“Builder”: Making an Action-Sports Documentary on a Mountain Bike Budget
From the HD Pro Guide Magazine archive: this article first appeared in HD Pro Guide Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 5 (2014). Written by Scott Secco.
Written by Scott Secco. Photos taken by Hoshi Yoshida. On "Builder", I’m the director, writer, cinematographer, editor, colorist, location scout, and stunt coordinator, among other things. Working on an action sports film is nothing like working on a traditional commercial or feature film set. You have to be willing to juggle a number of jobs in tough environments, far from the comforts of power outlets, Starbucks, and free Wi-Fi. In the mountains, you can't control the lighting, or the set dec, it's up to nature to decide what you have to work with. The best solution is a good weather app.
It's doubtful you’ll see an action sport movie winning an Oscar, but I don't see any reason why the production value of Hollywood shouldn't be the benchmark for sports films. Many of the tools of I’m currently directing a mountain bike movie called, "Builder".
It’s my first feature documentary, and it tells the story of why trail builders matter to mountain biking (they’re integral, they literally shape the ride).
big budget blockbusters can be brought into the woods with enough planning and effort. I think it's strange when you see people from outside of the sports world try and shoot action – suddenly they forget all the basics! The rule of thirds is still relevant when composing a shot with an athlete riding through it. With the exception of time-lapses, and a few POV clips, I've shot the entire film on my Sony FS700. The FS700 is one of the most popular cameras amongst action sport filmmakers, mainly because of its slow motion capabilities. It can shoot 240 frames per second at 1920×1080 resolution, plus it has built in ND filters, XLR audio, and great low light sensitivity. I use all manner of grip gear including two Syrp Genies, a Syrp Magic Carpet, a Kessler KC-Lite 8 crane, a Glidecam HD-4000, and a custom-made cable cam. The cable cam is one of my favourite tools as it allows for 250-foot tracking shots that really show how beautiful riding a bike can be. I’m lucky to have a strong partnership with Pinkbike.com. They’re the largest action sport website in the world and the definitive hub for mountain bikers online; they’re also working to produce and sponsor my film. Since mountain biking is a relatively niche sport it's easy to reach my core audience through Pinkbike (although I hope the movie also resonates with those who have never ridden a bike off road). I’ll be premiering "Builder" free on Pinkbike for 24 hours and then it will be available to purchase on iTunes and on DVD and Blu-ray in May, 2015.
My goal for "Builder" is to pay tribute to all the hours put in by mountain bike trail builders and hopefully to inspire viewers to pick up a shovel, or their bike, and go get lost in the woods. DOCUMeNTaRY “Builder”, Documentary
Camera Setup I currently shoot on a Sony FS700. It's extremely popular with action sport shooters like myself as it's capable of filming 240 frames per second at 1920×1080 resolution. The super slow mo is a really great feature to highlight moments that would otherwise be too fast to see with the naked eye. The slow mo, built in ND filters, and great low light, are the main reasons I like the camera. You can set it up to shoot a super flat picture profile too, this maximizes dynamic range, and makes colour grading and shot matching between cameras much easier.
- Sony FS700
- Canon 7D
- Tokina 11-16
- Zeiss 21
- Zeiss 50
- Sigma 70-200
- Manfrotto tripod
- Manfrotto Magic Arm
- 2 x Syrp Genie
- Syrp Magic Carpet
- Glidecam HD4000
- and a homemade cable cam
~ Scott Secco, www.scottsecco.com
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