I'm from this area, and do sports video in the Plano, North Dallas area.

My biggest advice would be to film from the goal area about half way between the 18 line and the side line, and not from the side line itself.

The action is easier to record when it is right in front of you coming towards, or away from you, with no parent or line guy stepping into view at the critical moments. Your audio is better without catching spectator comments. Your panning arc is much smaller and you are able to stay with the ball action more easily without the blurring frames. The video of the players is from their sides and not of their backs as they enter and leave the fields. It is easier to get the coach and player interaction from the goal line position where you can record some great moments. You can quickly move behind the kicker on corner shots and get some amazing 'money shots'. I generally plan the games and where I shoot from based on the perceived strength of the opposition. Strong teams I shoot from the defense end, weaker teams from the offense end.

But, whenever I get the chance to get up higher, I take it, such as at UTD fields, the mini bleachers, or any stadiums, and then mix up the shot views.

North Texas has a 'huge' very successful Soccer community, and I feel your tribute reflects the building, morning anticipation, of the 'true believers' as they wait for the teams to take the field.

My formula,

An Intro, similar to yours,
A Action photo Montage,
A Player Intro with names and positions,
A Video montage with the secondary level action clips,
A Video montage with the primary action clips, and goals.


Rio I believe you did some work for a friend of mine with his Cadillac collection, which also I enjoyed. Send an e-mail if you like to hook up with another 'true believer'. johnDoTmcfaddenATcomcastDoTnet

I think the opening was too long, especially the first shot of the rising sun. The opening shots could have moved along much more quickly. We didn't see any soccer until over halfway through the piece, then it was very sparce--very little soccer action (odd for a film about soccer). It seemed to be more a film of people watching soccer. Had there been some fast-paced soccer playing intercut with the slower paced shots of crowds and player reactions, I think it would have had a far greater impact.

Opinions are like noses... well, you know the rest.

Just a suggestion for all of us...

All films (should) have a story. The better films have a structure--beginning, middle, and end. Thought of another way--setup, confrontation, and resolution. This is not limited to drama. It is not limited by length (or shortness). When making our films, we should look for these basic elements in the situation we've shot.

In the soccer piece, for example, I thought it was being set up beautifully, but it keep going and going. Then there was little or no "confrontation," the actual soccer matches. Here was a perfect opportunity to make this little piece sing! Quick cuts of soccer plays, reactions or the fans and the players, then, depending on the overall out come for the team--wins vs. losses--the ending, or resolution, evolves and we see a happy ending, a sad ending, or a bitter-sweet ending, based on the selected images. This is what "sells" (not always in a monetary sense) the project!

Just something to think about.

Thanks for the critique Jay. You guys are exactly right. On its own this clip looks like a soccer video, without the soccer. What's up with that?

In the overall piece, this comes at the end of a 40 minute video that contains all the frenetic, raucous soccer action that you would expect. After that much traditional stuff, I feel its time to give 'em a rest and reflect on the season. Seems to work better on the soccer moms than the dads, I'll admit.

Thanks for the input John. I find that the best position around the pitch for filming depends on the nature of what I'm trying to capture.

For instance, if I am shooting for indivudual highlights, a position at the end of the pitch offset from the goal by a few yards allows me the opportunity to get the players head-on as the come down the field.

I find that for play action highlights, filming from the sidelines just outside of the 18yd box affords the best angle to catch the play as it sweeps past and develops into a goal, or save, or penalty, etc.

On occasion I like to be either at the midline or among the parents just to catch some great audio...most of which - thankfully - is appropriate for 13yr old ears!

You're right, here in N. Dallas there is limited opportunity for elevated filming. The fields at UTD are best for this...though you are pretty far from the action if you take advantage of the heights available.

(Speaking of awesome venues, if you ever get the chance to film at the Air Force Academy fields in Colorado Springs, you'll be spoiled from then on! Great elevated vantage, awesome fields, spectacular backdrops and vistas. Wow.)

To get a little more elevation from the sidelines, I've used a lightweight aluminium step ladder - even an extra metre in camera height can improve perspective of the football action!