How to Record the Best Video

Here are our top tips for capturing great game video. Follow them and we guarantee great highlights.

1. Stable Footage Using Tripods

You may have the steady hands of a surgeon, but hand-held video of a game is extremely difficult for our AI program to analyze. Capturing game video should be done from a stable, well supported platform like a tripod. We recommend the use of our Static Camera Setup on tall tripods (see below), but you can still hand-operate your camera if you want. Just use a tripod that is designed for manual panning, set on a sturdy surface that will stay still for the duration of the game.

2. High Angle-of-View

Game video shot from as high a location as possible is the best for our highlight-creating AI to work with. If the field provides access to tall structures like bleachers, or, better yet, a press box, set your tripod as high as safely possible. In this case, a traditional 4-6 foot tripod is perfectly fine.

Many fields, however, do not offer structures that provide height and the tripod must be placed on the ground. In this case we recommend using some form of tall-tripod (known as a light-stand). When using our recommended Static Camera Setup, 9-15 foot tall tripods are perfect.

3. Static Camera Setup

AmperVue advocates a new style of capturing sports events that we call the "Static Camera" setup. This features a series of cameras mounted on simple tripods that do not move during the game. See the links at the bottom of the page for a detailed description of the "Static Camera" setup.

4. Wide Angle-of-View

Game video should be captured with a wide angle-of-view to capture all the action. The coach, in particular, will appreciate the wider angle to help discuss players' movements on and off the ball. 

For a Static Camera Setup, you should use the widest zoom setting for all cameras. Don't worry about the shot looking too wide or like a fisheye in the source video. AmperVue's highlights system will edit the source videos to provide zooms focusing on and following the action for a beautiful viewing experience.

5. High Resolution

The higher the resolution, the better the results with AmperVue's highlights. We strongly encourage a resolution of 4k ('UHD'). If you do not have access to a 4k camera, a minimum resolution of at least 1080p ('Full HD') is suggested.

Although we accept any resolution of video, we find any resolution under 1080p is not really sufficient to produce high quality highlights.

6. Continuous Recording

AmperVue's services work best when you cover the whole game with one or two video files. Please don't turn off the video camera during the boring parts; AmperVue will happily cut these parts out for you. Be sure to start the video recording well before the first whistle so you don't miss a second of the action. (Even 15 minutes before game time is fine). AmperVue's service adds a game clock onto the video and this requires that we have video from the first whistle to the last. Between periods it's up to you whether you prefer to leave the camera recording or turn it off. Just be sure the camera is recording before the action starts up again, and doesn't stop before the period is over.