Give yourself a leg up on the competition. Check out our guidelines for filming comp entries!
I spoke to the head of Pole & Aerial Divas, Kennetta the woman who has watched more video entries than any other human on this planet, she gave me her top tips!
Tips For Filming
1. Do not film in practice time with other people in the video. You should be the only person in your video.
2. LIGHTING! The judges need to be able to see you clearly. They want to see your face and facial expression and if you film in a dark room, we cannot connect with you! They also can’t see details on your costumes or your beautiful bling if you went to the trouble to bling your outfit! If you are filming at a Divas studio, ask them to turn on the main overhead lights. We promise, this makes such a difference to the quality. And speaking of quality, ensure you film at the highest quality on your device so you can and upload your video in HD.
3. Centre your film and avoid having anything obstruct our view of you. The judges should see all of you at all times, make sure you are not cut off when you go up high on the apparatus or come down to the floor. If you cannot achieve this through setting your camera up on a tripod then please get someone to film you so they can move with you as you move around.
4. Sound quality – the people watching should be able to clearly hear your music. Generally it is fine to over dub your music (it is for Divas comps, please check with other organisers)
5. Your video MUST be one take. You cannot cut multiple videos together.
6. Costumes – judges don’t expect people to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on costumes for an audition video BUT remember you are competing against other video entries. When considering who to put into the show, judges can be swayed by those wearing at least some of a costume, as they want to imagine what your performance on a big stage will look like. Student groups are great places to find outfits you can borrow for a film!
7. Hair and Make Up – it makes a difference! Put your best foot forward.
8. ALWAYS film in landscape mode. Generally, entries are watched on a big screen TV. Videos in portrait mode do not come across well.
9. This is probably the best tip we can give: grab the judges attention EARLY! Remember, they may be watching over a hundred videos. Think about how to make an impression early so that they KEEP WATCHING.
10. Divas has specific requirements on music that can and cannot be used, you can find these here. If you are unsure, email comps@poledivas.com.au. Ensure to check the music guidelines of other comps!
11. Technique always trumps level of difficulty. If you can’t perform the trick cleanly and with great technique, don’t put it in. Simple things done well always look better than difficult things done poorly.
12. Make sure your tricks are appropriate to the level you are entering in. Speak to your coach or instructors for clarification around this.
13. Your audition should be a reflection of the judging criteria for the comp you are entering, be sure to check the judging criteria before putting your routine together.
14. Comps have different rules; some require the entry to be the routine you will perform, others don’t. Make sure you check these rules before preparing for the entry. For Unleashed and Airborne, we don’t need to see the routine you will put on the stage, but the entry needs to reflect your current skill level and should never be more than 12 months old.
15. Sometimes you will be using an entry from a previous performance or comp. This is fine, but ask yourself the questions “Does this video best represent my current skill level, and is it appropriate for the comp I’m entering?” Again, think about the judging criteria.
If you have any further questions or need guidance on any Divas comps, please don’t hesitate to reach out to comps@poledivas.com.au or your local studio!