Camera, Action, Coach: How to Get the Most from Your Video Camera
It's never been easier to get video footage of players with cameras everywhere from phones to specialist equipment. But very few coaches understand the optimal angles of filming to get the best from video analysis.
I'm going to let you into the secrets of the way that we analyse the fast bowlers using a digital zoom camera.
You can then use the principles to adjust the distance from the point of release depending on the camera type that you are using at the time (phone, iPad or digitial camera).
The optimal equipment in my view is:
- Tripod 1.50m in height
- Casio High-Speed Exilim Digital Camera
- Tape Measure
Rear view
Always line up with the camera on middle stump. This gives you consistency in angle. If this is not achieved then the different angles can throw the accuracy of your analysis.
In my experience, most bowlers like consistency and comparability so getting this right is crucial if your hard work is to get maximal results.
For all rear shots you want the bowler filling the screen at point of release.
A guide is to keep the feet at the bottom of the screen with enough room for the arms and ball release at the top of the screen.
Get 3 rear shots to accurately analyse a bowler:
- Full Run Up: Position the camera 5 metres back from the end of the run up with the zoom being used to ensure that the bowler fills the screen at point of release.
- Half Run Up: Position the camera 7 metres behind the back crease line. This angle allows you to look at running style, how the arms gather into the jump phase of the action and the full action itself.
- Close up of the Full Action: Video the action itself without zooming in with the bowler. Will help to line the bowler up in a stationary fashion at the crease to calculate an accurate zoom to capture the bowler as fully as possible.
Side view
The ideal position is 8 metres back from the wickets on the line of the back line (stump line).
It's important to see the arms moving through the action so make sure you are facing the bowlers chest rather than back.
There is no zoom needed on the Casio Exilim cameras from this distance and angle. The bowler fills the screen well on the normal lens.
Start filming your bowlers with confidence and see your coaching interventions hit the jackpot as a result.
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Comments
Hello
I don't have these fancy types of cameras but I have created a good way of using the camera that I've got to look at my accuracy. The person holding the camera stands in line with the crease line and films my action, and another writes down what each ball was ex. good turning delivery/ wide down leg side etc. Afterwards I look at the footage to see what went right, and what went wrong in my action when I bowled a good or bad ball. Do you think this is a handy way of looking at what happens during your action that causes a good or bad ball? And can you think of any ways to improve this excercise?
It is excellent Jaques. You can improve the accuracy of the ball tracking by using a PitchVision system.
Yes I have heard the system has that ball tracking thing that kind of reminds me of hawk-eye. I'd really like seeing my deliveries in that way, it will really help me improve my angles, accuracy etc. But the biggest problem I have now is the constant injuries to my spinning finger. The seam of the ball sometimes cuts my finger and the space between my third and second fingers also looks very bad. It doesn't get much time to recover but it only hinders my bowling when I haven't been bowling for a while, so I bowl a lot to keep my fingers used to it and hopefully I will get accustomed to these injuries. I know that sound like I'm mentally challenged or something but it has worked for me in the past. My fingers were bleeding all the time and everyone was telling me to stop bowling but I bowled 100 balls a day with new and old balls and it worked! It hardened my spinning finger and for about a year I was injury free. But now its getting bad again, should I do the same and ingnore everyone's advice and still bowl to try and strengthen my fingers so it doesn't happen again, or should I stop bowling for a while to give time for my fingers to heal?