Wipeout

What it means

A wipeout is any fall that ends a ride: a surfer pitched over the falls, a skier cartwheeling down a slope, a rider going over the bars. In surfing the word is literal; in other sports people say crash, bail or slam, but the editing role is the same.

Viewers love wipeouts because they show the stakes. A clean landing means more after you have seen what failure looks like, and a harmless, funny crash adds humor that pure success cannot. Many classic edits pair a series of attempts and wipeouts with a final landing, a simple and effective story arc.

How it works in practice

Keep the camera rolling through falls. Many people stop recording after a crash, but the moments right after, laughing, shaking off snow, checking the board, are often the best reaction footage of the day.

A chest mount or helmet camera captures the chaotic POV of a crash; a friend filming from the side captures the whole fall. Both together make a strong sequence, especially with an instant replay from the second angle.

Slow motion suits wipeouts. Shot at 60-120 fps, a fall can be slowed so viewers see the moment it went wrong.

What to watch out for

Not every crash belongs in a video. A serious injury, or a fall that embarrasses someone who did not agree to be shown, can hurt real people. Ask before you publish a friend's worst moment, and cut it if they say no.

Cameras get lost in wipeouts. Use a tether or leash on every mount in water and snow, and check that mounts are tight before each run.

Too many falls in a row flatten the energy. Mix them with clean riding, so each wipeout still surprises the viewer. Two or three well-placed crashes usually land harder than a whole montage of them.