How to Create Captivating Sports Videos
81 Creative Photo
Spring Mills guard Olivia Bolduc (12) celebrates hitting two free throws to put the Cardinals ahead of Cabell Midland in the 2023 girls’ state tournament quarterfinals in Charleston, W.Va.
Whether it’s a 10-second reel on Instagram or a full-length piece of work, sports film is one of the most popular sets of media on the Internet. And just like other forms of content, there are the good, bad and downright ugly.
So, what sets apart the great footage from the mediocre? Generally, there are three main elements all great sports videos have, and they work together in a sort of flywheel, attracting new viewers and generating leads in a self-sustaining way. In that case, what are they?
Premier sports videos utilize strong storytelling
First, every video has to tell a story, and, for most people, that’s probably not something they even think of. The story can be simple or more in-depth, an example being a simple clip of a power play that runs 10 seconds on Instagram or a 30-minute mini-documentary that dives into a specific topic or athlete, such as ESPN’s 30-for-30 series.
No matter the story, it needs to be captivating for your audience. The story is carried by the following two pieces of a great video, but more on that in a moment. The point is, without an engaging story you’re not going to garner the interactions you or your client are seeking.
Further, storytelling is one of the cornerstones of the human experience. It’s been around since the Dawn of Man — literally — as some of the earliest documented forms of storytelling were found on cave walls, believed to showcase, among other things, hunting stories. And while storytelling has evolved over time, from the days of the cavemen to Johann Gutenberg’s printing press and now, today, videos that can be captured with the devices in our pockets, only the truly well-constructed stories captivate audiences.
In a 2022 article written for the Vimeo blog, Allie Decker shares statistics to back up how powerful video can be. She writes that 59 percent of consumers spent at least “a quarter of their time watching social media videos,” and that all strong storytelling has five main elements: a theme, a person or other visual element, it evokes emotion, has strong sounds and a script and is the appropriate length. While some videos can break away from these — some short-form videos found on Instagram and TikTok don’t have scripts — the other four elements will come into play in virtually all projects. They will also be discussed further into this article.
Finally, Decker highlights how video can play a role in marketing. Whether you’re working on an extensive campaign or are trying to organically build a social media account with a video-first strategy, Decker writes that you should know your audience, goals and platform, write the story, decide how video will tell that story and determine your video distribution strategy. Again, this can be used as a broad suggestion, as sometimes not everything Decker shares will be utilized for some projects, but it’s still a valuable article worth diving into.
High-quality footage is necessary for sports videos
Another crucial element of a great sports video is high-quality footage. Whether you're filming a game, an athlete's training session or a fan event, the footage needs to be clear, well-lit, and visually appealing. This can be achieved by using professional-grade cameras and equipment, as well as by having a skilled camera operator who can capture the action compellingly.
For those covering live games, it’s highly unlikely you’ll have superior lighting. Further, your access to additional light will, in almost all cases, not be available. Therefore, those latter two necessities are crucial. And, while professional videographers will be able to spin gold with most cameras, multiple, affordable options can capture high-quality footage within an amateur’s budget.
READ: The Top 4 Mirrorless Cameras for Sports Photography and Videography in 2023
In addition to the quality of the footage, you'll also need to consider your content. This means choosing shots that are relevant to your story and that help convey the emotions and energy of the sport. And, while this bleeds into the next necessity, be sure to have a variety of shots, such as close-ups, wide shots and slow-motion shots, and you’ll begin to see yourself producing dynamic and attention-grabbing work.
Creative editing draws an audience to sports videos
As alluded to, the final key component of a great sports video is creative, smart editing. In a sports video, post-production can allow you to not just highlight important moments or plays, but will also allow you to create or emphasize dramatic tension and include the emotions of the athletes and fans where other video formats cannot.
Not only will you need a wide variety of high-quality footage, but to create a compelling edit for your sports video, you'll need to have a good understanding of the clips you're working with and the story you want to tell. If you’re creating a video for Instagram reels or TikTok, your first step on the editing board should be to drop in the music you want to use. This will allow you to create a rough cut with your footage that falls in line with moments in the music (i.e. beat drops, swells, audio level changes, etc.). If you’re creating a longer video, begin with the rough cut, then add in the extras.
Be sure to incorporate visual effects (i.e. transitions, overlays, adjustment layers, etc.) throughout. The most important note is to create a system that works for you.
Final thoughts on creating high-quality sports videos
Let’s recap. Creating a great sports video includes three components: strong storytelling elements, high-quality footage and creative editing. By making sure these are incorporated in all of your videos, no matter the length, viewers will be more engaged and more likely to share your work.
A final piece of advice: have fun! By promoting your style and trusting in your creative eye, you’ll eventually find your groove where you can be proud of your work each time you publish it.
