New type of gig on the horizon?
 

A couple of my old TV news buddies picked up side work this season shooting isos (isolated shots) of individual high school football players.
Seems thesevideos are a new tool kids are using in college applications.
A buddy of mine was paid $250 for a game. What could be easier?

To think I've done this for friend's kids home highlights just to be a good guy.
Is this going on anywhere else?

I was approached while shooting a wedding by someone who was wanting the same thing. He only wanted to pay $100 and was clear across town so I declined.

I think there is going to be more and more of this type of gig out there.

-gb-

I wish I could get more sports work....that's the fun stuff.

Yes, it's going on over here on the East coast, too. I haven't done this kind of work but know other videographers who have.

Most of my work is sports highlights videos. Just got done with little league football and now need to finish up the varsity football and the varsity volleyball. I also just got done with a recruit video for a volleyball player. It is fun getting to stand on the sidelines videoing a football game unless the temp is in the 40's, which it was last friday. My hands were so numb from holding my camera and monopod.

hummm
 

So how do these projects go? Do you get the video from the client and then edit it, or do you have to shoot several games and then split out the footage per player for seperate edits?

I am trying to get into this market because of the large middle class which I expect to be interested in this sort of project.

jason

I'm talking about shooters being approached to shoot "Timmy's" every play during the game. Not the game itself. The guys I know just hand the tape over.

jason, generally I hand out an order for per team and I require a certain amount of orders before I start the project. I attend at least 2 games and from that I do all my editing and piece it together for the final product. I usually limit myself to so many project because your plate can run over if your not careful. I always have the dvds ready by the end of the season.

Coaches
 

Have most of your contacts been with the coaches or the actual players / players family? I know a coach in a near by city (a wedding client of mine) and he indicated that he were interested in getting me to edit together senior highlight reels for his students.

The major variables as I saw it was if I did the filming, or if I was just the editor cutting together clips that focused on a player. If I had to film the games & pull out the relevant then the price would obviously increase. I guess the cost would be relative to the number of students payign for my service (like you mention getting minimum number of orders).

jason

I have done jobs related to this type of thing. Typically, dad shoots the game footage of his son or daughter and brings me the footage for editing, cleanup, effects, and packaging. I will follow his outline and pick the shots of the "star" making some great play, and add some slowmo or other effects. In one case I put in some uptempo music and had a credit roll with the student's sports awards.

The great thing about this work is that is pays by the hour. In the example above, I made $400 for just a few hours work.

hourly
 

I think that would be the important part. Especially because these sorts of jobs seem to lend themself to "backseat driver" editing so I would charge more for it.

jason

I agree with Jason. Even though we're not Disney or Lucas Arts or anything, one thing I always consider is, suppose I do a job for 100 bucks, and it takes a half a day or so, and then I get a call that someone wants me to do a conference and they're willing to pay 500.00. I've lost 400.00 at that point. It's why I wont do free wedding anymore, even for friends.

You should have a regular rate that is equal to your over all costs/profit that you are comfortable with. Otherwise you are picking up pennies while stepping on the dollar.