Want to shoot Video? Learn to fly first.

[Rdutch 0]

There definitely is an interest in skydivers wanting to pick up the art of shooting video. I see a lot of camera newbies, and a lot of people are posting about it. Most people want to know a jump# when to start.
There isnt a # its all based on how well you fly, and how comfortable you are in the air.

First priority to starting to shoot video, is having good rw skills. Its a lot easier to get the shot when you know how to fly there, I see a lot of newer videographers orbiting and doing unintentional flybyes. You need to have the ability to fly stable and stay in place first before you ever think of putting on a camera. Also when you add wings it makes it all the more important to be able to fly good.
If you cant dock on a 8way you wont be any good at filming it. One thing you can try beforehand, do some jumps with a big group and see if you can fly just outside of it.
The golden knights have a good way of putting it, "they can teach anyone with good relative work skills to be a cameraman". Notice I said "Teach" there is a skill to it, and it does take a few jumps to learn it, and good rw skills make all the difference.

Also remember everyone has good and bad jumps, point turners and Videographers, so if you have a bad video jump shake it off and keep on trying.

Another thing I strongly reccomend is, watch your video. I watch all my jumps a few times and Im always coaching myself, you know what looks good and bad, if you see something wrong you know what to stop or start doing.

Most of all have fun. Its definitely a challenge but has lots of rewards. Good luck.

Ray
Small and fast what every girl dreams of!

[miller 0]

Great great advice.

Especially the part about watching your own video. When I was first learning, I would constantly pester the experienced camera guys to watch my stuff and critique it. You need to be humble, and you need to be willing to accept criticism. It's part of learning.

I still ask people to review my stuff, and I've got close to 1000 tandem videos (I know, not a huge amount, but pretty decent for living in a state where we only really jump 6 or 7 months a year) The beautiful thing about camera flying is that your product is immediately reviewable. Use this to your advantage.

Thanks Ray!



Mike

[melstarr 0]

Very Good Post Rdutch ~

if only more newbie-video-flyers would take this into consideration... before rushing off to attach a camera to their helmet & attempt to video a skydive.

reevaluating and accepting your flying skills is a very easy thing to do. i really wish more skydivers would think more on a rational and cautious level as such. this discipline deserves A Lot of respect
on a happy note ... i do agree with you ~ videography is such a beautiful thing. it allows us to learn, progress & share all the wonderful things in skydiving! let us take our time and be patient with this discipline so that we can enjoy all that it has to offer ~ yaaaaaaaaaay!!!!

~ meL* Pink Mafia / Tunnel Mafia Sister

[BETO74 0]

I Totally agree with you. I can’t tell you how flying the camera has improve my freefly and RW skills just for the simple fact of been able to see what I’m doing, I stared flying the camera with 150 jumps and I can tell you it gave me a sense of direction in my skydiving career (the way I would like to call it). I’m a pretty cautious person and flyer and I couldn’t help sometimes to have an accident or two because I did not know how to fly the wings or getting to close to the formation/skydiver etc. But the experience is necessary to learn. The best advice I was given and the only one I give to other people is: be as Safe you could be.


I'm Definitely a cameraman wannabe!!! and proud of it

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[fundgh 0]

That is good information for the aspiring camera flyer, what is your take on FreeFly video? I feel like I just want to have a camera on my head to capture the jump, not so much as a videographer (that might come later). What are the minimum requirements for somebody who wants to capture some Free Flying with their friends? It is always my goal to fly close to my jump partner(s) and keep them in front of me, what else might I want to practice before getting a camera?

...FUN FOR ALL!

[Deuce 1]

Fundgh, the folks I see this are doing badly.

You have to be able to fly well and stable first. When you're flailing, you will video flailing video.

When you are really stable and calm, you video will be really exciting and interesting to watch.

JP

[Rdutch 0]

Quote

That is good information for the aspiring camera flyer, what is your take on FreeFly video? I feel like I just want to have a camera on my head to capture the jump, not so much as a videographer (that might come later). What are the minimum requirements for somebody who wants to capture some Free Flying with their friends? It is always my goal to fly close to my jump partner(s) and keep them in front of me, what else might I want to practice before getting a camera?

I have to stress that Freefly video it is a ton! more important to be able to fly. Relative work speeds do vary but not that much, burbling on a team usually just ends up in a red face, and maybe an angry team, most team's I know just poke fun at the cameraman and laugh it off.
With freefly video you have to be a lot more careful. Speed ranges are a lot more, and the ability for someone to close on you at an incredible rate of speed without warning is always there. Also there is a lot more risk involved with Freefly video, as to belly video, let me explain a little.
Definitely you sacrifice some of your awareness when you are shooting video RW and FF, the camera looking around for people out of the shot just doesn't make good video, with a belly jump if someone goes low, they try to grab air and if they cant do anything they just fly around under, and then track off. Now with freeflying if someone goes low, or is out of your sight, you risk them corking or going flat underneath you, people have a talent for forgetting there is someone on the outside shooting video. There is a very good friend of mine that has a broken neck from someone trying to fly up to him. Until you can fly good enough to be anywhere you want to be, and do exactly what you want to do in the air, I would definitely not recomend you shoot freefly video. Just like my first post stated learn to fly great before you put a camera on, then learn to fly video. With freefly, birdman ec, added risk multiplys greatly with a camera.

That said, if you are just wearing a camera like you said and jumping, and you understand the additional risk of wearing a camera on your head, that should be ok, if you have good basic flying skills. There is 2 types of video for sure, if you are going to shoot Video then shoot video, if your wearing a camera and doing a planned skydive, forget you have a camera and do the dive, look around, be aware, it doesn't make the best video but it will keep you safer.

Ray
Small and fast what every girl dreams of!

[jimoke 0]

[

There is a very good friend of mine that has a broken neck from someone trying to fly up to him. Until you can fly good enough to be anywhere you want to be, and do exactly what you want to do in the air, I would definitely not recomend you shoot freefly video.

Are you refering to Chris colwell? hows he doing? I saw him in tampa in early june. any updates?
thanks in advance
Jim oke

The ground always, remembers where you are!

[davelepka 4]

Many people have already made some good points here, but the bottom line is that the camera is a distraction. You may think you can ignore it, but you won't. After your first few jumps, you 'll see the difference in your video and a more expereinced jumpers video. Then you'll start to think of that in the air: Is my head still? Am I in the good light? Etc. This is when your mind is off of your flying.

If you need your mind for flying, don't try to use it for video at the same time.