Highlight kids video: my gym

**Uncle Skippy** · Posted On: 6/20/2011 5:08pm

Shooting critique: (to continue on what Hungry Joe said) When shooting in a "constant" lighting environment (all indoors or all outdoors), turn off the "Automatic White Balance" and/or "Auto-Exposure" on the camcorder. Manually set the levels while pointing the camera across the gym at a wall without windows. This will maintain a near-constant exposure throughout the video making it more "seamless". Try to avoid pointing the camera directly at any windows because they will appear as pure white 'portals' though they won't wash-out the indoor action as badly were everything still "Auto" on the camera.

Camcorder critique: HD camcorders are VERY cheap now. Shooting in 16:9 will give you a LOT more visual 'space' in the resulting video. I usually recommend the Aiptek Action HD GVS (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002AKKBWU/) to people to start with, if for no other reason than the 720p 60fps mode which makes action shots just... SMOOTH. For $140, it is hard to find a better HD camcorder for the money.

Style critique: I'm not a fan of the fly-away-blocks transitions (or anything that breaks up the content of the scene). They are too visually distracting and take away from the content. I like to stick to simple fades/pushes (for slower action) or cuts (for faster action). Ending with a fly-away-blocks transition to complete black (no action) can be dramatic though.

The diversity in the video is REALLY nice. Too often people make videos that show the same things from 10 different angles. The fact that you can fill nearly 4 minutes of video without repeating yourself says a lot about the diversity of your program and training methods.

Damn I missed the boat by not training when I was a kid. :-(

PS: Hey, look! Something (video production) that Skippy knows a lot about and he can't keep his mouth shut. Type more Skippy! Type more!! :-P

**Mo_Fo** · Posted On: 6/20/2011 5:15pm

Great looking place. I might have to make an excuse to get up there some weekend soon & check the place out. Maybe bring my daughter (she is 6, she's been training in BJJ for almost 2 years) and visit your place and the zoo in one trip. Good video. Well done.

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 6/20/2011 8:25pm

Originally Posted by Uncle Skippy

Shooting critique: (to continue on what Hungry Joe said) When shooting in a "constant" lighting environment (all indoors or all outdoors), turn off the "Automatic White Balance" and/or "Auto-Exposure" on the camcorder. Manually set the levels while pointing the camera across the gym at a wall without windows. This will maintain a near-constant exposure throughout the video making it more "seamless". Try to avoid pointing the camera directly at any windows because they will appear as pure white 'portals' though they won't wash-out the indoor action as badly were everything still "Auto" on the camera.

Camcorder critique: HD camcorders are VERY cheap now. Shooting in 16:9 will give you a LOT more visual 'space' in the resulting video. I usually recommend the Aiptek Action HD GVS (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002AKKBWU/) to people to start with, if for no other reason than the 720p 60fps mode which makes action shots just... SMOOTH. For $140, it is hard to find a better HD camcorder for the money.

Style critique: I'm not a fan of the fly-away-blocks transitions (or anything that breaks up the content of the scene). They are too visually distracting and take away from the content. I like to stick to simple fades/pushes (for slower action) or cuts (for faster action). Ending with a fly-away-blocks transition to complete black (no action) can be dramatic though.

The diversity in the video is REALLY nice. Too often people make videos that show the same things from 10 different angles. The fact that you can fill nearly 4 minutes of video without repeating yourself says a lot about the diversity of your program and training methods.

Damn I missed the boat by not training when I was a kid. :-(

PS: Hey, look! Something (video production) that Skippy knows a lot about and he can't keep his mouth shut. Type more Skippy! Type more!! :-P

1. Thank you, these were random videos shot at different times. I will play with camcorder and see if I can understand.

2. Still have to see if it's in the budget for HD.

3. I did the explosions because of the music. Usually I stay to fades too.

**DKJr** · Posted On: 6/20/2011 8:31pm

Are they good at sewing or operating machinery? If so I'll take 15.

**Evergrey** · Posted On: 6/20/2011 8:41pm

I think your kids could probably kick my ass.

Also, I was very entertained by this video and thought it was both fierce and cute. I ovulate sand, so what is happening to me? Aaaaa!

**yli** · Posted On: 6/20/2011 8:46pm

None of this is so that you'll have a fanatically loyal ninja army to defend you in your old age from Bullshidoka headhunters, right?

Right?

Anyway, I'd totally send my kids to your school if I had kids and lived in Santa Barbara.

**cosmichearse** · Posted On: 6/20/2011 10:38pm

Norse mythology. Communist Chinese flag. California. That just ain't right.

Jk. Video is great. Wish I would have learned martial arts as a kid. Wish that my shitty left kick was at least cute like those kids in the tkd gear.

**CoffeeFan** · Posted On: 6/21/2011 3:27pm

Originally Posted by Omega Supreme

1. Thank you, these were random videos shot at different times. I will play with camcorder and see if I can understand.

2. Still have to see if it's in the budget for HD.

3. I did the explosions because of the music. Usually I stay to fades too.

I can't see the video at work, will give you my thoughts later. I do have a HD camera, you are more then welcome to use it to film things.

**Kouch** · Posted On: 6/21/2011 4:00pm

it looks as though u have a really good kids program out there. they have fun AND they actually learn something useful. i see places that cant seem to balance the two. looks good chief.