The Dos and Don’ts of Filming an Extreme Skiing Movie

Extreme skiing is a sport in which getting awesome video may be as difficult as the skiing itself. In the 2007 extreme skiing movie Steep, videographers took risks almost as great as the skiers themselves. But for all its intensity, adventure, and adrenalin rush, there are a few dos and don’ts you’ll want to be follow in videoing an extreme skiing movie.

Don’ts

• Be cautious. Don’t risk your life. Extreme sports stock footage is always thrilling to watch, but all the fun is over when someone is injured or life is lost.
  
• Don’t compromise quality. Don't forget, the ‘extreme’ applies to the skiing, not the filming. Always practice the basics of good filming—steady shots, proper perspective, etc. In the excitement of the moment is easy to get distracted, sacrificing the results of your filming.
  
• Don’t emphasize the wrong things. The point of filming extreme skiing is the extreme skier, not the breathtaking mountain vistas and breathtaking skies. Those will be a part of your film, but you need to focus on the skier.

Dos

Extreme sports video clips are packed full of incredible videography techniques. Fortunately, there are many dos than don'ts when filming extreme skiing. Follow some of these tips to ensure a stunning extreme skiing movie.

• Film the skier against a far-away backdrop. To capture the height and danger of an extreme skier is to film him or her against something that is far away, creating a sense of distance. If you capture the skier against the sky, make sure that there is some element of scenery present to allow the viewer to grasp the perspective. Horizon shots are great, too.
  
• Use some far-away shots. Filming the skier from a long distance is helpful in order to provide a look at the surroundings. Extreme skiing is synonymous with steep slopes, so make sure your extreme skiing movie has a lot of steep slope shots.
• Use motion. Tracking or following an athlete’s motion in sports video clips is difficult, but when done correctly, can make a powerful impact. In extreme skiing, this can only be done with a proper camera cable configuration, ski lift, or slow skiing camera person.
• Get some close ups. Capture the intensity in your extreme skiing movie by getting some close ups. Facial concentration adds an element of excitement and personality to an extreme skiing movie.
  
• If you can orchestrate it, use moving aerial shots. If the extreme skiing location involves transport via helicopter, take advantage of it by shooting some aerials into your movie. The best aerials are those in which extreme skiers are perched on a ridge, or those in which you are able to follow the skier down the slope.
• Worm’s-eye shots. An extreme skiing movie wouldn’t be complete without the low shots using an angle in which the skier is much higher than the camera.
  

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