Sports Videography Ethics Question

[Dave Haynie]

[Chip Thome] “PS…if Daddy’s got money to burn….he also probably has a real good lawyer too. :-)”

If he’s only got $50 or less to spend per hour for hired guns, I wouldn’t worry so much about his lawyer.

But I agree… if you were contracted to deliver the demo reel, the footage is yours, lock, stock, and barrel. If you’re shooting specifically for him, that sounds like a work for hire, unless you have a contract saying otherwise. Or perhaps, a general understanding that he doesn’t own the footage (eg, are you deliving the raw footage, or just the demo reel, as part of your agreement).

-Dave

[Dave Haynie]

[Aaron Cadieux] ” Football game films should always be shot at a wide angle to capture all of the action. This should be the rule whether you’re shooting an entire team, or shooting an idividual play. I make sure the kid I am shooting is always visible in the shot, but I am careful not to zoom in tight on him. Zooming in tight creates multiple problems. College recruiters want to see how the player is reacting to what’s going on around him. In this player’s case, he is a slot receiver. Coaches want to see how he is reacting to what the quarterback is doing. “

Yup. I’ve been shooting High School soccer for nearly as long. And the coaches absolutely want to see a wide shot, at least for games where I have that vantage (the higher the better). I shoot for the whole team, so I’m not typically worred about covering a single player, but I suppose that if I wanted an individual demo reel, I might cut to SD as well… that could work. Though I shoot in 720/60p… much better for smooth motion, or slow-motion in the case when I’m editing a highlights reel.

-Dave