Following on from my first blog – looking at Camcorders and equipment, I’d now like to talk through some of the basics of importing footage into editing software and the basics of editing on a budget.

There are some very good, simple editing programs available to import & clip up footage from your camcorder. I first started playing about with Windows Movie Maker  several years ago –  it is a free software program that comes with every Microsoft package. It can handle multiple file formats and can import footage straight from most camcorders. The equivalent package on a Mac is iMovie, again another simple editing software package for beginners to learn the basics and it also comes free with any new Mac purchase.

I recommend using a Hard Drive Camcorder as the file importing process is simple and quicker than transferring via DV Tape. You have the flexibility to choose the clips that you wish to import, and you don’t need to mess around with tapes.

Most camera’s will connect to your computer via USB cable, from there the software should automatically recognise your connected camera and you should be able to choose the files to download. Depending on the speed of your computer and the amount of footage, importing can take upwards of a couple of minutes.

Depending on your budget and experience with editing as well as your computer you have several options available in terms of editing software. If you wish to do some searching for editing software there are many packages available to purchase or download free that you may find suit you. As I mentioned Windows Movie Maker and iMovie, for Windows and Macs respectively are great options to start with.

They are ideal to use to create condensed highlight packages where you can skim through your footage and then clip up what you want and add titles, transitions and soundtracks, etc. You can take screenshots of footage as well which can be effective in emphasising coaching points. Also, you can export direct to YouTube and other social media platforms as well as creating a standalone movie file.

When it comes to exporting movie files, there are a lot of different options depending on the platform you are exporting to and the format settings of your project. Again, WMM & iMovie are ideal for guiding you through what settings are best for you to export your movies and in most cases they will automatically choose the best default options to export to.

Here’s a guide I have found online to help with understanding export setting when using a PC and Windows Movie Maker:

If you are a Mac user I have found a link to various iMovie tutorial videos to view online which explain the features of the software:

I use a Macbook Pro and a combination of iMovie and Final Cut Pro to edit, depending on the project. I film a lot of rugby and regularly use iMovie to create highlight packages to then upload to YouTube. I usually clip up footage into 10 minute packages picking out tries/good phases of play, etc.  During the export phase I compress the footage slightly and then upload the movie file to YouTube to share.

If you wish to take a look at some more of the videos I export you can visit my YouTube Channel 

When it comes to using a site like Coach Logic, you can firstly edit your footage together and then upload to the site to then analyse and annotate to improve your team.

You can of course export the whole game and then add your notes, or if you wish to focus, for example, one video on forward play and another for backs you can edit up the clips and then upload condensed highlights to Coach Logic to analyse.

Filming & editing go hand in hand, you need to make sure you have decent footage to be able to edit and analyse your performance, likewise it is important to be able to get to grips with the editing process and be able to clip up the necessary footage properly.

As with anything the more you edit the more you will feel comfortable with the software. It can seem a bit daunting at first, learning the ins and outs of the software, but you will soon find that you will be able to edit highlight packages quickly and with ease!

Jonathan Fowke. JPF Sports Media

Written By Jonathan Fowke of JPF Sports Media

Jonathan is a Sports Videographer who has a vast amount of experience. He currently works as the ‘Media Man’ for the Royal Engineers rugby team but has also worked for Samurai International and London Wasps RFC.