Editing an action sports video is by no means an easy feat. First you have to choose the right camera, then you need the right editing software, then the right shots and even worse the right music!

So in this growing world of video edits how do you get started and how do you make your action sports edit stand out. Well we hooked up with professional windsurfer and freelance videographer Markus Rydberg to find out how to make an action sports video edit.

Here are eight top tips to get you well on your way. And if you don’t know any of Markus’s work then check it out below.

1. Get someone to film.

Well, without any action it will be hard to do any action sports edit. First, get your hands on a decent camera, then try to get someone to film you. One good thing to do is to team up with a friend and film each other. Everybody wants to get themselves on video so it probably won’t be to hard to organise a quick rota. Take turns, 30 minutes each is already a lot of footage and make sure you tell your friend specifically what you want. Then it doesn’t get to boring to stand on shore and film.

2. Lower you expectations

When I went on trips before, I always thought to myself that I would do the sickest edit ever. That it would beat the shit out of some pro production companies edits of Levi and Browne. But when I then saw the semi shaky, zoomed out clips of myself riding an average wave I always got disappointed and didn’t feel like doing a video. Now, I just try to make the edit I am currently working on better then the one before. Then it gets so much more fun!

3. Choose soundtrack before you start filming

I always choose the song I’ll use before I start filming for the edit. Then it gets easier to get the ideas, angles, and atmosphere when your filming. You also get the feel of what kind of action and angles you want for the action parts. At least this works for me. You can even try listening to the song with headphones on as you film.

5. Inspiration

If you are inspired it gets much more fun to produce a video. I watch a lot of online videos from all kinds of extreme sports. Sports like mountain bike, motocross, skateboarding are producing a lot of nice videos that really motivate me. mpora.com or infinitylist.com is a good inspiration source!

In windsurfing at the moment, there is so much focus on getting the sickest moves and the highest level possible on camera. Off course that’s awesome and inspiring in a way, but I would like to see more documentary style videos with more focus on the riders and passion people have for the sport! To just see doubles, push forwards, insane goiters, etc… makes it feel unreachable for the majority of windsurfers and especially a beginner. I think that is similar in a lot of sports, there are many edits where it is pure action and you just get lost unless you know the sport. When it comes to windsurfing, clips like this can possibly make people lose interest rather then stay focused. Conclusion: we need more hipsters in windsurfing!

6. Software and editing

There is a lot of different software out there. My tip is to go for one and learn it properly. One thing I always try to think of is to time your clips with the music. Music is dynamic and if your video can follow the rhythm and feeling of the song it will be a more complete edit.

I personally learnt to use Adobe Premiere Pro CS 5 and for sure it would take a long time to learn all the other types of software.

7. It takes time

You didn’t learn to do a full planing gybe the first time you windsurfed, so don’t expect your first edit to be off the scale. The more videos you do the better you’ll get in filming and editing. Looking back at my first videos now I think they are horrible, haha. It’s a learning process and eventually you’ll develop your own style and it will get more and more fun as you go.

8. Enjoy

To make any kind of action sports edit should be fun, in particular windsurfing! So get out there, be creative and enjoy filming and do the best sport in the world!

/Markus Rydberg S-313