How to Film a BMX Edit

Filming a BMX edit means recording a rider's tricks and lines with a phone or camera, then cutting the best clips together into a short video set to music. Good edits come from steady footage, angles that show the trick and the spot, and tight editing. A web edit is usually a few minutes long and made to post online.

Phone vs camera

Option	Pros	Cons	Good for
Phone	Always with you, good image, easy editing apps	Small sensor in low light, wide lens can distort	Most riders, quick edits, learning
Action camera	Small, tough, very wide view	Very wide look, limited zoom	Helmet cam, POV, follow cam
Camcorder or mirrorless camera	Better zoom, better low light, swap lenses	Costs more, bulkier	Serious filmers, long lens shots
Fisheye lens or adapter	Classic BMX and skate look, shows the whole spot close up	You must get very close to the rider	Street and park

Many classic skate and BMX videos were filmed on tape camcorders with fisheye adapters. That look still shapes how riders film today, even on phones. See the web edit era for how filming moved online.

Lens choices

Fisheye

A fisheye lens is very wide and curves straight lines. You film close to the rider, often low and following the line of the trick. It makes the spot look big and puts the viewer in the action.

• Get close, but stay out of the rider's path and landing.
• Keep the lens low for drops and gaps.
• Move with the rider so they stay in the centre of the frame.

Long lens

A long lens (zoomed in) films from further away. It compresses the background and shows the whole trick from a distance. Long lens shots work well as a second angle and for big gaps where you cannot stand close.

• Use a tripod or brace yourself to avoid shake.
• Frame the whole trick, from takeoff to landing.
• Use it for slower, wider establishing shots of the spot.

Angles that work

1. Show the spot first. Viewers need to see the rail, ledge or gap to understand the trick.
2. Film the whole trick. Include the approach, the trick and a clean ride away. Cutting the landing makes it look like it was not made.
3. Go low. A low angle makes obstacles look bigger and tricks look higher.
4. Pick the open side. Film from the side the rider faces, so you can see their face and the bike.
5. Get a second angle. A long lens angle alongside a fisheye clip adds variety in the edit.
6. Keep the horizon level. Tilted footage looks careless unless it is deliberate.

Follow cam

In a follow cam shot, the filmer rides behind or alongside the rider on a bike or skateboard, holding the camera. It is common for lines through a park or street.

• Practise riding one handed at slow speeds first.
• Use a wide lens or fisheye so small shakes matter less.
• Agree the line with the rider before you start.
• Keep a safe distance, and never follow into blind corners or traffic.
• Wear a helmet. Filming while riding is riding.

Camera settings

• Resolution. 1080p is enough for web edits. 4K gives room to crop.
• Frame rate. Film at 50 or 60 frames per second if you want to slow clips slightly. In Australia, 25 and 50 frames per second match local mains power and reduce flicker under some lights.
• Exposure. Lock exposure on the rider, not the bright sky.
• Focus. Lock focus on the spot so the camera does not hunt mid trick.
• Stability. Hold the phone with two hands, keep elbows tucked, and use a gimbal if you have one.
• Sound. Keep raw audio. The sound of tyres, grinds and landings adds a lot to an edit.

Filming a session

• Know the plan. Ask the rider what trick they are trying and where they will land.
• Hit record early. Start before the run up and stop after the ride away.
• Film every attempt. Bails can make good extra footage, if the rider is happy for them to be used.
• Stay safe. Stand clear of landing zones and runouts.
• Respect the spot. Get permission where you need it, do not damage property, and leave when asked. A good session depends on spots staying open.

Editing

1. Pick your software. Free options are available on phones and computers. Choose one with a timeline, trimming and colour tools.
2. Log your clips. Watch everything and mark the best makes.
3. Choose music early. The song shapes the pace and length.
4. Build a structure. Open with a strong clip, build up through the edit and finish with the best trick, the ender.
5. Cut on the beat. Changing clips on beats or musical changes makes an edit feel smooth.
6. Trim tightly. Start clips just before the approach and end soon after the ride away.
7. Keep effects simple. Slow motion, light colour grading and the odd raw audio moment are enough.
8. Export for the platform. Check the recommended size and format for where you will post it.

Music and licensing

Most commercial music is protected by copyright. Using a song in a public video usually needs permission from the rights holders. Without it, platforms may mute your video, block it in some countries, place ads on it for the rights holder or remove it altogether.

Safer options:

• Use music libraries that clearly license tracks for online video.
• Use music provided by the platform for use in videos on that platform, within its terms.
• Ask local artists for permission to use their music, and credit them.
• Use tracks under free use licences, and follow the licence terms, such as giving credit.

Do not assume a song is fine because other edits use it.

Related

• Web edit
• The web edit era
• Line
• Ender