Techniques for filming gymnastics

General principles for filming

Shoot as required but don't cross the line otherwise it won't cut together. I suggest 3 or 4 cameras would probably be enough. However the broadcaster method is as follows:

Have a wild camera for cutaways, name board, outside establishing shots, interviews etc. It is important to have real folks talking with testimonials. It is usual to shoot person A doing gymnastics and interview them, put action shots of A doing gymnastics over A talking. People saying the value to them, what they get out of it, keep youngsters off the street that sort of stuff. Broadcasters would normally get the same person to do their gymnastics several times over and move the camera angle to several places to give the impression of multi-camera.

Get interviews from participants/trainers/parents aspirations/hopes make it personal and help the viewer to get to know the people on screen.

For a multi-cam shoot:

All the cameras on the gymnastics must run the entire period they are on for, no pausing the tape even if the camera is moved. All Stop or all start. Frame so that heads are at similar heights, person always looking into the shot.

Collect all tapes up. Put the material onto the timeline (longest part of the exercise) and then use the multi-cam facility in the editing software to edit.

Filming children

Remember if in the UK that you must get the parents to sign a release form allowing you to film their children. You must also be very careful what other children appear in shot. 
 

by Sir Paul Holden