Making sure my ducks are in a row

Jdaniels

Jdaniels

Well-known member
Im gearing up for a mini doc that will start production in October of this year. The subject is Little League Baseball select teams in Louisiana. These are the teams that compete for a spot in the Little League world series each year. This is the "Show". The big time for these elite little leaguers.

I plan on following one team for its season of play documenting practices and games, hoping to capture the magic moments and the big tourney at years end.
I am working up the questions for the interviews for the parents and team members. I plan on letting the answers I get drive the story and script. I also will print up a ton of release forms to get the footage I need.
My dream interview will be to get on tape a local professional ballplayer in our area that recently retired from "The SHow"

My gear is one 3 chip mini dv panny gs400 with a rode videomic for nat sounds and AT wireless lavs for interviews and various family members in the stands.
I hope to get some local funds from various supporters of the local select league to buy a DVX100b.
Editing will be on Mac Pro and Macbook pro for quick edits on the road.
Any hints that I am forgetting or helpful comments.

The venue is possible filmfests next year.

Thanks and sorry for so long a post
JD
 
My cousin was in the littele league world series in 2003, it was a pretty fun being expereince in williamsport.
Good luck on your project.
 
JDaniels-
Good idea with the little league teams-Personally, I love sports docs and haven't necessarily seen one on little league yet, and would be really intrigued by this one if I saw it somewhere. As far as your story is concerned, I covered baseball alot as a print reporter and found that baseball families re unlike other sports-The families travel far distances, and often times team moms kind of become their own families as well-

I think you could definitely emphasize the work outside the realm of on the field, and hilight some of those folks who spend all summer organizing, planning and devleoping the team's logistical angle-

What kind of structure are you looking at? For what it's worth, I once did a long feature story on a summer collegiate baseball league, and weaved together profiles of 4 different roles within the league, one player, one volunteer for the team, one of the general managers, and one of the umpires, to give an interesting cross section of angles the league has-not sure if that would work for your story, but might give it an interesting feel. Four people, all involved in the same goal, but coming at it from four different perspectives. Just a thought, I like the idea, would love to give it a look when your done!
 
atlcHEROKEE said:
JDaniels-
Good idea with the little league teams-Personally, I love sports docs and haven't necessarily seen one on little league yet, and would be really intrigued by this one if I saw it somewhere. As far as your story is concerned, I covered baseball alot as a print reporter and found that baseball families re unlike other sports-The families travel far distances, and often times team moms kind of become their own families as well-

I think you could definitely emphasize the work outside the realm of on the field, and hilight some of those folks who spend all summer organizing, planning and devleoping the team's logistical angle-

What kind of structure are you looking at? For what it's worth, I once did a long feature story on a summer collegiate baseball league, and weaved together profiles of 4 different roles within the league, one player, one volunteer for the team, one of the general managers, and one of the umpires, to give an interesting cross section of angles the league has-not sure if that would work for your story, but might give it an interesting feel. Four people, all involved in the same goal, but coming at it from four different perspectives. Just a thought, I like the idea, would love to give it a look when your done!
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Interesting. I plan on following one specific family through the whole process. I hadnt thought of the umpire angle. The dad of the players is also one of the coaches of the team, so it will be interesting to see the dual role he plays in the development of the team and his sons. I wont be able to go to all the away games, but I want to travel with them so I can see everything that is invovled in the travel aspect off the field.
Thanks for the encouragement and your ideas.
JD
 
Ok, Here is where I am to date:
I will start preproduction shooting for background footage this week.
It has been pitched (so to speak) to a couple of friends that are in the business, and the idea seems to have merit.
Now the idea has evolved to a possible monthly series on public television in 30 minute time slots. Im afraid that Im taking a bigger bite than I can chew with this direction. I was only wanting to make a 30-45 min. mini doc on this for local film festivals.
I do want to incorporate some local sponsers to raise production costs, as I have limited out of pocket money to invest here. I can invest some, like the costs of specialty (helmet cams) camera rentals.
I have a small 3 chip camera that I can use for interviews, but I want a dvx for the main shooting of the action. Rentals of a dvx longterm doesnt make financial sense, as I could buy one cheaper.
 
Baseball is hard to shoot, how are you going to manage with one camera? Do you have a good tripod? I can picture a lot of panning and zooming in and out. You might want to get a few more camera men on board for this production if you have the funds.
 
danmckinney said:
Baseball is hard to shoot, how are you going to manage with one camera? Do you have a good tripod? I can picture a lot of panning and zooming in and out. You might want to get a few more camera men on board for this production if you have the funds.
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Sure it is! I remember from my days of photoging for a local ABC affiliate where I live, all the "fun" I had shooting highschool, and AAA ball.
One way around it is to post multiple cameras set on static tripods. I also plan on using a helmet cam for alternate POVs.
My plan is to follow one member of the team per episode, if I go that route, but I do have the luxury of spreading the shooting out over the next 9 months, so I can get all the footage I need without using manpower. However, should the team make it all the way, then, Yes, Ill be putting out a call for local shooters to help me get different POV shots of the games.

JD
PS
Of course, If I get shot down by just one parent not wanting their kid in the doc, by refusing the sign any waiver, Im dead in the water and all this will be chalked up as a learning experience.
 
Sorry, because of that title, I never bothered to click on your thread several days ago thinking that you’re trying to shoot video of some ducks and that you want to know how to keep them in a row. I’m not joking.


Anyway, I just saw your post and a documentary series immediately popped into my head. You should rent “Off to War: From Rural Arkansas to Iraq” This documentary spans 10 episodes on 4 DVDs. Leaving any political leanings aside, the way they made this documentary, may give you an idea on how you should go about in making yours. The concept you finally decided to do is very similar. Another Documentary you can rent is one that took me 10 minutes trying to remember the name but its called “The Next Invasion” I’ve seen it once several months ago but from what I can remember, a videographer follows a group of young skateboarding kids on a tour.
 
Camera Expert said:
Sorry, because of that title, I never bothered to click on your thread several days ago thinking that you’re trying to shoot video of some ducks and that you want to know how to keep them in a row. I’m not joking.
Click to expand...
LOL Sorry, I probably would have gotten more responses if I'd been more clear


Camera Expert said:
Anyway, I just saw your post and a documentary series immediately popped into my head. You should rent “Off to War: From Rural Arkansas to Iraq” This documentary spans 10 episodes on 4 DVDs. Leaving any political leanings aside, the way they made this documentary, may give you an idea on how you should go about in making yours. The concept you finally decided to do is very similar. Another Documentary you can rent is one that took me 10 minutes trying to remember the name but its called “The Next Invasion” I’ve seen it once several months ago but from what I can remember, a videographer follows a group of young skateboarding kids on a tour.
Click to expand...
Ill try to find these on netflix Thanks for your input
 
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