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Aaron Chase shares his top 16 tips for POV videos
Learn how to get the best POV footage using these top tips from pro rider Aaron Chase.
Using his wealth of knowledge, here are Aaron Chase's top 16 tips on how to make better POV footage:
1. Be prepared
The gear has to be packed, the memory cards need to be cleared and the batteries need to be charged. Then it’s all about the game plan of what you're trying to capture.
2. Have a plan
The first thing is to have a vision. That’s typically where I start. Then I make a plan. If I want to ride a new trail and want to record it — how do I capture it? I want the viewer to feel like they’re coming with me, so I decide to do it all in POV.
3. Get mounts
I use different POV mounts that attach to myself and my bike to keep the action changing. Get creative and see where you can attach the camera to gain a fresh perspective.
4. Always record
The reason a GoPro can be great is that people tend to leave them on and capture the things people normally miss. Let it run all the time.
5. Be organised
Keep all those small memory cards organised — you can write on them with a marker so you can identify the card that was used with each camera. You can lose the cards so easily and so this keeps everything safe.
6. Strive for stability
To stabilise my shots, I use a chest-mounted gimbal or you can use the rotor, which is a carbon rod that attaches to the top of your helmet. It positions the camera at an arm's length away from you. This centres you in the frame, adds perspective and the slight rotation makes it look more dynamic – just be careful on tight trails.
7. Use friends
Once you have a variety of shots of your own, don't forget to consider capturing shots from a rider following you – then you’ve got multiple angles to choose from, even if they are all POV.
8. Mix it up
If you want to just film yourself riding all day that’s one idea, but don't forget you can change between different modes on the camera.
9. Take photos
I like to put the remote on my handlebar and set the GoPro to "burst" mode, which shoots 30 photos in six seconds — I hit the button on the remote right as I am coming up to the jump. Or you can take a timelapse of the ride, using the mode that takes a photo every three seconds so that you have a load of different shots.
Look mum, no hands!
© Aaron Chase
10. Finish strong
If you've just captured a great jump run don’t make the mistake of turning the camera off right away. Get all the high fives and celebrations and get a description of what you just did – it adds a lot of flavour.
11. Use protection
When you’re shooting the camera out of the protective case you need to use these little clear filters. If the lens gets scratched on a GoPro, the camera is scrap. Pop one of these on and keep it safe.
12. Get a timer
For timelapses, get a simple kitchen timer. It rotates 180 degrees in 30 minutes and 360 in an hour, creating these cool panning timelapse shots on a budget. To get the same effect as a big camera, it’s tedious, but possible. A GoPro retrofitted to a simple egg timer can take timelapses while packing or unpacking a car, or even capture changing weather conditions. Again, it’s all about timing and vision. So when you see clouds rolling in, be sure you’re paying attention. It’s all about seeing into the future.
13. Find inspiration
I’m always surprised when people come up with totally different video ideas. I’ll be trying to do these crazy difficult shots and then Mike Basich will put on a yeti costume and just do pow runs in the backcountry — I’m like, "Damn, that’s the best idea ever." Remember to have fun out there.
14. Use drop cams
You don't always have to shoot from your body or bike. Want to see yourself go over that jump? Simply place the camera on the ground and ride by it to record the action. Now, you have another view and another solid self-made shot to use.
Aaron's drone setup
© Aaron Chase
15. Go drone
There’s a new secret weapon in my camera kit — a GPS-tracking drone that automatically follows me. No need for a helicopter to get amazing aerial shots anymore. I simply wear a sensor on my wrist and it goes wherever I go. It can even fold up to fit in my backpack so that I can take it along anywhere, making those once very expensive shots attainable.
16. Share
Today, you can shoot 4K quality video on a GoPro, transfer it to your phone, edit it and put it up on Facebook — all from the palm of your hand.
Watch Aaron’s latest videos here and keep up with all his POV adventures on his Instagram page.
