Videoing Games Made Easy

Video analysis is fast becoming a vital aspect of Gaelic Games. With essentially every county across all of the codes engaging in the activity. Video analysis is growing in popularity amongst GAA clubs who are trying to obtain and sustain success and also develop their team.

Videoing games have become a lot more accessible for clubs in Gaelic Games. High-quality camcorders and tripods at reasonable prices mean that an investment of €300-€500 can offer a club a video solution for multiple years. We've been recording games for several years now and in this blog post, we're going to discuss some of our top tips for filming games.

Be prepared, be early

It is important to ensure that you have all of your equipment in place and ready to go before the game. By arriving at the game early you will be able to take up a preferential position that may be occupied by other camera operators of even spectators depending on the layout of the ground. Another benefit to being early is that it allows you time to ensure your equipment is set up correctly and functioning as required. The warm-up of each team is generally an excellent opportunity for any camera operator to these whether they have positioned themselves in an optimal position for the game and that all of their equipment is working.

An example of one of our video setups for match day.

Elevation

For a clear picture of the game, it is always preferable fo film the game from an elevated position above the match. We should always aim for this to be above the head height of the players. Often pitches have embankments or stands that can be taken advantage of to provide such elevation. This angle can provide a clearer unobstructed view of the game that is going. If we are pitchside we are unable to get a clear picture of the action on the far side of the pitch while coaches, players and spectators are all more likely to block the view of your camera.

Steady and Secure

Your video mustn't be disrupted by a shaking camera which can take the game out of focus. Even with the steadiest of hands, a look kick pass could or puc could have you wanting to move the camera from one end of the pitch to the other too quickly and cause the camera to lose focus. Windy conditions could cause your camera to be shaken and lose focus. To maintain focus I always encourage video analyst to take a steady and secure approach to filming their games. They require a steady hand, to ensure focus and also not to jump from one section of the pitch to the other. Try and let the camera move from one side to another gently while keeping the game in focus. A quality tripod will help with this and will also help with my second point of being secure. Make sure the camera has been placed in a securely onto your tripod and that your tripod is secure on the ground. This will help keep the camera steady and video in focus despite the conditions. Some tripods also offer handles with a mild resistance when turning it to help you camera flow from side to side steadily and keep the game in focus.

Favour Wide Angle Shots

We are all used to the camera work on TV following the player in possession quite closely. However, often these cameras don't allow us to see the full view. Where could the play develop? If we cannot see the off the ball work how can we show it, give feedback on it and help coach it? How can we coach decision making if our video doesn't show the options a player had when in play. As a result, I always try to use a wide-angle to show the game in its full flow and try to keep the player in possession in the centre of the picture. It allows for more detailed analysis and better feedback. We don't need to zoom in and out of every player who scored and miss the following kick-out. Some may be concerned that we can't identify the players clearly if we aren't zoomed in enough. This brings me back to my first point about arriving early. Each venue and each vantage point is different. By being early we can use the warm-ups to identify what level of zoom we need to make the players out clearly but also have a wide enough view of the pitch so we can see the entire play.

Be Prepared for Time to run over

Finally, it is important to expect the unexpected. What happens if it's a draw game and we go to extra time. Always ensure that your camera is charged with enough battery to cover two games and that the memory available on your device can cover two games in case we meet extra time. If you are covering multiple games in one day always try to ensure you have enough battery and memory to cover an extra game if there is the potential of extra time. There are few things as frustrating as an analyst as missing the parts of a game and having an incomplete analysis.

I hope that these tips are practical and can help you when you video your games. If you have any questions be sure to reach out to us here, we'd be more than happy to chat.