Handle Life Sessions is an episodic high end vlog that Fresh Focus Sports started producing in 2018. The vlog stars Johnny Stephene, better known as @Dribble2Much on social media. Johnny is a world class basketball trainer, but also much more, an entrepreneur and hip hop artist.
This blog post is about the basketball side of the shooting, something I have almost 2 decades of experience in.
First off, when shooting basketball , the first mistake people usually make is trying to follow the flight of the basketball right away. With any documentary shooting, you want to make sure you nail the shots you need before taking risks with your camera skills.
NAILING BASKETBALL WORKOUTS THE FIRST TIME YOU FILM
The best way to do this is to shoot ‘static’ frames and let the action take place within your frame. And when you go away from a static frame, keep a frame and follow the action, don’t zoom! WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW , ONLY NEED TO WATCH FIRST 20 SECONDS TO UNDERSTAND THE BELOW CONCEPT.
First you shoot a Wide at first, this sets the scene and also allows you to see shots go in and the entire sequence of the play/drill/workout.
Example: S1EP7 - DeMar DeRozan (Video Below)
:00 - Wide static shot, sets the scene, camera never moves.
Then get a Medium ‘static’ shot, maybe the basket is still in frame in this or maybe not, the point of the shot is a closer look at the action.
Example: S1EP7 - DeMar DeRozan (Video Below)
:14 - Medium shot, also this shot is not static because the camera moves, but the shooter keeps the frame and just follows the action. No zoom.
Tight shot, this really engages the viewer into the detail, tight ‘static’ shots of the players release of the jumpshot, an iso of footwork during a drill, whatever the scene calls for.
Example: S1EP7 - DeMar DeRozan (Video Below)
:07 - Tight shot, on top of the action, still the shooter picks a frame and keeps it the entire time while tracking the action.
FOLLOWING THE BASKETBALL
1. First off, get under the basket!
2. Whenever a player is shooting a ball, its obviously going to the basket, so make it easier on yourself. With a ‘Medium” shot start to track the ball on it’s release, knowing that its coming towards you. You may want to practice the flow and rhythm of ending on the basket.
3. The biggest mistake I see people make when shooting hoops is trying to zoom in and out to much and trying to follow all of the action they see developing. You have to pick a frame and let action develop in that frame, you can track with the frame you pick, but zooming is not suggesting (unless you are using a cinema lense)
4. Also you will notice the focus needs to be adjusted when the ball hits the net. Especially, if you are shooting at a low enough F stop. So keeping the same frame and not zooming will allow your hand free to adjust the focus as the ball gets closer to the hoop.
IN THE EXAMPLE BELOW, there are 2 clips , one where the shooter is under the basket and one where the shooter is at mid court. I suggest getting under the hoop for beginners. Notice how the shooter on this footage rarely if ever zooms or adjust frame, when the action starts the shooter is keeping the frame and following the action.
DeMar DeRozan sitting down for an interview with Fresh Focus Sports at his alma matter, Compton High School.