Kitch IQ filming guide

    How to film a match Kitch IQ can read

    One phone, one spot, the whole court in view. Here is exactly what works, what we can't use, and a quick check before you pay.

    Or watch it in 60 seconds

    Set up the camera

    • Behind a baseline, whole court in frame. We map where you stand from the court lines, so the corners need to be in view. A fence or a tripod behind the baseline works well.
    • Higher is better. Any height gives you the position figures and heat map. To also read how high the ball crossed the net, the camera needs to be at least 2.3 m (about 7.5 ft) up; from 2.85 m (about 9.4 ft) it is measured with the most confidence. Below 2.3 m the report leaves that reading out rather than guess.
    • Keep it still. Prop or clip the phone; don't hold it. Handheld or part-court video still gets you a report, but your court position gets harder to place, so the position figures and heat map may be left out.
    • Any normal recording mode. We don't turn a video away for its frame rate or resolution; a regular phone video is fine.

    Watch: how to film your match

    The same rules, shown by Pickle in 60 seconds. The film has no voice-over; every instruction is on screen.

    Read the film's on-screen text
    1. 0:00Mostly grey? Report 1: where you stood and how you moved are left out because court position was hard to place; net crossing height is left out because the camera was below 2.3 m (7.5 ft). One coachable moment and one drill are ready.
    2. 0:02Take 1. Low, beside the court, portrait, bumped.
    3. 0:05Take 2.
    4. 0:061/4, not this: beside the court. The corners are out of view, so we can’t place you from the court lines.
    5. 0:081/4, do this: behind a baseline. We map where you stand from the court lines, so the corners need to be in view.
    6. 0:122/4, not this: sidelines cut off. Part-court video: your court position gets harder to place.
    7. 0:142/4, do this: whole court in frame. Both baselines and both sidelines. Turn the phone sideways to fit it all.
    8. 0:183/4, not this: too low for net height. Below 2.3 m (7.5 ft) the report leaves that reading out rather than guess.
    9. 0:203/4, do this: higher is better. Any height gives you the position figures and heat map. From 2.3 m (7.5 ft) it also reads how high the ball crossed the net; from 2.85 m (9.4 ft) it is measured with the most confidence.
    10. 0:254/4, not this: handheld. Shaky video: your court position gets harder to place.
    11. 0:274/4, do this: keep it still. Prop or clip the phone; don’t hold it.
    12. 0:31Any normal recording mode. We don’t turn a video away for its frame rate or resolution.
    13. 0:33Up to 20 minutes is analyzed. If your video is longer, you choose which 20-minute stretch to analyze when you upload.
    14. 0:36MP4, MOV, M4V or WebM, up to 3 GB. Over 3 GB or another format is turned away at upload, so trim it on your phone first.
    15. 0:38After you upload, a few taps. 1: mark the court. Drag a marker onto each of the four court corners and onto the two net posts. If one corner is out of view, three corners work.
    16. 0:432: another court in view? Tell us, so we only measure yours.
    17. 0:453: point yourself out. Tap yourself on a frame so the report is about you, not your partner. If we can’t reliably tell which player is you, we don’t guess.
    18. 0:49Report 2: where you stood, how you moved, net crossing height, one coachable moment and one drill. Pickle’s numbers are illustrative.
    19. 0:52Will my video work? The whole court is in the frame, both baselines and both sidelines. The phone stays still for the whole video (propped or clipped, not handheld). Filmed from behind a baseline, as high as you can safely mount it. The part you want analyzed is 20 minutes or less (trim a longer video when you upload). The file is an MP4, MOV, M4V or WebM, and under 3 GB. You are in the video and can point yourself out on a still frame. Everything here yes means the full report.
    20. 0:57Kitch IQ. Film it. Upload it. Get one thing to practice. pickleswaps.com/kitch-iq/filming

    An animated film; Pickle's numbers are illustrative. Music: “Driving Ambition” by Ahjay Stelino, from Mixkit (Mixkit Stock Music Free License). Paddle and ball sounds: Mixkit “Game ball tap”, “Plastic hit” and “Golf ball hit” (Mixkit Sound Effects Free License). Other sound effects and all animation are original.

    Length and files

    • Up to 20 minutes is analyzed. If your video is longer, you choose which 20-minute stretch to analyze when you upload.
    • MP4, MOV, M4V or WebM, up to 3 GB. iPhone and Android videos are fine as they come off the phone.

    After you upload: a few taps

    1. Mark the court. On a still from your video, drag a marker onto each of the four court corners and onto the two net posts. If one corner is out of view, three corners work.
    2. Tell us if another court is in view, so we only measure yours.
    3. Point yourself out. Tap yourself on a frame so the report is about you, not your partner.

    What we can't use, and why

    • Files over 3 GB are turned away at upload. Trim the video on your phone first.
    • A stretch longer than 20 minutes can't be sent; trim it to 20 minutes or less.
    • Files that aren't MP4, MOV, M4V or WebM are turned away at upload.
    • Court marks that cross over or sit off the frame have to be fixed before you can continue, because every position figure is measured from them.
    • If we can't reliably tell which player is you, we don't guess: you get a message instead of a report, with a refund on request. Filming from behind the baseline, with you clearly in view, avoids this.

    Will my video work?

    Everything here yes means the full report.

    Tick each one you can say yes to.

    Analyze my match — $7.99

    Not sure yet? Read a sample report first. General guide: how to film pickleball