Making a Sports Video

This lesson will address:
Calif. English Language-Arts Standard L&S # 2.4:
Deliver multimedia presentations:

• a. Combine text, images and sound by incorporating information from a wide range of media, including films, newspapers, magazines, CD-ROMS, online information, television, videos and electronic media-generated images.
• b. Select an appropriate medium for each element of the presentation
• c. Use the selected media skillfully, editing appropriately and monitoring it for quality.
• d. Test the audience’s response and revise the presentation accordingly.

Goal: In this lesson, journalism students will create a 1-minute video of a sports game to be placed on the school’s newspaper website.

The student will need:

A video camera, provided by the teacher
The program I-movie, available on our in-class Apple computers.

The video will include:
* 4 title cards

• 1) this title card will list the sport, the two teams playing and the date. Place it at the beginning of the video
• 2) this card will announce: What do the spectators have to say? Place it towards the middle of the video, followed by comments from spectators
• 3) this card will give the final score of the game; if you like, include highlights from the gam. Place it at the end of the video, right before last card
• 4) this is the final card, announcing: Produced by (Name of Reporter) and then underneath, The Oarsman

* several video clips
Rule #1 - Be sure to keep the camcorder as steady as possible. Use a monopod, if one is available. If not, use two hands to hold the camera, and keep your arms as close as possible to your body.
Rule #2 - Shoot any clip for at least 10 seconds.
Rule #3 - Avoid moving the camera quickly. Panning should be done slowly. See the video.

Read this web page by L.A. Times journalism Robert Lopez for tips on shooting video.
Here's another link to an Ask the Builder video on making a video.


To Start: First, look at the school calendar and choose a sporting event you can attend during the week you are assigned. Take the camera, your notebook and your press pass and get there early. Talk to some spectators before the game, and some players if possible.

Get shots of Venice players in action - their faces, not their backs. Move along the side of the field if necessary.  Try different angles. Behind the goal could be a good place too. Try to focus on getting the ball in the beginning of a clip, but don't worry if it goes outside of the range of the camera. Talk to some spectators, to get their views of the game (write down their names and spelling). At the end of the game, try to get some close-up shots of the players and their view of the game. Write down their names also.

Don't take more than 10-15 minutes of video. It will take you forever to edit it.

First, watch this video to see how to use the flip cam as well as the second one, on how to shoot good sports video.



Watch this video to get tips on how to get the best sports footage.



After you return from the sporting event, download your videos to the computer and open imovie. Start a new project.

Watch this video after you have downloaded your video to the computer, to get tips on how to edit your video. Remember you only want a video that is approximately 1 minute long. Longer videos are harder to download to the website.