PURDUE NORTWEST MENS SOCCER VIDEO
For my final project in my Digital Video and Audio class, I had the freedom to choose the type of video I wanted to create. At the time, I was working with the Purdue Northwest men’s soccer team, so I decided to challenge myself by creating a hype video since the team didn’t have any hype content on their social media. This project became a great challenge because I was still learning how to use Adobe Premiere Pro and experimenting with different techniques such as color grading, sound effects, and camera settings while recording. Through this process, I was able to practice and apply these skills, which I know will continue to help me as I grow in my career as a video editor.
Before filming, I spent several hours researching and looking at references for different angles and shots that caught my attention. I selected seven shots that I wanted to recreate for the video, using them as inspiration to challenge my creativity and find ways to give the video a unique style. For example, in one of the shots I experimented with a low shutter effect because it creates a sense of motion and can really capture the viewer’s attention. I also wanted to bring a retro feeling to the video, so I used a VHS camera to achieve that look. I really enjoyed working with this camera and the aesthetic it created, and it’s something I plan to continue using in future projects. 
After several days of filming, I moved into the editing process. One of the most challenging parts was maintaining the tempo of the video. I wanted it to create a strong sense of intensity, so it was important that most of the clips did not last longer than three or four seconds. I also created a flashing effect to help grab the viewer’s attention and add more energy to certain moments. In addition, I used speed ramping on some clips by adding two keyframes and reducing the speed of the clip to about 50% in the middle to emphasize specific actions.
The editing process took several days because I wanted to make sure that all the visual effects and audio effects were synchronized. On top of that, I worked on color grading to achieve a more cinematic, film-like look. Since I was still learning, I had to spend time understanding how color grading works, but it became a great learning experience that helped improve the final result of the video.
After all the filming, editing, and experimenting with different techniques, I was finally able to complete the hype video for the Purdue Northwest men’s soccer team. I was really proud of the result, especially because it was my first time creating a hype video. Once the video was finished and shared, the players and coaches really liked it, which made the project even more rewarding for me. The video also received good engagement on Instagram, which showed me that the style and energy I was trying to create connected well with the audience.
The biggest takeaway from this project was realizing how much I was able to learn in a short amount of time. When I first started, I was still getting comfortable with Adobe Premiere Pro and learning techniques such as color grading, speed ramping, and different visual effects. By the end, I felt much more confident using these tools and understanding how they can be used to create a more engaging and dynamic video. This experience showed me how much potential there is in video production and motivated me to continue improving my editing skills. I know there is still a lot more for me to learn, but this project gave me the confidence to keep creating and pushing myself to produce better work in the future.