Hey, what's good?

      Now that you know what you need to know on how to get sponsored, you're ready to start filming for your "sponsor me video".

      If you want skate companies to take you seriously then be you've gotta be serious about making a REAL GOOD video.

Make A Video That Stand Out From the Crowd

      This isn't just about good tricks either... it's also about good filming and editing too.

      You should already be filming yourself and your friends skateboarding, having fun, and doing what you do.That's good!

     Get comfortable with having a camera around as much as you can.

     And hey, there's no such thing as being "camera shy".

     All you've got to do is make a simple change.

     Here's what needs to change:

     Your WHY.

      Why are you skateboarding? Are you skateboarding for you, or are you skateboarding to fit in or look cool? Because there's a BIG DIFFERENCE.

      Ask yourself, "What's my reason WHY for wanting to skateboard? To have fun? To be creative, visualize tricks, and then turn those tricks into reality? That's why Paul Rodriguez skates.

Plan Your Tricks Ahead Of Time

      You're going to need to tell your "camera guy" what trick you're going to do so he knows how to film you.

     If he doesn't know, then very basically I'll tell you how.

     When using a wide angle lens, which you definitely want to do for some shots, you should hold the camera about knee height, with the STEADYSHOT OFF.

     A wide angle lens or "fisheye lens" is good for when you're doing lines of tricks.

     Long angle lens shots are good for when you're doing a single trick and you're using zoom.

NOTE: If you use zoom with your fisheye on the quality will lack.

     Make sure your STEADYSHOT is ON when you're filming with your long angle lens off.

     Get creative.

     Watch skate videos, but don't watch them for the tricks, watch them to study how they film the tricks.

     Try filming two angles sometimes.

     Either with two cameras, or just do the trick twice. You could edit those two angles together in your video.

     And when you're watching skate videos, watch how they EDIT the video too.

     The best way to learn how to make a "sponsor me" video is by watching professional videos and model yours like theirs.

     More is less.

     What I mean by that is when you're editing your video don't go overboard with the transitions. If you're gonna use anything use CROSS DISSOLVE.

Fisheye Lens Vs. Long Lens

     A fisheye lens, or wide angle lens, lets you see more of the skateboarder and the surroundings.

     Buy a fisheye lens.You can find cheap ones below. Kenko lens is what I have and it only cost me like $34.

     Be sure to pay attention to the size of your camera lens though, because you might, or might not have to buy an adapter for the wide angle lens to fit on it.

Film In A Variety Of Different Spots

      Nothing is more boring than watching a video that shows you skating at the same spot through the entire video.

     Remember this:

     K.I.S.S. = Keep It Short & Simple

     Team managers get sponsor me videos all the time, so you've got to grab their attention, and hold it, which won't last long if you're not doing it right.

     You've got to make quite the first impression.

     You could mix it up with some skatepark footage and street footage if you wanted, but in my opinion it should be all street, unless of course you want to be know for being a skatepark skater, which is fine too.

     Skatepark footage has it's benefits though.

     It shows that you'd be good at skating in contests and demos. I guess it all depends on which company you're trying to get sponsored by, and what type of terrain you like to skate.

Editing Your Sponsor Me Video

      This is critical. If you don't know how to edit ask one of your friends to do it for you or ask someone online to hook you up (if you want me to edit your video I'll do it for $10).

      First, you need to import the footage from your camera to your computer.

     You can import footage with either a USB or Firewire cable. Firewire is much better quality and if you really want to make a good impression you should use this.

     Not all cameras have firewire though... Mini DV cameras do and so do HD cameras, but anything older probably will only have USB, and even though it's not as good quality, it's better than nothing.

     If you don't have any camera, ask your friend to film you with his or hers. Or get one for Christmas.

     Your video should be two minutes in length (more or less).

     We've already went over this, but I'll say it again. Team managers are busy people, so you want to get right to the point, and only put up your best footage.

     The first 10 seconds will make or break your chances of getting sponsored.

     Either you'll grab their attention and they keep watching, or they won't.

     Your first trick should be a good one and so should your last trick. Start and end the video with a BANG.

     And when editing forget using all those transitions. It make your video look cheezy. Stick to the best one, which is Cross Dissolove.

     Again, watch professional videos and see how they transition between video clips.

Choosing A Song

     When choosing a song avoid using mainstream songs... Maybe pick something you heard in a skate video.

     Choose a song that reflects your personality and style.

      Add your bails to the end of the video too, if you want. Team managers like to see them. They want to see how you react. Will you spaze out or will you shake it off?

     IDEA: At the beginning (or end) of the video you could tell them a little bit about yourself if you wanted to. Keep it short and simple though (30 seconds at most).

     Alright, now it's time to start skating and getting that footy.

    Go have fun skateboarding!

    PS. If you enjoyed this hubpage please rate it by giving this hub a thumbs up.

    PPS. Thank you for supporting me and allowing me to do what I love, and make a living doing it. This means a lot to me. Thank you.