Orienteering/Videos/Compass skills

CONTINUOUS from script 4 Map skills - Over ad-lib chit chat (no sound), the Instructor points at things on the map, then at features in the terrain while the Presenter asks questions etc.

PRESENTER (V/O)

I’ve just started my first orienteering race. I’ve been studying the map and with the help of my expert orienteering instructor, and I’ve learned what all the navigation features in the forest look like on the map. Now I’m going to learn how to use my compass.

MID SHOT of the Presenter, addressing the instructor.

PRESENTER (to Instructor)

So my first question is, do I really need a compass?

INSTRUCTOR (ad-lib, along the lines of…)

You don’t have to use one, but they’re very, very useful. There is a former world champion from Finland who doesn’t use one, but he’s definitely the exception. Most orienteers use them.

PRESENTER

Well, luckily I have one right here.

She holds it up. The Instructor takes it and places it on the map.

INSTRUCTOR (ad-lib, along the lines of…)

So this type of compass is called a base plate compass, and the first thing you need to do is lie it flat on the map, like so (CLOSE UP). That allows you to easily orientate the map.

PRESENTER

That’s lining the compass up with the north arrows, right?

INSTRUCTOR

That’s right. Once you’ve done that, you can turn your body so you’re facing the way you want to go.

WIDE SHOT of Presenter turning, facing in the right direction.

PRESENTER

(pointing ahead)

So that’s that way, right?

INSTRUCTOR

Right. And if you look at the symbol on the map…

CLOSE UP of map.

PRESENTER

That’s a track, right?

INSTRUCTOR

And on the ground we have…

PRESENTER

A track. So we just follow the track in this direction, right?

INSTRUCTOR

Very good.

PRESENTER

Shall we go?

The camera follows as they walk down the track.

PRESENTER (V/O)

As my elite orienteering friend told me earlier, there are actually several different types of compass.

CUT TO footage of an elite using a thumb compass, close up then mid/long shot of reading the map on the run.

PRESENTER (V/O)

More experienced orienteers use a thumb compass, which attaches to the thumb and is held continually against the map so that it can be read easily on the run.

Back to Presenter and Instructor.

PRESENTER

So what exactly is “thumbing the map”?

INSTRUCTOR (ad-lib…)

Thumbing the map is when you follow your position on the map with your thumb, or with the edge of your compass. Thumb compasses are designed so that you can do this easily.

PRESENTER

Do I need to do that?

INSTRUCTOR (ad-lib…)

It’s a good habit to get into, but it’s not as vital when you are following a linear feature like a track or a fence and you don’t need to know exactly where you are all the time. Thumbing the map is important when you are running in the forest and you need to pick up individual features to let you know where you are.

As they walk along the track, an elite orienteer crosses the track in front of them, map folded and thumbing the map.

PRESENTER

Wow, that was fast.

They watch the orienteer disappear into the forest.

PRESENTER

I couldn’t help noticing he seemed to have a very small map.

INSTRUCTOR

(laughs)

It’s the same map we have, folded up into a smaller size.

PRESENTER

Is that because it’s easier to carry?

INSTRUCTOR (ad-lib…)

No, it’s to make it easier to thumb the map and to make sure the north line of your compass is lined up with the north line on the map when your change direction.

PRESENTER

Can I try that?

INSTRUCTOR

Sure.

Ad-lib Instructor showing/describing how to fold the map correctly, lining up edge of map with north lines etc.

PRESENTER

So when we go around this bend in the track, I’ll still be able to line up the north lines on my compass and my map and have the map pointing in the right direction?

INSTRUCTOR

Exactly.

They continue down the track.

PRESENTER (V/O)

I think I’m getting the hang of this. But I’ll be feeling a lot more confident after I’ve found my first control.