Unleashing Energy Through Cinematic Cheer Intro Videos
Cheerleading Competition Intro Videos That Brought the Energy
In mid-October of 2024, Hamil Bros Studios was juggling multiple productions when we were contacted by Matt from The Open Championship Series. This cheerleading competition series needed 8–10 high-energy intro videos for social media and other outlets. These would be short, attention-grabbing spots to hype the audience, introduce themes, and reinforce branding across their events.
The request was simple: shoot everything on a green screen or black background, and deliver by the end of the month. But we don’t do simple—we do stand-out. Every project is an opportunity to push creative boundaries and build something unforgettable.
Rethinking the Standard: What We Were Shown
Matt quickly sent over samples of past cheerleading competition intro videos from the series. The examples were straightforward—competent, but lacking flair. These videos served their purpose, but there wasn’t much that made them pop. We immediately started brainstorming ways to elevate the concept while honoring the competition’s identity. After all, these videos are the first thing the audience sees—they set the tone, the emotion, and the hype.
As we dissected the example videos, we noticed they relied heavily on static compositions, minimal lighting variation, and generic audio cues. While they may have technically fulfilled the brief, they lacked personality.
And in the world of competitive cheerleading—where energy, intensity, and identity are everything—that’s a missed opportunity. We saw a way to infuse life into these intros and turn them into emotional primers for both athletes and audience members.
We also considered the platforms where these cheerleading competition intro videos would live: social media, live event screens, recap reels, and online promotion. Each platform calls for visual sharpness, tight pacing, and strong branding. The intros needed to pop regardless of whether they were seen on a massive LED wall or a phone screen. That meant thinking in layers: performance, pacing, lighting, branding, and technical precision.
Our goal was to bring energy, depth, and excitement—something visually powerful that felt like it belonged on a national broadcast.
Choosing the Perfect Location for Impact and Control
For this project, we returned to a familiar spot: Raintree Christian Church’s Treehouse room. It’s a carpeted space roughly half the size of a basketball court with high ceilings—ideal for both lighting and sound. Since the room doesn’t see much weekday foot traffic and has decor that naturally breaks up sound reflections, it gave us a controlled environment for clean audio and flexible lighting.
Finding the right location is critical to creating top-tier cheerleading competition intro videos. Without a suitable space, lighting can spill, reverb can kill dialogue, and post-production becomes a nightmare. The Treehouse helped us avoid all those problems and gave us the creative freedom to do what we do best.
Lighting Techniques
Lights, Camera, Strategy
How We Lit the Set for Drama and Energy
The original request included the option of a green screen, but we chose to go with a blacked-out background to simplify post-production and avoid the time-intensive chroma keying process. We used a Matthews 8×8 double-sided Matthbounce/black cloth combined with 4×4 floppies to create a rich, dark backdrop.
For lighting, we leaned on:
- Key Light: Aputure 600c LightStorm with the LightDome 150
- Fill Light: Amaran 300C COB with mini light dome
- Background Lights: Two Amaran 150C COBs set to magenta and blue
Those colors weren’t random. We had researched The Open Championship Series branding and found their identity revolved around magenta and blue. So we leaned into that aesthetic, even adding Amaran color tubes in matching hues for depth and energy.
These color choices didn’t just look good—they made the brand recognizable and gave the cheerleading competition intro videos a cohesive, high-energy vibe. Fog added texture and dimensionality to the visuals, enhancing that cinematic, hype-building effect.
Putting the Gear to Work: Our Camera Arsenal
This was our first big test of the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K, and it performed beautifully alongside our tried-and-true Blackmagic Cinema 6K. We outfitted both with Tokina Cinema Vista Primes (50mm and 105mm) and filtered with Firecrest IRNDs and Revar Cine’s PA Tears diffusion for that extra polish.
Pairing the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K and the Cinema 6K wasn’t just about testing new gear—it was about giving ourselves a technical edge. These cameras provided matching color science and a seamless post workflow, but more importantly, they gave us creative options on set. We could frame one camera tighter and one looser, allowing us to build dynamic edits without sacrificing visual continuity.
The Tokina Cinema Vista Primes brought that creamy bokeh and edge-to-edge sharpness we love. Combined with our filter stack, we were able to soften highlights and control contrast in a way that brought polish and texture. It wasn’t just about what we saw through the lens—it was how we made it feel.
These camera and lens combinations gave us gorgeous dynamic range and shallow depth of field, perfect for isolating our subject and enhancing visual focus. In cheerleading competition intro videos, focus and clarity are key—there’s no time to waste when capturing someone’s attention in under 30 seconds.
Making the Magic Happen On Set
Though the request called for a single camera, we had time and talent on hand—so we rolled with a two-camera setup. Samantha Ryan, our on-screen host, brought instant professionalism and energy. We coordinated a dual-camera delivery style, having her start lines on one camera and complete them on the other. This added movement, rhythm, and engagement to each cheerleading competition intro video.
Matt was initially surprised by our lighting choices—particularly the magenta/blue tubes—but once he saw the monitor, he was sold. It was a creative risk that worked, and it elevated the production value far beyond a basic black backdrop.
Having two cameras also allowed us to move faster. While one was rolling, we could reframe or tweak focus on the other. That efficiency gave us room to play. We tested different line deliveries, varied Samantha’s movement, and even played with subtle lighting shifts between takes to match her tone and cadence.
The collaboration with Matt was a big part of the shoot’s success. He trusted us to take calculated risks, and we kept him looped in through a live monitor feed so he could see exactly what we were capturing in real time. That transparency builds confidence—not just in the production team, but in the final product.
The shoot ran smoothly, and the results exceeded expectations. These moments on set—when creativity and precision come together—are what make our work so rewarding.
Transforming Raw Footage
Turning Footage Into Fire
Thanks to Samantha’s sharp delivery and the clarity of our direction, the editing process was efficient. We knocked out the first batch of cheerleading competition intro videos in under a day.
Our post-production process was built around speed and visual impact. Using Adobe After Effects, we blended tools from Video Copilot, Red Giant, and ActionVFX to simulate lighting interactions, motion, and fog. Each frame was treated like its own digital stage.
The Open Championship Series logo wasn’t just dropped in—it was animated with purpose. We designed its movements and lighting to feel as though it existed in the same physical space as Samantha. That’s the difference between a flat intro and a cinematic one.
We also layered audio design elements to enhance the energy and give each video a unique signature. Punchy sound design and seamless transitions made these videos not just intros—but trailers for the experience.
From Studio to Spotlight
The Big Moment
Just a few weeks later, on Thanksgiving Day, we were watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade when we caught a glimpse of The Open Championship group performing—complete with our on-screen talent Samantha Ryan visible in the background. It was a surreal moment to see someone from our production on national TV, reinforcing just how far these cheerleading competition intro videos had reached.
Moments like that validate all the long hours of setup, lighting tweaks, post effects, and revision passes. What starts as a local shoot can suddenly appear on one of the biggest stages in the country.
The cheerleading competition intro videos weren’t just content—they were part of a larger movement that carried these athletes to one of the most celebrated stages in the world.
Elevate Your Event with Cinematic Excellence
These videos exemplify what we love to do: tell stories with impact, style, and precision. If your competition, event, or brand needs cheerleading competition intro videos that captivate and convert, you know who to call.
We don’t just deliver content—we deliver moments that live beyond the screen.