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Getting started hubGetting started
Your first recruiting reel
This walkthrough takes you from raw game footage to a shareable highlight reel. Setup and uploads take about 15 minutes of your time. Clips analyze in parallel — usually 30–60 seconds each — so a batch is often done while you work through the queue. Reel generation is about the same; many people have a first reel within 20 minutes.
Free trial
New accounts get 15 clips and 2 reels on the free trial — enough to build a real reel. We read every support email and in-app feedback note.
Phase 1 · 5 min
Before you open the app
A little prep makes the first upload smooth.
- 1
Pick one game or tournament
Start with a single event — you do not need your whole season on day one. Upload 8–15 plays from one game as a starting pool for your first reel.
- 2
Use one play per video file
Each upload should be a single at-bat or highlight moment. GameChanger’s default per-play clips are a perfect fit — one play, right length, title card included. How to download clips from GameChanger. Full innings or multi-play files are harder to trim and may fail analysis.
- 3
Name files when you can
Words like strikeout, homerun, or double in the filename help auto-detect play type. Optional, but it saves a click later.
- 4
Save clips where you can upload from
Phone camera roll, Google Drive, or a laptop folder all work. On mobile you pick from your gallery; on desktop you can drag files in.
Tips
- You can always upload more games later — collections keep things organized as your library grows.
- If a clip has a title card at the start, leave it in — we use it to find the right at-bat.
- Need GameChanger export steps? How to download clips from GameChanger
Avoid
- Uploading a whole inning as one file — split into separate plays first.
- Vertical screen recordings with heavy UI chrome — use the exported highlight file when possible.
Start small
Try 10–15 clips from one weekend first. That is enough to build a real 60–90s reel and see how analysis and reel building feel before uploading a full season.
Phase 2 · 5–10 min
Create your account & player profile
One player is one athlete you are building reels for.
- 1
Sign up free
Create an account at /auth/signup. Pick how you heard about us from the dropdown (helps us know which channels work).
- 2
Add a player
Dashboard → “Add Player” (or follow the “Get started” checklist). Enter the athlete’s name, graduation year, and position. This name appears on reel intro slides.
- 3
Add a season
On the player page, “Add Season”. A season is one team stint — e.g. “Spring 2026 · Diamond Elite”. Include season year and sport.
- 4
Brand the season (optional but worth it)
Upload a team logo and pick brand colors. They appear on the reel intro and on branded play slides (when you use Slides Between Plays). Logo upload can auto-suggest colors; black/white defaults work too.
Tips
- You can edit season branding anytime from “Edit Season” on the player page.
- One player profile per athlete on your plan — parents usually need one player; coaches may add more later.
Dashboard checklist
After signup, the “Get started” card on your dashboard tracks progress: player & season → upload → first reel. Use it as your home base until you are comfortable.
Phase 3 · 10 min active
Upload your first batch
Batch defaults save time; analysis runs in the background.
- 1
Open “Upload Clips”
From the player page, tap “Upload Clips” on the active season card. The checklist links here directly when your season exists.
- 2
Set batch defaults once
Opponent, game date, and collection apply to every file in the batch. Example collection: “vs Eagles · Mar 15”. You can assign or change collections later.
- 3
Add videos and upload
Select files or drag them in on desktop. Review the queue, then “Upload all”. Each file goes straight to cloud storage — you can leave the page while uploads finish.
- 4
Leave play type on “Auto-Detect”
We infer play type from filename, title card, and footage. Expand a single clip in the queue only if you already know the play type.
- 5
Wait for processing
Clips move Queued → Analyzing → Ready (or “Needs Review” / Failed). Analysis runs in parallel — typically 30–60 seconds per clip. Status updates on the Clips page and in “Clip Activity”.
Tips
- Large batches are fine — upload everything from one game, then walk away.
- When the batch finishes uploading, we send you to Quick Reel so you can build as soon as clips turn Ready.
- Upload limit counts analyzed clips on your plan; see Settings → “Usage & Plan”.
- The upload page shows inline tips the first time you queue files.
Avoid
- Closing the browser mid-upload before “Upload all” completes — wait for the queue to finish or note which files errored.
- Forgetting to select a season before upload — pick the season from the player page first.
If a clip stays queued
Open Clips → “Clip Activity”. If something sits in Queued more than a couple of minutes, open the clip and try “Start Analysis”, or check the error message on failed clips.
Phase 4 · 2–5 min per clip that needs attention
Review clips (when needed)
Most clips land as Ready without you touching them.
- 1
Check “Clip Activity”
Sidebar → Clips. Sections show Queued, “Needs Review”, and Failed across all players. Ready clips are in your season collections and reel builder.
- 2
Open a clip that needs review
Preview the highlight cut (default) or switch to “Full Video” to see the source file. If the trim looks right, tap “Looks Good — Use This Highlight” — it becomes Ready for reels.
- 3
Nudge timing if close
Adjust → “Fix Timing”: move start/end by small steps, preview, “Save Trim”. Half-second nudges are usually enough.
- 4
Fix metadata in Details
“Details” tab: correct Description (list + play-title text), play type, opponent, or game date if auto-detect was wrong. These labels appear on reel titles and filters.
- 5
Re-analyze only when the wrong play was cut
Adjust → “Re-Analyze” with optional feedback (e.g. “trim the home run, not the warmup”). Takes about 30–60 seconds — use when timing tweaks are not enough.
Tips
- Prev/Next at the top of clip review moves through the same collection without going back to the grid.
- Only Ready clips appear in the reel builder — approve or fix anything you want included.
Avoid
- Re-analyzing for tiny timing tweaks — use “Fix Timing” first; it is faster.
- Skipping approval on “Needs Review” clips — they will not show up when building a reel.
Phase 5 · 5–10 min active
Build your first reel
Quick Reel is the fastest path — length, play titles, generate.
- 1
Open Quick Reel
After “Upload all”, we send you to Quick Reel for that season (This Upload focuses the batch you just sent). Or use sidebar “Build a Reel” / player page Create Reel anytime. Only Ready clips can generate.
- 2
Pick clips and length
Select ready highlights (or wait while analyzing). Target length defaults to 60 seconds (90s or 120s also available). Trimmed plays are short — select a generous set and we fit the best ones to your target.
- 3
Choose play titles
Play Titles default to On Play (upper left) — a label on the video with no extra time. Or pick Slides Between Plays (2s branded cards before each highlight) or Off. Titles use each clip’s Description when set, otherwise its clip type.
- 4
Generate and download
Set the intro title if you want, then generate. Open the reel page for progress — usually 30–60 seconds. When status is Ready, download and share.
- 5
Need more control?
Quick Reel → “More Options” opens the three-step Create Reel builder: filters, full branding (corner/color for on-video titles, opponent/date on slides), Best picks vs manual order, and 720p/1080p when your plan allows.
Tips
- On-video titles add no duration; branded slides add ~2s per clip on top of intro (~3s) and highlight time.
- You do not need to perfectly curate the list — target length + scoring drop clips that will not fit.
- Change play-title mode later on the reel page and regenerate without another reel credit.
What coaches expect
A tight 60–90s reel with your best plays first beats a long montage. Lead with strikeouts, home runs, or your strongest defensive plays.
Phase 6 · Ongoing
What to do next
You have the workflow — now build momentum.
- 1
Share the reel
Download the MP4 and attach to recruiting emails, upload to a profile site, or send directly to coaches. Test the link or file on your phone before sending.
- 2
Upload more games into collections
Create a collection per tournament or opponent. Reel building gets faster when clips are already grouped.
- 3
Build variant reels
Try a 60s Quick Reel with on-video titles vs. a 90s package with slides between plays. Different lengths and play-title modes from the same library.
- 4
Watch usage in Settings
Settings → “Usage & Plan” shows clips analyzed and reels generated. Upgrade when you need more capacity on a paid plan.
- 5
Send feedback
Something confusing? A clip that should have worked? Email support with the player, season, or clip name — screenshots help.
Keep going
You have the core workflow. Share feedback anytime — upload, review, and reel quality notes help us improve for every family.
Clip status quick reference
What each status means and what to do. Inline tips on upload and clip pages go deeper.
| Status | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Queued | Uploading or waiting to analyze | Usually under a minute; check “Clip Activity” if stuck |
| Analyzing | AI is finding the highlight | Wait — page updates automatically |
| Ready | Trim looks good — approved for reels | Use in Quick Reel or More Options |
| Needs Review | Wants a quick human check | Open clip → preview → “Looks Good — Use This Highlight” or adjust |
| Failed | Something went wrong | Read error on clip page; re-upload or “Re-Analyze” |
Common questions
Quick answers during your first session.