How To Shoot A Great Sports Video

 

After travel videos, sports is probably the biggest subject most people like to shoot 
And there's a huge market for sports videos, and like much else in the video world, we are only getting started.
I screen lots of sports- related videos every day, as one of our Verizon FiOs station does all sports.
What I see, for the most part, is lots of coverge of the 'local game', but not enough emphasis on the story-telling.
This is something I am always trying to drive home to our VJs.
It's not so much about the score as about the story.
This was the key to success that Sports Illustrated found a long time ago.

A local sporting event is probably only  of interest to people who live in the area and follow the team.
Pretty limited.
A great human interest story, however, is of interest to everyone.

A local sports story has a very short life-span - measurable in hours or sometimes minutes.

A great human interest story has a lifespan of years. Forever in some cases. 
The Blind Side
Bang The Drum Slowly
even The Joe Dimaggio Story 

And sports is a fantastic vehicle for drama. It's always about success or failure.

Above, I have embedded a 'sports story' done by one of our VJs from The BBC.
It's a great profile of a coach, but it's also a great story about human aspirations and failure.

Take a look.

As you can see, covering the game is one thing, but this takes covering the game to a whole new level.

And it isn't that hard to make the leap.