We're livestreaming Paul Chelimo's American Record attempt in Virginia Beach tomorrow - any LetsRunners want to help?

You'd hire an LRC person who knows running, over someone who knows how to operate a camera?

Are you paying the runner the same amount as you would have the professional, or did you realize that the professional wanted to be paid and you decided to try to find somebody to do it for free? Is that just plain old good business sense, or kinda sleazy?

Cut them some slack. At least they are going to try to steam it.

This is Jim Kiler wrote:

You'd hire an LRC person who knows running, over someone who knows how to operate a camera?

I'd hire a LRC person who knows running and knows how to operate a camera over someone who just operates a camera. I've already had a guy who lives in NJ offer his services. I figue

Don't be such a cheapskate. wrote:

Are you paying the runner the same amount as you would have the professional, or did you realize that the professional wanted to be paid and you decided to try to find somebody to do it for free? Is that just plain old good business sense, or kinda sleazy?

Of course I expected a professional to get paid and I expect LetsRunners who does this professionally to get paid. Even if some high schooler wants to come out and run a camera to help us and so he can say he was there, I'd pay him as well. Don't see how that is sleazy at all.

But figured it would be best to find someone who knows running. Same thing when we hired Erik our web guy. He came from the community.

This was all very last second and Scott Simmons asked if we had suggestions for streaming and we said we'd help . Covid has seen so many races be self streamed, so might as well get more LetsRunners involved and not have this behind a paywall. Someone implied to me that other streaming services use volunteer help and that wasn't my intention at all.

We probably should create a list of people and resources to help other events in the future be on youtube. No need to reinvent the wheel everytime.

Don't be such a cheapskate. wrote:

Are you paying the runner the same amount as you would have the professional, or did you realize that the professional wanted to be paid and you decided to try to find somebody to do it for free? Is that just plain old good business sense, or kinda sleazy?

The snark is strong in this one...

Hedjd wrote:

Cut them some slack. At least they are going to try to steam it.

+1

Wow! This is finally happening, I never thought you'd actually do it.

Tell whoever operates the camera to keep it braced against something solid, if not on a tripod or gimbal

Bravo, Weldon. This is great.

Bad Wigins wrote:

Wow! This is finally happening, I never thought you'd actually do it.

Tell whoever operates the camera to keep it braced against something solid, if not on a tripod or gimbal

I hope whoever operates the camera at least uses a video tripod. Those have a fluid drag head that gives some resistance when panning to provide smoother panning. I bought one for probably under $150 to take videos of my daughters' track meets for 3 years so while not a professional I have a lot of experience and learned from my mistakes. I did get a free pair of shoes for taking a video of an indoor elite high school race. A professional would use a better quality and much more expensive tripod with head that provides smooth panning. A video zoom (not just digital zoom) is a must. My camcorder has 20x or maybe a little more real zoom which I found to be enough for high school races. Ideally the camera an handle low light situations or hopefully the track has descent lighting or the race is during bright sunlight. Many of the indoor tracks where my wife too photos and I took videos had very poor lighting which showed the low light weakness of my consumer level cameras and lenses. Outdoor tracks with a sport field in the center most likely have lighting that is mostly directed onto the field and not the track which makes filming the far side of the track more difficult in the evening or at night. For cross country races I used a monopod for my camcorder so that I could easily move around the course but still not limit the shaking.

A professional with no experience at track races may need some pointers as to how to capture the race.

Awesome Wejo! Good work

What time? And can you provide the link? Thanks.

I think this is a wonderful thing you guys are doing. I figure you guys know more than most of the commentators off the top of your heads, make sure to come prepared :)

If it goes well, I'm sure everyone would love if you could do it for every meet you go to when possible. I'm sure with a bit more notice, there would be at least someone for most major meets who could set up a camera and shoot the meet for a couple hours if they're getting paid decent money. It would also bring a lot of traffic to the website I'm sure.

Again, this is great!! Really glad you guys have gotten the opportunity to do this and are trying to involve LRC!

Seems like an odd time and place to set a record. Usually cool and windy in March.

malmo wrote:

Seems like an odd time and place to set a record. Usually cool and windy in March.

I think it is indoors Malmo.

Have Some Experience Recording Races wrote:

My camcorder has 20x or maybe a little more real zoom which I found to be enough for high school races.

any more than that will be too shaky or hard to keep the subject in frame.

Pros have multiple cameras with each operator working on one section of track. A solo operator should set zoom to frame 20-30m of backstretch to catch the main pack, and leave it there. When they go by on the homestretch, let autofocus use the same frame to show the few leaders and let the rest slowly drift through.

Brojos can probably afford a gimbal, the ideal solution for filming from bleachers

Hedjd wrote:

malmo wrote:

Seems like an odd time and place to set a record. Usually cool and windy in March.

I think it is indoors Malmo.

Wait, you mean to imply theyre going for an indoor record, indoors??? Who would have thought!

Look forward to the stream. Thanks lrc.

I wish I could help, but I'd have a very long swim to get there. It is a big pond to cross :(. Have fun.

Hedjd wrote:

malmo wrote:

Seems like an odd time and place to set a record. Usually cool and windy in March.

I think it is indoors Malmo.

Don't be such a cheapskate. wrote:

Are you paying the runner the same amount as you would have the professional, or did you realize that the professional wanted to be paid and you decided to try to find somebody to do it for free? Is that just plain old good business sense, or kinda sleazy?

Idiotic comment. How about waking up and appreciating some of those who bring us information we would otherwise not have?