Learning Experiences With Editing the SP8S’s Top 25 Plays

WHY DID I DO IT? With all 44 match video in my possession, I wanted to put together the highlights of the season, perhaps the first of its kind in this country.  It was also another opportunity to practice my video editing skills and to show any prospective employers examples of my work.

WHAT DID I LEARN? 1.  .  This was the first time I used a watermark (the SP8S logo on the bottom right hand corner).  Having the background colour the same as the logo was handy as having two separate picture looked like one seamless motion picture.

2.  .  There is usually only one shot of the same volleyball action.  However for Tom Robinson’s 3 consecutive aces (minute 0:39), I actually had two match videos at opposite ends of the court.  I used it to cut the scene so it switches from shot to shot.

3.  .  I seen it elsewhere and I thought it brought gravistas to a title page.  Thus, I borrowed the idea.  I also like that as the title page zoomed in, the watermark’s size stayed the same.

WHAT DID I KNOW ALREADY THAT I PUT INTO PRACTICE? 1.  .  I learnt from my very first motivational video (UWIC Archers) that searching back hours of match video for motivational clips was labour intensive.  In my particular case, I had 61 hours worth of match video.  It was easier to stat those highlights as you stat the match so you have a bunch of clips ready to use later on.  This is what I have done with the SP8S (and those highlights have been immediately used for the match highlights reels).

2.  .  I knew that slow motion is very effective at highlighting a point whether it’s motivational, technical or tactical.  I used it for the best skill play in each category just to highlight why it was so good.  The fast forward was useful when demonstrating the 3 consecutive serve aces by Tom Robinson and speeding up the time between it.

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED? 1.  .  Rather than having to zoom in the title page, I would like to have some kind of animation that is the title page.

2.  .  Just like in the NBA Top Plays, they use voice overs and the commentaries which just adds something to the action.  It would have been nice to have it, especially to explain why some plays are in there, e.g. Block #2 is a big Ruari Isted (6″7?) being blocked by a small Nico Di Leo (6″0?).

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