Matthew Morris

When making a sports film, there are many different methods that you can use to grab the viewers attention and make them invested.

These are key techniques that are tried and tested throughout decades of film making and are ideal for setting a scene and telling a story.

Here at Sport & Motion, we have created many different sports films throughout the years, and we have used many different techniques, including the seven listed in this blog.

Let’s take a look.

7 Sports Production Filming Techniques

Establishing Shots

This is one of the most important shots of the entire production.

The establishing shot is the image that sets the scene for the whole film, so getting it right is vital to get the viewer’s interest.

These are often wide-angle shots that show where the film is taking place, such as a stadium or sports field.

This is such an important shot as you set the tone for the whole production. Is it going to be dark and moody or bright and joyful?

Your establishing shot provides these answers and is the beginning of your story.

Take a look at the opening scene to this sports production we made to advertise the Solheim Cup. It is a slow panning shot over the course with emotive music in the background, which instantly shows the setting and tone of the upcoming film.

Slow Motion

Something that works really well in sports productions are slow motion shots.

You will have spent plenty of time picking the right sports talent to star in your production, so make sure you let them showcase their skills.

Using slow motion shots are ideal for showing the form and skills of an individual.

Not only that, but they are great for building tension.

If you are making a football film for example, and your striker hits a shot that looks like it may be about to drift past the goalkeeper in the dying seconds of the game, slowing things down and making the audience hold their breath as they await an outcome is sure to build intensity and add to the drama of the film you are creating.

This advertisement for the Women’s Super League contains a stunning final shot of an acrobatic volley, which is much more effective as everything slows down for a second, adding massively to the tension.

Close-Ups

A great sports production captures more than just the skills of the sports talent.

It also takes into account the emotion that sport can muster in a person, and using close up shots is a great way of showcasing this to the audience.

A manager barking orders from the sideline. A player hitting their shot just wide. A fighter throwing a punch as the opponent tries to block it.

All of these can be shown much clearer if you get up close and personal with the action and close-up shots are one of the best ways to do this.

If you have a critical moment in your sports production, make sure the audience get a clear view of it and make sure they don’t miss any crucial touches or skills that are a key part of the story.

This advertisement for Under Armour starring Anthony Joshua (and a sports body double) contains many close ups of his face, showcasing his passion and emotion which is underlined through his voice over (more on this later).

POV Shots

Do you want your audience to feel like they are part of the action?

Using point of view shots that puts them in the shoes of the sports talent starring in the advert is a great way of transporting them onto the field, track, or stadium and is a good method when you want to immerse viewers at home in the action.

It also adds a real sense of what it is like to be there performing the sport.

For example, if a rugby player is charging into a sea of bodies, showing this from their point of view really allows the audience to see for themselves how this would look and make them feel.

This short film for Adidas uses a point of view camera angle and movements to put you right in the heart of the Manchester United changing room, and also out on the Old Trafford pitch.

Montages

With many sports productions, such as advertisements, you don’t get a long time to tell your story.

If you want to showcase an individual improving quickly through hard work and determination, then a great way to do this without taking up too much time is through a montage.

This can show quick clips of an individual training, their coaches reactions, their improvement in shape and skill, and much more to tell a story efficiently.

Montages are used in many different types of film as someone goes through a process of learning and improving, and this is a dynamic and fast-paced way of storytelling that lends itself perfectly to short snippets of film.

This advertisement for StatSports showed a range of different youngsters battling with professionals to better themselves in the form of different montages, finishing with them realising their goals and hitting their targets.

Voice Overs

Another classic method for telling a story is using a voiceover.

This is a great way to add context to a story, or showcase a monologue or motivational speech without having to steer away from the action that is taking place.

This is often done in first person, and allows a sporting individual to tell their story and talk of their struggles and progress while the viewer can see the action still taking place.

It’s also a great way to let the viewer know of the feelings and thoughts of your sports star without having to use too many close-ups or break away from the action.

A voice over can also be done by a narrator who tells the story as it unfolds, or by an external speaker who may be associated with the product or brand that you are advertising.

This advertisement for Dove which stars rugby union star Stuart Hogg uses a voiceover to advertise the product and link it well to the action taking place during the film.

Colour Grading

Our final technique is colour grading.

This method involves amending the colour of a film to enhance the story.

For example, if you are making a joyous film full of optimism, then you may use bright and vibrant colours. A gritty, documentary-style film may be shown in a darker and more atmospheric colourings.

Black and white is also often used to add a whole different feel to a sports production.

The colour grading of a sports production has a huge effect on how it is portrayed, so use it wisely as you make a sports production that is the full package and really hits the mark with your viewing audience.

Take a look at this advertisement we made with Son Heung-Min (and a body double) which contained some colour grading in key moments, starting with darker colours and black and white scenes and bursting into colour near the end.

Sports Production at Sport & Motion

Our team have years of experience in creating sports productions that capture the attention of an audience and tell a great story.

If you would like us to work with your brand or would like to discuss a sports production project that you have planned, then get in touch with Sport & Motion today.

If you’ve been captivated by a sports film you’ve seen, or an advertisement you saw flash up on your television or your social media, then you have fallen for the power of sports choreography.

Sports choreography is the science behind taking athletes and performers and providing them with the platform to really put on a show.

This can be on a stage or behind a camera, but the final result has to be captivating, entertaining, and inspiring.

So, how can you make great choreography? And what effect does it have?

Let’s take a look.

The Effects of Good Sports Choreography

Good sports choreography can have a positive effect on the athletes performing the choreography, the audience watching the performance, and the company who are using the production to boost their brand.

Some key effects are:

• Improved Skillset – Asking an athlete to perform many different moves and tricks that they wouldn’t often perform on their own is a great way of boosting their talent and skillset. Not only that, but it can help increase other characteristics such as teamwork, instruction taking, and athleticism.

• Engaging an Audience – The point of a sports production is to leave a lasting impression on the audience and make sure they don’t forget the brand in question. By using great sports choreography, you can take the watching audience on a journey and really make them feel like they are right there watching some great sports talent.

• Brand Recognition – If the audience are remembering the sports production, then they will also remember the brand. An advertisement or film that lives long the memory is exactly what the brand wants, and if the choreography can help to persuade the audience to go out and buy one of the brand’s products, then it has done exactly what was asked.

7 Sports Choreography Tips

So, now you know exactly what good sports choreography can do, here are seven tips on how you can achieve it.

1. Know the Sport

In order to create compelling and realistic sports choreography, it is important that you have a good idea of the sport you are portraying.

This includes knowing the rules of the sport, the movements that are involved, and some techniques and skills that unique to the sport that can be used to wow an audience.

The visual aspects of the production must be realistic, and the audience must think they are watching a real star of the sport in action, so making sure the form and methods on show are right for the sport in question is key to a believable and compelling production.

When we worked with Anthony Joshua (and a sports body double) for this Under Armour campaign, it was vital the action looked just like it would if it was a professional at the highest level, such as Joshua himself, so we had to make the elements with the body double true to life, and this involved really focusing on the sport.

2. Focus on Storytelling

What all good sports productions need is a good story.

This is something that will inspire the watching audience and make them want to go out and emulate the athlete or sports influencer who starred in the advertisement or film.

Think about the narrative or emotion you would like to convey through the performance, and design the choreography accordingly.

Try and think of what will captivate the audience and what they can relate to, whether it’s an underdog story, or the story of an up-and-coming athlete, or someone at the top of their game.

If the viewer can put themselves in the story and feel the emotion that is being portrayed, you’re sure to leave a lasting impression.

Take a look the work we did with Son Heung-Min for Tiger Beer where we provided a story to really make the production come to life.

3. Work with the Athletes

A good sports choreographer will know that while they are an expert in planning and putting on a show, they also need to listen to the athletes as well to really know how to make the most out of their skills.

The athletes who you are asking to perform the choreography will know their bodies and abilities best, so don’t be afraid to collaborate with them to highlight their strengths and help them to perform at their best.

This can also help to create a more authentic and engaging performance and may also allow some unique skills held by the athlete to be put on show that you may not have known of otherwise.

This advertisement we helped create for Sign in App shows highly talented individuals showcasing some serious skills, so by letting them have some direction and show us what they’ve got, the production really benefited.

4. Use Music to your Advantage

The right music can change the whole feel of a sports production.

Consider the tempo, rhythm, and mood of the audio that is accompanying your sports choreography as this will have a big effect on how the finished product comes across to an audience.

Think of the emotion that you want to portray with your choreography and choose your music wisely as the wrong type may completely change the feel of it all.

Also, when planning your choreography, think of musical cues and crescendos and how you can use these best to really maximise the story you are telling.

For example, look at how we used music to build tension and burst into lifte when the action begins in this Kick it Out Campaign video.

5. Keep the Audience in Mind

One thing that you must always remember is what the audience is going to see.

Whether you are putting on a sports event, or filming a short video, you must always focus on how it is coming across the to the public on the outside.

Make sure your choreography is allowing the athletes on stage or screen to really put on a show, and that it is tailored to the audience in question.

For example, if you are providing choreography to advertise rugby boots for adults, the final product will be much different compared to if you were advertising children’s products.

Knowing your audience is key to creating choreography that will really capture their attention, so never forget about them.

For example, when we created this campaign for Paypal, we had a certain age of user in mind, and we used this to create a production tailored for them.

6. Incorporate Creative Elements

There are many different creative elements that you can incorporate into your sports choreography, especially when making a video or film.

For example, why not use green screen like we did in this Bet365 advertisement. There is a world of technology and special features that you can use to really wow an audience, so don’t be afraid to build your choreography with these in mind.

Everything from props to lighting can have a huge effect on the production you make, so always assess the setting and make sure you are really making the most of the surrounding and any additional features that are available.

7. Don’t Forget the Power of Practising

And the final point, is always remember to rehearse.

Especially if you are performing live at an event, but still vital when behind a camera, working with your athletes to really finetune the choreography is key to creating the best final product that you can.

This is the period where you can check that your athletes are comfortable with the roles and actions you are asking to perform, and also pick up any flaws in your choreography that can be ironed it before the cameras start to roll.

Creating a production such as this one we made for the Barclay’s Women’s Super League incorporates many different sequences, and therefore had to be rehearsed to make sure when it began, everyone had a good idea of what they needed to do, and where they needed to be.

Sports Choreography with Sport & Motion

Are you a brand looking for a stunning sports production with expert choreography to help promote your brand?

Then why not get in touch with Sport & Motion today.

We have years of experience across many different sports and industries in creating stunning shows that are sure to captivate an audience.

We look forward to hearing from you.