How to Make Cheerleading Tryout Videos

If you want to try out for your high school or college's cheerleading team, you can showcase your talents by making a tryout video. A video can be useful if the college or university you are going to attend is far away and you can't make it to a tryout session in person. When you make the video, show a range of moves and cheers to make yourself stand out.

Things You'll Need

  • Video camera
  • Tripod
  • Light tripod stand
  • Flood light fixture
  • Compact fluorescent bulb
  • Video editing software
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a location to shoot your video. Ask permission to use your school's gymnasium, or shoot the video outdoors. If you decide on an outdoor location, shoot during the afternoon so there is adequate natural light.

    • 2

      Set up your camera on the tripod and adjust the height as needed. If you are shooting outdoors, there will be enough natural, ambient light to make the video look crisp and clear. If you are shooting indoors, bring a light tripod stand, flood light fixture and a compact fluorescent bulb. If your camera has a built-in light, turn it on. For sharper audio, plug a microphone, such as a lavalier, into the video camera's external microphone jack and arrange the microphone on your shirt collar.

    • 3

      Turn on the camera and shoot a test video of yourself performing a few basic cheers. Use the replay function on the camera to make sure that your lighting is adequate and you can see your whole body in the video.

    • 4

      Say the name of the first cheer and when during a game that cheer is used. Perform two or three more cheers, introducing each one before you begin.

    • 5

      Introduce some basic gymnastic stunts, such as cartwheels, tumbles and back handsprings, explaining which moves you are about to execute before you do so. Do a few cheerleading stunts such as splits, pikes, hurkeys, heel stretches and toe touches. Perform a more complex routine; it can be one you perform with your team or one you have choreographed yourself. This will show the coaches that you are creative and a leader.

    • 6

      Edit the footage using video editing software. Cut out any long pauses before and after you have performed the routine. Save the video file; send it directly to the email addresses of the cheerleading coaches.