camera man, although mixing this with a camera man can get great results)Expensive tho.
Folding Chair (Often I use the lens cap to prop the camera at a better angle.)
Car. Good for night shooting as you can just turn your lights on and set the Cam on the hood.
Deck Railing or Ledge. (If nearby)
Here are some things to avoid.
Laying it down in the grass. (Although some pretty wicked shots can be made with this angle, generally speaking it's much harder to get what you want)
Tree limb or bush. Any plantlife is often unstable and attracts unwanted bugs.
Plyo floor or on a light object located on the floor. Plyo floors tend to bounce heavily. Especially if you want a close shot.Lesson 2: The actual shot
When you actually get to shooting your own tricks, before you bust out anything serious, test the area with some basic tricks or warmups then replay to see if your mark is a good distance away from the camera.
You can spot twigs or light colored grass and use them as markers to stay on so you stay in the camera view.
Many a good sampler has been lowered in quality because the camera is about a mile away from the action. This is often a side effect of the "lazy Cam" syndrome. Where you set up the cam in one static spot that views the entire tricking area (usually a gym floor) and let it record the entire session from one angle.
Find a good mark, and use it. (Tho if you have vegas, don't be afraid to crop some shots to zoom them in)
Lesson 3: Angles
The tricking sampler owes alot to the skate vids of old, and can learn alot from the evolutions that took place over there. In the very old days, cameras would stay head level and just views the entire skater from a normal angle landing a trick. Then people got more creative and started following skaters on paths by holding the camera from the top and riding along beside them.
The same goes for tricking vids. Although most tricks don't nessecarilly travel as much as skate lines, the same principles can be applied.Even if you have to jeopardize getting the entire body in the shot for a cool angle, you should take the risk.
Mostly you just need to get creative with how you film. Mixing a sampler with the same angled shots back to back can get boring even if the tricks are insane. Switch it up! Be creative.
The end
What's dis all bout den?
This is a simple right to help you make a more enjoyable sampler.
Lesson 1: Camera Holders.
The best type of holder for your camera is another person. They can track and follow you during the move, making the shot more dynamic and less static (obviously). It's important for this person to understand when to start and when to stop. (I've had many a great trick been cut short just before landing) Try and have them give you some grace footage before and after that you can just edit out.
Tho, there won't always be a person nearby whose willing to hold the camera for you, so here are some other good alternatives.
Tripod. (Ideally the best solution for not having a camera man, although mixing this with a camera man can get great results)Expensive tho.
Folding Chair (Often I use the lens cap to prop the camera at a better angle.)
Car. Good for night shooting as you can just turn your lights on and set the Cam on the hood.
Deck Railing or Ledge. (If nearby)
Here are some things to avoid.
Laying it down in the grass. (Although some pretty wicked shots can be made with this angle, generally speaking it's much harder to get what you want)
Tree limb or bush. Any plantlife is often unstable and attracts unwanted bugs.
Plyo floor or on a light object located on the floor. Plyo floors tend to bounce heavily. Especially if you want a close shot.Lesson 2: The actual shot
When you actually get to shooting your own tricks, before you bust out anything serious, test the area with some basic tricks or warmups then replay to see if your mark is a good distance away from the camera.
You can spot twigs or light colored grass and use them as markers to stay on so you stay in the camera view.
Many a good sampler has been lowered in quality because the camera is about a mile away from the action. This is often a side effect of the "lazy Cam" syndrome. Where you set up the cam in one static spot that views the entire tricking area (usually a gym floor) and let it record the entire session from one angle.
Find a good mark, and use it. (Tho if you have vegas, don't be afraid to crop some shots to zoom them in)
Lesson 3: Angles
The tricking sampler owes alot to the skate vids of old, and can learn alot from the evolutions that took place over there. In the very old days, cameras would stay head level and just views the entire skater from a normal angle landing a trick. Then people got more creative and started following skaters on paths by holding the camera from the top and riding along beside them.
The same goes for tricking vids. Although most tricks don't nessecarilly travel as much as skate lines, the same principles can be applied.Even if you have to jeopardize getting the entire body in the shot for a cool angle, you should take the risk.
Mostly you just need to get creative with how you film. Mixing a sampler with the same angled shots back to back can get boring even if the tricks are insane. Switch it up! Be creative.
The end